Detectives on the Air

Originally Aired: March 10, 1951
When Johnny Dollar is dispatched to the isolated desert town of Stanley Springs, he expects to quietly investigate a suspicious letter accusing the Stanley Springs Company of illegal activity across the Mexican border. What he finds is a company town under tight control, where strangers are viewed with suspicion and secrets are buried deep beneath the dust.
With the help of Anne Salazar, a club singer with her own reasons to be afraid, Johnny uncovers a smuggling ring trafficking narcotics hidden in cotton shipments. But as he closes in on the truth, an informant is...

Originally Aired: March 3, 1951


When Celia Woodstock vanishes without a trace, insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is drawn into a maze of deception, jealousy, and hidden pasts. Captain Lyle Woodstock, her much older and adventurous husband, insists there’s no trouble—despite hiring both a private detective and Dollar to find his missing wife. As Johnny follows the trail from an icy estate on Long Island Sound to the bustling streets of Bridgeport, he uncovers cryptic phone calls, secret bank withdrawals, and a mysterious name: Sprague.


The investigation quickly spirals into violence when Johnny is ambushed in t...

Originally Aired: February 24, 1951

When Johnny Dollar arrives in Farmington, New Mexico to investigate the killing of rancher Jarvis Wilder, the case seems cut and dried—his widow, Alma Wilder, has confessed. But something doesn’t sit right with the seasoned insurance investigator. As he probes deeper into the case and the sinister Wilder family dynamics, Dollar begins to suspect Alma may be covering for someone—or something—far more dangerous. With the victim’s twin brother issuing threats, a loyal ranch hand withholding the truth, and Alma herself seemingly at peace behind bars, the real story behind the fatal shoo...

Originally Aired: January 20, 1951

In The David Rockey Matter, insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is dispatched to the remote Nicaraguan port of San Juan del Sur to locate seaman David Rockey, the unexpected heir to a million-and-a-half dollar estate left by his adoptive father, Titus Morgan. But when Johnny arrives, he discovers Rockey jailed and charged with murder—accused of stabbing a local foreman during a drunken night that Rockey claims he can’t remember. With a corrupt and hostile police force, elusive witnesses, and conflicting accounts, Johnny fights to uncover the truth. As he pieces together a hazy night of r...

Originally Aired: January 13, 1951

When three San Francisco branches of the Port-O-Call Loan Company are robbed in a coordinated morning spree, insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is dispatched by Great Eastern Insurance to track down the culprits behind the $47,000 theft. As he delves into the case, Johnny discovers that witnesses recall a mysterious figure with a falsetto voice and stage makeup, and that no getaway cars were seen—hinting at a clever escape plan. The trail leads him to a missing cab driver, Joe Geyer, whose distraught wife insists on his innocence. As more bodies begin to surface—including that of G...

Originally Aired: December 16, 1950

When Johnny Dollar is dispatched to Charleston to investigate the murder of fellow insurance investigator Gene Reimer, he uncovers a deeper web of deceit tied to an old Southern family. Gene had been looking into the brutal bludgeoning of Leland Blackburn, a respected broker with hidden secrets. As Johnny delves into the genteel world of the Blackburns, he faces hostility, suppressed truths, and a trail of narcotics that links both killings. Reimer’s widow, Barbara, becomes a suspect, her past with Johnny complicating the case further. But a surprising confession from Mrs. Blackburn and a da...

Originally Aired: November 25, 1950

In The Woodward, Manila, Matter, Johnny Dollar travels to the Philippines to investigate the theft of $75,000 from an American-owned hardware store. The trail leads him through the bustling streets of Manila and out to the mysterious reaches of Tayabas Bay, where the main suspect, clerk Dan Blake, is found dead under suspicious circumstances. As Dollar digs deeper, he finds a tangled web involving a desperate store manager, a grieving secretary with hidden motives, and a suspicious schooner captain with secrets of his own. With island rebels, betrayal, and a tragic love affair clouding the case...

Originally Aired: November 18, 1950

When a woman named Nora Faulkner tries to take out a $200,000 life insurance policy in Los Angeles, the sales agent’s unease prompts the company to call in insurance investigator Johnny Dollar. What begins as a routine inquiry quickly spirals into a tangled web of suspicion, family drama, and danger. Dollar uncovers a fractured household, a domineering mother-in-law, and a psychic who hints at hidden fears. When Nora is poisoned in a Las Vegas hotel, her claims of suicide raise more questions than answers. As Johnny digs deeper, secrets come to light—about Nora’s unhapp...

Originally Aired: November 11, 1950

 In The Adam Kegg Matter, insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to New York to quietly investigate a $125,000 jewel theft involving the wealthy and abrasive theatrical producer Adam Kegg. Though the theft initially appears to be a standard break-in, a bizarre ransom note disguised within a newspaper ad and the mysterious resignation of the maid add intrigue to the case. When the bellboy who first reported the theft turns up dead, Dollar follows a cryptic lead to Montclair, New Jersey—where he encounters a suspicious musician with a v-shaped facial scar and...

Originally Aired:
November 4, 1950

In The Queen Anne Pistols Matter, Johnny Dollar is assigned to escort a pair of antique pistols from Hartford to Boston—simple enough, until he’s ambushed in a web of lies, blackmail, and international murder. What begins as a routine protection job quickly spirals into a complex case involving a forged delivery, a woman driven to hysteria, and a failed blackmail attempt against the heirs of a murdered Duke. With the scent of danger stronger than gunpowder, Dollar uncovers the truth: the pistols were once owned by the Duke of Pembroke—victim...

When a young woman’s body is found beneath a quiet bridge in Boston, Johnny Dollar is sent to determine whether her death was suicide or something more sinister. Joan Sebastian, only 21 and recently freed from the burdens of caring for her invalid mother, had been living fast—too fast for some. As Johnny uncovers secrets from her troubled past, he finds a trail of jealous lovers, a mysterious gold key, and a rented cottage hiding bloodstained evidence. But when a web of lies and guilt threatens to shield the real killer, Johnny must untangle the twisted motives of everyone invo...

Johnny Dollar travels to the New England coast to investigate a mysterious insurance claim tied to a dilapidated mansion and its eccentric, reclusive owner—Jack Madigan. Once a famed Broadway producer, Madigan now lives in seclusion with a loyal housekeeper and a string of unanswered questions. As Johnny uncovers the truth behind forged documents, unexplained fires, and missing jewels, he learns that Madigan’s past may be haunting him in more ways than one. When a stranger appears with ties to a decades-old scandal, Johnny must determine if the truth is buried beneath the floorboards—or hidden in plain sight.
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Johnny Dollar is sent halfway around the world to investigate a stalled freighter in Singapore—along with a growing insurance liability. What begins as a case of mechanical delays turns deadly when a local insurance adjuster is murdered. As Johnny delves into the tangled web surrounding the cargo ship Yankee Pride, he uncovers sabotage, a smuggling operation tied to hidden gold, and a criminal mastermind known as “The Major.” With lives on the line and the ship scheduled to sail to Mexico under falsified documents, Johnny must risk everything to stop the operation and expose the powerful man behind it all.

When Johnny Dollar is sent to investigate a brutal scene of violence with no body, he finds himself unraveling the strange life—and death—of Richard Splain, a ship carpenter with a double life. As Johnny digs into Splain’s shadowy network of ship models stuffed with narcotics, he encounters frightened addicts, a desperate estranged wife, and a jealous boyfriend. But when the only witness turns up dead and a shocking confession emerges from an unexpected source, Johnny must separate lies from truth in a tangled web of revenge, addiction, and misplaced loyalty.
Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Virginia...

Johnny Dollar heads west to track down Howard Caldwell, a missing young man whose mother insists he’s dead—but the facts tell a much different story. As Johnny investigates, he uncovers a tragic tale of a sheltered youth drawn into the seedy underworld of San Francisco. Facing betrayal, murder, and desperate cover-ups, Johnny must sift through a web of lies spun by those closest to Howard. In the end, Johnny learns that even the best intentions can lead to tragedy when love, class, and survival collide. Tune in for a suspenseful and emotional journey through broken dreams and fatal mist...

Johnny Dollar heads to Virginia Beach to protect Janice Browning, a woman fearing revenge from her ex-convict fiancé, Mark Robeson. But the case takes a chilling turn when Johnny discovers that Robeson is no ordinary criminal—he’s a dangerously unstable fugitive from a mental institution. As the idyllic beachfront turns into a deadly trap, Johnny must unravel a web of lies involving secret marriages, hidden lovers, and an insurance policy that holds a dark incentive. Will Johnny stop Robeson before the sands of Virginia Beach are stained with more blood? Tune in for a suspenseful story of deception, survival, and j...

Johnny Dollar journeys to Hong Kong to investigate a suspicious $250,000 insurance claim filed by the Trans-Pacific Import-Export Company after a devastating fire. As Johnny navigates the crowded, chaotic streets of Kowloon, he uncovers evidence of deliberate arson—and realizes he’s being followed at every turn. With memories of another investigator who died under mysterious circumstances in Shanghai, Johnny pushes forward, but tragedy strikes close to home when an innocent young woman pays the ultimate price. As the stakes rise, Johnny must risk everything to bring a dangerous fraud to light.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Tudor Owen...

Johnny Dollar faces one of his most personal cases yet when his old friend, Hartford patrolman Mickey McQueen, is found dead—an apparent suicide. But Johnny isn’t buying it. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a tangled web involving Mickey’s young wife with a secret criminal past, a Chicago mob trying to blackmail Mickey, and a violent plan to loot the Hartford police arsenal. When a final act of bravery turns the tide, Johnny must piece together the truth and honor the memory of a good cop who deserved better. Tune in for a gripping tale of loyalty, betray...

When a four-alarm blaze guts the Hartford Alliance building, Johnny Dollar is called in to investigate a suspicious fire that nearly kills a team of firefighters. But what starts as a simple arson case quickly turns into a layered mystery involving a runaway teen, a blackmail ring, and a murder disguised as an accident. As Johnny navigates false confessions, crooked employment agencies, and a secret that powerful people will kill to protect, he uncovers a deadly chain reaction triggered by one desperate act. This gripping story proves that even buried secrets can go up in smoke. Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Ra...

Johnny Dollar travels to the remote town of Blood River to investigate the shooting of local legend Max Colburn. With no transportation into town, hostile locals, and a dying witness, Johnny faces a tangled web of secrets, suspicion, and vengeance. When an old enemy of Colburn’s is arrested and then lynched by a vigilante mob, Johnny begins to suspect the real killer is still at large. What follows is a gripping search for the truth in a town determined to protect its own—no matter the cost. This chilling episode examines what happens when justice is replaced by fear and...

Johnny Dollar takes on what seems like a routine protection detail when Henry J. Unger—a man Johnny helped send to prison five years earlier—is released and starts making threats. But what begins as a simple assignment turns into a terrifying frame-up when Johnny wakes up next to a murdered ex-girlfriend, drugged, disoriented, and holding the gun. With no memory of what happened and the evidence stacked against him, Johnny must prove his innocence, uncover a twisted revenge plot, and outsmart the real killer. Will justice prevail before the verdict is sealed? Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Raymond Burr, Sidney Miller...

Johnny Dollar is pulled into a mysterious payroll robbery in Camden, linked to the secretive Calgary Products case. When an anonymous tip offers to crack the case wide open, Johnny finds himself chasing leads from Bridgeport to Boston, New Haven, and Trenton. But the mastermind behind the heist isn’t a hardened gangster—it’s Arnold Gannett, a respected professor of criminal psychology who set out to prove that even the most respectable people could get away with the perfect crime. As Johnny uncovers the shocking truth, he races to deliver Gannett to justice—only for the story to end in sudde...

Johnny Dollar travels deep into Brazil to investigate a string of deadly train crashes on the Belo-Horizonte Railroad. With four locomotives wrecked and 20 lives lost, the case points to either tragic accidents or cold-blooded sabotage. As Johnny follows the trail of a powerful mining mogul, a corrupt railroad foreman, and a desperate business owner, he uncovers a conspiracy involving industrial greed, sabotage, and murder. With the stakes rising, Johnny races against time to stop the next disaster. Will he uncover the truth before the railroad claims another victim? Tune in for an explosive tale of intrigue and danger.

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Johnny Dollar heads to Denver to investigate the disappearance—and possible murder—of Barbara James, a young woman who traded Hollywood dreams for marriage to a much older millionaire. As Johnny peels back layers of deception, he finds a tangled web of betrayal, jealousy, and greed. With a vengeful ex-husband, a jealous nightclub owner, and a husband desperate for answers, Johnny must uncover the truth before another life is lost. When the body is finally found, the shocking location reveals just how far someone went to bury their secrets.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Parley Baer, Jack Moyles, Howard McNear...

Johnny Dollar is sent on a transatlantic voyage to track down a high-stakes narcotics smuggling operation. Posing as an insurance investigator, Johnny boards a luxury liner bound for London, where a shipment of trunks hides more than just expensive belongings. With Treasury agents, Scotland Yard, and a mysterious woman caught in the middle, Johnny must navigate deception, danger, and a shipboard poisoning before the final showdown in England. Can he unravel the smuggling ring before the deadly cargo reaches its destination? Tune in for international intrigue, suspense, and action on the high seas.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Wally Ma...

Johnny Dollar heads to Newport Beach, California, to investigate the mysterious sinkings of three Arrowcraft pleasure boats, each with no survivors. With lawsuits piling up and millions in liability at stake, Johnny joins a late-night search at sea to uncover the truth. What he finds—a half-submerged vessel with a single, lifeless passenger—leads him down a dangerous path of deception, sabotage, and murder. As he pieces together the deadly mystery, he realizes that the sinking ships may not be accidents after all. Can Johnny expose the truth before more lives are lost? Tune in for a thrilling maritime investigation pack...

Johnny Dollar is called to Hartford to investigate the theft of the $200,000 Caligio Diamond and the murder of its owner, Charles Benson. As Johnny navigates a labyrinth of suspects, from a grieving daughter to a suspicious lawyer and a scandalous affair, he uncovers secrets that lead to a shocking conclusion. With a trail of betrayal, greed, and a mysterious diamond curse, this case proves nothing is as it seems. Can Johnny solve the mystery before the diamond claims another victim? Tune in for a captivating tale of intrigue and deception.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Wally Mayer, Jane Webb, Bi...

Johnny Dollar travels to Haiti to investigate the mysterious death of Ralph Gordon, reportedly the victim of a voodoo curse. Amid swirling superstitions, dangerous confrontations, and scientific revelations, Johnny uncovers a plot involving dry ice, carbon dioxide poisoning, and a deadly scheme to profit from Ralph’s demise. With a cast of suspicious characters, including a tempestuous wife and a brother with a medical background, Johnny must separate fact from fiction in this suspense-filled tale. Can he uncover the truth before another victim succumbs to the "curse"? Tune in for a gripping blend of science and superstition.

Cast: Ed...

Johnny Dollar is sent to Bermuda to track down Earl Chadwick, a man declared dead four years ago after his mysterious disappearance. A chance sighting reopens the case, leading Johnny into a world of stolen money, false identities, and shocking betrayals. As Johnny pieces together the truth, he uncovers a tangled web involving Chadwick’s widow, her new husband, and a scheme that blurs the line between life and death. Will Johnny expose the truth behind the façade, or will the trail go cold once again? Tune in for a captivating tale of intrigue and suspense.

Cast: Edm...

Johnny Dollar is called in to handle the high-stakes kidnapping of prizefighter Sidney Rykoff. A $25,000 ransom has been paid, but Sidney never returned. With time running out, Johnny uncovers a tangled web of greed, betrayal, and murder involving Sidney’s estranged wife, his shady manager, and a dangerous gambler. As the case twists and turns, Johnny discovers that the ransom might not have been the only motive—and Sidney’s fate reveals a chilling truth. Tune in for a gripping tale of deception, danger, and double-crosses.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Howard McNear, Howard Culver, Walter Burke, John McIntyre, Bill Gra...

Johnny Dollar travels to Los Angeles to investigate an attempted murder on wealthy Harold Trandem. When Trandem is fatally poisoned, Johnny uncovers a deadly love triangle involving Trandem’s wife, Mabel, and his secret lover, Lila. As the body count rises, Johnny follows a trail of betrayal, greed, and lies that leads to an explosive confrontation. With $1.15 million in insurance at stake, this gripping case is filled with twists, danger, and high-stakes drama.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, James Eagles, Ted Osborne, Ed Max, Gloria Blondell, Raymond Burr, Ida Rhys-Marron, Junius Matthews

Johnny Dollar travels to the wilds of Borneo to investigate the mysterious disappearance of Abel Tackett, a man shrouded in legend and menace. As Johnny delves into the untamed jungle, he uncovers a trail of hostility, fear, and fractured lives left in Tackett's wake. Joined by a conflicted guide and a woman determined to confront her past, Johnny faces the perils of headhunters, tropical dangers, and psychological unraveling. Will Johnny uncover the truth behind Tackett's fate, or will the jungle claim another soul? Tune in for a suspenseful journey into isolation, betrayal, and the dark corners of human nature.
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Johnny Dollar investigates the tragic murder of Pearl Carasa, a troubled young woman entangled in a web of family betrayal and crime. Tasked with delivering a $5,000 insurance payout to her estranged mother, Johnny uncovers a shocking underworld connection involving narcotics, gambling, and a powerful socialite with a double life. As secrets unravel, the true cost of ambition and deception comes to light. Tune in for a riveting tale of greed, regret, and the search for redemption.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, High Everback, Joseph Kern, Bill Johnstone, Bill Conrad, Martha Wentworth, Sarah Selby, Howard McNair, Virginia Gregg

Johnny Dollar investigates a puzzling railroad heist involving a freight car on the Atlantic Central Railway. When $300,000 worth of cargo, including a barrel of jeweler’s rouge, goes missing, Johnny uncovers a trail of deceit, betrayal, and murder. From a shadowy informant to a deadly confrontation with hardened criminals, Johnny must navigate a perilous path to solve the case. With clever deductions and quick action, this thrilling episode delivers suspense and surprises at every turn.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Ted DiCorsia, Pat McGeehan, Harold Durenforth, John Dayner, Bill Boucher, Gene Bates, Clayton Post

Johnny Dollar heads to Pittsburgh to investigate a string of mysterious deaths at Cornell Steel, where experienced workers are meeting untimely ends in the open hearth furnaces. As Johnny goes undercover, he uncovers a tense workplace ruled by fear, greed, and a fight for survival. When a desperate man targets his colleagues to save his job, Johnny must act quickly to stop a tragic cycle of violence. With molten steel and raw emotions boiling over, this gripping episode reveals the human cost of ambition and despair.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Joe Forte, Junius Matthews, Jack Petruzzi, Raymond Burr, Ja...

Johnny Dollar travels to Manhattan, Nebraska, to investigate the suspicious destruction of the town's new high school in a fiery collapse. What begins as a case of structural failure turns into a tangled web of corruption, payoffs, and murder involving the mayor, a shady contractor, and a crooked building inspector. As Johnny unravels the truth, he uncovers greed and betrayal at the heart of the community. Will justice prevail, or will the town's secrets be buried with the rubble? Tune in for a thrilling tale of small-town intrigue and high-stakes drama.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Victor Perrin, Elliot Re...

Johnny Dollar heads to Boston to recover a stolen painting valued at $250,000, but the investigation uncovers a web of deception, ambition, and betrayal. Between a struggling gallery owner, an ambitious daughter, and a wealthy collector with ulterior motives, Johnny faces twists and turns at every corner. When the stakes escalate to attempted murder, Johnny must unravel the truth before more lives are lost. Will the masterpiece be recovered, or will the cost of ambition prove too high? Tune in for an enthralling tale of art, greed, and human drama.

Cast: Edmund O’Brien, Charles McGraw, Walter Burke, Lillian Bi...

Johnny Dollar investigates a haunting case involving Stuart Palmer, a struggling writer whose life insurance policy becomes a deadly mystery. When Palmer takes out a $100,000 policy and is later implicated in a series of crimes, Johnny uncovers a tangled web of ambition, desperation, and betrayal. With Palmer's life spiraling out of control and a dramatic showdown with the police, Johnny must unravel the truth behind Palmer’s motives. Will the writer’s final story end in tragedy, or is there hope for redemption? Tune in for a riveting tale of crime, passion, and the high stakes of art and survival.

Johnny Dollar tackles one of his trickiest cases yet when 85 mink coats, valued at $300,000, vanish from a department store's fur vault. As Johnny digs into the daring theft, he encounters a wounded night watchman, a suspicious fur manager, and a trail of deception leading to murder and betrayal. With a missing mink coat as the key clue, Johnny must uncover the truth behind this audacious heist before the culprits slip away. Tune in for a thrilling tale of high stakes, clever twists, and classic intrigue.

Cast Members: Edmund O’Brien, Harry Bartell, Joseph Kearns, Hans Conried, Bill Johnstone, Ho...

Johnny Dollar dives into the dangerous world of oil wildcatters when he investigates the disappearance of Alec Jefferson, a young millionaire with more enemies than friends. As Johnny uncovers a web of deceit involving fake marriages, deadly partnerships, and betrayal, the stakes rise with each revelation. With a murder weapon that tells its own story and a twist that changes everything, this case proves that even in the oil fields, nothing is as simple as it seems. Tune in for a gripping tale of greed, love, and justice in this high-stakes adventure.

Cast Members: Edmund O’Brien, Michael An...