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Big Town was a reporter-type crime drama series that aired from 1937 to 1952. It told the story of Steve Wilson and his search for truth and justice. The role was first given to Edward Robinson, who was in the show until 1942, then to Edward Pawley from 1943 to 1951, and finally to Walter Greaza. Wilson's leading lady Lorelei Kilbourne, on the other hand, was played by Claire Trevor. Ona Munson and Fran Carlon were also casted as Lorelei in the show's later episodes.

In its 15-year run, the show was able to attract as much as 20 million listeners, making it one of the best crime drama series ever heard on the radio. In fact, due to its success, television, film (there were four), and comic book adaptations were made, and all proved to be equally successful.

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Please enjoy these 42 old time radio episodes:

Air Date Title Synopsis Rating
 10.19.1937 wilson is shot

+ Sponsored by: Rinso. The first show of the series. Steve Wilson is portrayed as a throughly unplea...
 10.26.1937 Big Town (002) Fire Trap

+ Sponsored by: Rinso. The Illustrated Press is being sued for libel by William Harding. Lorelei has...
 10.14.1938 the big town (xx) poultry racket (rehearsal)

+ Sponsored by: Rinso. Rehearsal. Crusading Steve Wilson turns chicken inspector and breaks up a pou...
 06.30.1939 the big town (xx) reform school (rehearsal)

+ Rehearsal. The last show of the season. Bobby Warner is sent to reform school when his mother is ...
 01.02.1940 Big Town (098) Deep Death

 03.26.1940 Big Town Death Rides The Highway

+ Sponsored by: Rinso. Who is the unknown driver who caused a truck to crash into a school bus? The ...
 12.11.1940 big town (131) every 18 hours (aka after 18 hours) [tragic effects of reckless driving]

+ Steve Wilson and The Illustrated Press go on a crusade against hit-and-run drivers. The date is su...
 05.14.1942 big town (192) occupied paris

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. Steve and Lorelei find a corpse in a cheap hotel and a six-foo...
 09.05.1942 occupied paris

 09.14.1948 big town (447) blind justice

+ Fearing the racketeers behind a brutal gang killing of a construction foreman may not know the onl...
 09.21.1948 big town (448) the final payment

+ Learning that an obituary racket is being worked in Big Town Steve Wilson has set a trap by having...
 09.28.1948 big town (449) the trap (steve used as bait in a political murder)

+ Steve Wilson has been drawn in to a deadly trap set by a vengeful killer on

 10.12.1948 big town (451) double murder

+ Few men are capable of murdering a woman and if the attempt fails the would-be killer must strike ...
 10.19.1948 big town (452) the angel of the street

+ "The Angel Of The Street". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso (Mercury-A-Day contest). "Violet, a lady...
 11.09.1948 big town (453) the fatal chain

+ "The Fatal Chain". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap. A false bank guard pulls a payroll robbery and sh...
 11.16.1948 big town (454) death by plan

+ "Death By Plan". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso (Mercury-A-Day contest). Greg Barton strangle...
 11.23.1948 big town (455) the deadly doll

+ Most criminals pay for their crime one way or another. Some pay in prison stretches five, ten and ...
 11.30.1948 big town (456) i remember murder

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso. A band-leader steals $50,000 from The High Hatters Club and leaves ...
 12.07.1948 big town (457) tcot lost and found

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. Dick Rutter, the star reporter of a competing paper, disappear...
 12.14.1948 big town (458) deadline at dawn

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. A protection mob is moving into the produce markets of Big Tow...
 12.21.1948 big town (459( prelude to christmas

+ Sponsored by: Rinso, Lifebuoy. "The story of a child's simple faith." This is the story of the et...
 12.28.1948 big town (460) the dangerous resolution

+ Sponsored by: Rinso, Lifebuoy. When a man plans a New Years resolution to quit the rackets deadly...
 01.04.1949 the mask of evil

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. Mystery writer Hannah Harper, and her nervous companion, summo...
 01.11.1949 big town (462) nightmare house

+ Sponsored by: Lifebuoy, Rinso. Bill and Helen Barton have a new house on "Honeymoon Hill." The cro...
 N/A big town (xxx) teenage terror (aka teenage drug seller)

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My father, Robert Winckler, worked in over 200 radio shows in the 1930's & '40's during the "Golden Age of Hollywood." Here's a photo from the Hollywood BIG TOWN radio show starring Edward G. Robinson. Dad was the Newsboy on the CBS show and he loved working with Mr. Robinson. My Dad, my Grandfather, and Mr. Robinson were very good friends.

Bill

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This program was broadcast from 1937 until 1952. From 1937 until 1942 Edward G. Robinson played Steve Wilson, the editor of the crusading newspaper called the Illustrated Press.

BIG TOWN

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The Big Town Radio Program
Arch Oboler, commissioned to script for Big Town, relocated from New York to Hollywood to write for the show.
Scene from November 29th 1938 episode, 'What Have We to Be Thankful For.'
Eddie Robinson and Claire Trevor entertain three young admirers after a performance of Big Town during January 1938.
Music director Fran Frey brings his two wire-haired terriers to the studio for a broadcast about a dog-stealing racket.
Clark Andrews, Producer-Director of Big Town, directs wife, Claire Trevor, the show's co-star.
Edward G. Robinson, as Steve Wilson, in publicity photo for Big Town.
Spot ad for the premiere of the 2nd Fall Season of Big Town on September 20th 1938
February 24th 1940 Movie Radio Guide caption reads -- 'Eddie 'Big Town' Robinson smashed a fraudulent missing heirs racket on a recent broadcast, but hastened to explain that the Missing Heirs broadcast to follow (CBS) was no phony but the real McCoy.
Caption reads -- 'Paula Winslowe, on Big Town tonight, is one of Hollywood's best acting talents.
Caption reads - 'Ona Munson studies the script over Boss Robinson's shoulder.
Eddie Robinson's preference was to sit perched on his chair at the CBS mikes with other actors surrounding, entering or leaving him at the mikes as the episode progressed.
The June 1941 issue of Popular Science magazine took an inside look into the signs and slang of Radio's 'secret language.' In this panel, Eddie Robinson places his finger on his nose to signal that the script timing came in within 5 seconds of its target. Ona Munson smiles in agreement.
Ona Munson, as Lorelei, reviews 'copy' one last time as her deadline approaches.
Movie-Radio Guide spot ad for a 1942 Big Town schedule change.
Fran Carlon and Ed Pawley at the NBC mike for the Fall 1950 season of Big Town.
Director William N. Robson discusses a script during a rehearsal with Eddie Robinson and Ona Munson (from The New York Times of March 3rd 1940)
Fran Carlon as Lorelei and Ed Pawley as Steve pose for a staged renactment of Big Town fare for Radio Mirror
Bob Dryden as 'Harry the Hack' is featured in the second featurette panel
Fran Carlon and Ed Pawley are featured in the final featurette panel
Spot ad for the 1946 CBS run of Big Town, with Ed Pawley and Fran Carlon
Premiere spot ad for the 1952 CBS run of Big Town, with Walter Greaza and Fran Carlon.
Edward G. Robinson circa 1927
Eddie Robinson peruses one of the hundreds of books in his library.
Though not a trained pianist, Robinson enjoyed experimenting with his own original pieces.
Robinson reads to his son, Manny (Eddie Jr.)
Eddie Robinson emerges from a white tie affair with his wife (the former Gladys Lloyd)
Early Latin-American fan magazine publicity photo of Edward G. Robinson.
Candid shot of Eddie Robinson running a comb through Eddie Jr.'s hair. ( Eddie Jr.'s nickname was Manny, after his father's real name)
Father Eddie Robinson helps Eddie Jr. with his equestrian instruction.
Announcement of Hello Marie from 1932.
Carlton KaDell circa 1934
Carlton KaDell circa 1936
April 3 1937 Carlton KaDell article.
Carlton KaDell article from September 1937
Carlton KaDell circa 1938
KaDell emceed United Air Lines' In Time To Come in 1943
Carlton KaDell's ''wide-stance'' moment from Jan 15 1949
Announcement of A Life In Your Hands episode of July 31 1952
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Fran Carlon
Fran Carlon
Fran Carlon
Basketball fix
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Claire Trevor as Lorelei Kilbourne
Cy Kendall as various grafters
Edward Pawley & Fran Carlon as Steve Wilson & Lorelei Kilbourne
Edward G. Robinson as Steve Wilson
Hanley Stafford
Larry Haines as Mozart
Lawson Zerbe as Dusty Miller
Mason Adams as Harry The Hack
Paula Winslowe as Miss Foster
Ted Osborne
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Big Town Promo
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