"Murder as a steady occupation has its handicaps… the pay is high, but so are the gallows from which, sooner or later, they hang you."
Running from 1951 through 1955, Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator is about a New York private eye. Produced in New York from 1951 to 1954 and then moved it to Hollywood where it aired from 1954 to 1955. This entertaining old time radio series originally titled "Barry Crane" was later renamed "Barrie Craig."
The series starred William Gargan (also played detective Martin Kane) as Barrie Craig, the lone private detective, who worked and solved cases from his Madison Avenue office. Gargan actually worked in as a private detective, collecting agent; his duties ranged from doing stakeouts to working as a bodyguard. He was shot while on the investigating a deadbeat customer. This life experience surely added to the depth of his characterization of Barrie Craig, Ellery Queen (three films) and Martin Kane.
While most detectives at the time were no nonsense hardboiled types, Barrie Craig is extraordinary due to his laid back personality. He rarely gets worried even in life threatening situations, it takes a lot to ruffle his feathers. Craig narrates the story much like Joe Friday in Dragnet and Sam Spade.
An interesting note: two Inner Sanctum scripts were actually reused in the Barrie Craig series.
Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator was an old time radio detective series that was produced and aired from New York in 1951 - 1954. This crime series followed the life of Barrie Craig, who was portrayed by actor William Gargan. Gargan played the New York City private eye so well that the program continued its airing in Hollywood from 1954 - 1955. Craig ran his operation from his office in Madison Avenue. He solved crimes, relentlessly pursued criminals, and was not above taking odd jobs. Whereas majority of the investigative themed old radio shows featured no-nonsense and hard-boiled detectives, Barrie Craig poked fun at the traditional local private eye with his laid-back and easy-going manner.
Entertain yourself with the mysterious cases of Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator!
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Please enjoy these 67 old time radio episodes:
| Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07.08.1952 | the long way home |
+ Mona Walsh was married to bank hold-up murderer Ted Walsh and she left him when she found out what... | |
| 10.08.1952 | murder by threes |
+ "Murder By Three". "One sure way to reduce the body beautiful and eliminate excess fat is horizo... | |
| 10.15.1952 | dead loss |
+ sustained "Dead Loss". The story was about the mistery of A Man who was buried six months before ... | |
| 01.04.1953 | crimson queen |
+ "The Crimson Queen". Sponsored by: Bromo Seltzer. "The major trouble with murder as a career is t... | |
| 02.15.1953 | the girl on the doorstep |
+ "The Girl On The Doorstep" was Sponsored by: Bromo Seltzer. "I wondered whether a murderer like ev... | |
| 03.01.1953 | behold a corpse |
"The Wholed Corpse" was played on NBC.Net and sponsored by: Bromo Seltzer. "These words that are oft... | |
| 05.03.1953 | beware the walking dog |
+ Doreen Dimple was willing to pay Barry Craig $500 to walk her dog Caesar because the last 2 times ... | |
| 06.14.1953 | the lost lady |
+ "The Lost Lady". "Buying yourself a murder can run into pretty big money, but after that, you've... | |
| 07.19.1953 | scream for murder |
+ Marriages may be made in heaven but they sometimes can end in the city morgue. Barrie Craig knows ... | |
| 08.09.1953 | the thirteenth guest |
+ Badger Boris is giving an intimate masquerade costume party for certain selected friends. He is fa... | |
| 09.22.1953 | kitchens come with knives |
+ Barry Craig had been told when he took the job that Sam Jenkins partner suspected that he was rele... | |
| 10.03.1953 | alais clark smith |
+ When Barrie Craig got back to his office he learned from Jake the building super that a small guy ... | |
| 10.13.1953 | fog over murder |
+ Dr Banner consults Barrie Craig for his help to discover the identity of his client, temporarily n... | |
| 11.03.1953 | the lonely corner |
+ "The Lonely Corner". "Murderers must have a lot of trouble keeping their books balanced. For one... | |
| 01.19.1954 | strange vision |
+ Dexter Dean owns an Operator Chemical Plant in Greensville Ohio and in recent months there had bee... | |
| 02.02.1954 | zero hour | ||
| 03.30.1954 | the embezzler | ||
| 04.06.1954 | the schemers |
+ "The Schemers". "The best time to die folks, is in your own good time. But...try arguing with a ... | |
| 05.25.1954 | the corpse who was wrong |
+ W Stubbins was an attorney who represented Arthur Philip Peterson. Mr Peterson had instructed his ... | |
| 07.06.1954 | the tough guy |
+ sustained "The Tough Guy". Barrie involved in the search money of $ 30,000 lost burgled a thief ... | |
| 07.13.1954 | murder by error |
+ sustained "Murder By Error".A husband of a beautiful woman squeezed of $ 10,000 by a manikin who ... | |
| 07.27.1954 | death buys a bedroom |
+ sustained "Death Buys A Bedroom". In his vacation in the mountains, Barrie met a beautiful gir... | |
| 08.03.1954 | for love of murder |
+ sustained "For Love Of Murder". Barrie bails out of jail a broken hearted man and possibly a murd... | |
| 08.10.1954 | deaths bargain basement |
+ sustained "Death's Bargain Basement". "Jail cell turns into honeymoon cottage where prisoners ove... | |
| 08.17.1954 | mid summer lunacy |
+ sustained "Mid-Summer Lunacy". Barrie was hired by a fake client, A beautiful blonde, to check ou... |
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Chris
Christopher
James
Bernhard
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Christoph
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BARRY CRAIG, CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATOR
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