BOSTON BLACKIE Volume 1

Starring Richard Kollmar (12 half-hour episodes / 6 hours via digital download)

Created by author Jack Boyle, Boston Blackie was a master safecracker and hardened criminal who served time in a California prison. Rehabilitated, he decided to use his knowledge of the underworld to fight crime as an amateur detective.Known as “an enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend” Boston Blackie’s exploits were adapted to films, radio, and television.Chester Morris, who had played Boston Blackie in a series of B-Movies for Columbia, originated the character on radio in 1944.By 1945, Richard Kollmar took over the title role in a radio series syndicated by Frederic W. Ziv. Over 200 radio episodes were produced between 1944 and 1950. While investigating the cases, Blackie would invariably encounter harebrained Police Inspector Faraday (Maurice Tarplin) and always solve the crime before Faraday could. Initially, friction surfaced in the relationship between Blackie and Faraday, but as the series continued, Faraday recognized Blackie's talents and occasionally even requested his assistance. Blackie dated Mary Wesley (Jan Miner & Lesley Woods), and for the first half of the series, his best pal Shorty (Tony Barrett) was on hand. Boston Blackie transitioned to TV in 1951 starring Kent Taylor as Blackie, Lois Collier as Mary and Frank Orth as Inspector Faraday.

2/5/46 The Brandon Murder

2/12/46 The Condon Ransom

4/16/46 The Baseball Player Murder

4/23/46 The Stolen Car Ring

4/30/46 The Frances Fielding Murder

5/7/46 The Winthrope Jewelry Company Thefts

5/21/46 The Paul Blaine Murder

5/28/46 Mike Harlan Escapes From Prison

6/4/46 The Old Man Graham Murder

6/11/46 The Case of the Disappearing Plane

6/18/46 The Masked Gang Protection Racket

11/19/46 Mary Steals a Stolen Diamond Necklace