Police Reporter, 1930s

Physical description:

Thirteen 16-inch shellac phonodiscs

Scope and content:

Randy Riddle note: Police Reporter is a now obscure 15 minute syndicated series that is an interesting example of early radio drama. Each program is based on a real murder case. As standards for content were still being developed by networks and stations, some of these programs can get rather gruesome. Newspaper listings indicate that the show was syndicated in 1935-1936. It predates many better-known true crime shows like "Gangbusters" and "Dragnet" and may be the first true crime drama series broadcast on radio. This set of discs contains the entire series, which was previously lost before I posted them on my blog. When I posted in program in the series, I tried to find original articles or references about the cases that are dramatized on the show. The links are in the pages for each episode. Pgm 1 - Lincoln murder case, Aurora, Illinois, 1923 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-1/ Pgm 2 - Peter Kurten, "Vampire Killer", Düsseldorf, Germany, 1929 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/police-reporter-pgm-2/ This true story was the inspiration for Fritz Lang's early sound classic film, "M". Pgm 3 - The Georgia Slave Murders, Atlanta, 1921 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/police-reporter-pgm-3/ A famous case of serial murder about two men who get Black convicts to work on their farm and then keep them as slaves, not allowing them to leave, and killing them if they tried to escape or got sick. It was the subject of Gregory Al Freeman's 1999 book "Lay This Body Down: The 1921 Murders of Eleven Plantation Slaves". This is the only Old Time Radio era drama or comedy I know of that uses the "n" word. It's one of the more compelling shows in the series. Pgm 4 - man down on his luck murder, Paris (no case info found) https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-4/ Pgm 5 - newlywed couple murder, Cumberland, Maryland, 1911 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-5/ Pgm 6 - fur cap and skull murder, Canada, 1910 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-6/ Pgm 7 - Rudolf Faulk, Vienna, 1915 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-7/ Pgm 8 - Mildred Ingram murder, Billings, Montana, 1930 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-8/ Pgm 9 - Jennie Becker murder, New York, 1922 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-9/ Pgm 10 - hunchback murder case, Prague https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-10/ Pgm 11 - Ada LeBoeuf affair murder, Louisiana, 1927 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-11/ Pgm 12 - Major Murray, London, 1861 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-12/ Pgm 13 - convict that build Ohio's first electric chair, 1910s https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-13/ Pgm 14 - George Marshall murder, Alaska, 1930 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-14/ Pgm 15 - Ludwig Brandt insurance policy murder, 1890 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-15/ Pgm 16 - dancer murder, Dresden, Germany https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-16/ Pgm 17 - Henry S. Gaw, chemical lab murder, 1928 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-17/ Pgm 18 - Andrew Zabitsky speakeasy murder, 1931 (includes drug dealing references) https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-18/ Pgm 19 - Tom Gorman "barking dog" murder (no real case info found) https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-19/ Pgm 20 - Love triangle murder, France, 1874 (no real case info found) https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-20/ Pgm 21 - Burke and Hare corpse selling murders, Scotland, 1827 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-21/ Pgm 22 - Insurance scam murder, Budapest (no real case information found) https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-22/ Pgm 23 - Lord Charles Stourton murder, London, 1552 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-23/ Pgm 24 - William Danssee murder involving voodoo, Philadelphia, 1930 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-24/ Pgm 25 - John Nungesser murder, Illinois, 1924 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/the-police-reporter-pgm-25/ Pgm 26 - Mafia payroll robberies in Chicago, 1920 https://randsesotericotr.podbean.com/e/police-reporter-pgm-26/

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