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Dick Tracy (radio series)

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This article is about the 1930s US radio show. For the American comic strip, see Dick Tracy.
Dick Tracy
GenreDetective radio drama
Running time15 minutes, 30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
Home stationMutual Broadcasting System
SyndicatesNBC Radio
CBS Radio
ABC Radio
StarringBob Burlen
Barry Thomson
Ned Wever
Matt Crowley
Walter Kinsella
Helen Lewis
Andy Donnelly
AnnouncerEd Herlihy
Dan Seymour[1]
Written byIrwin Shaw, others
Directed byMitchell Grayson,
Charles Powers,
Bob White[1]
Original release1934 –
1948
Opening themeToot, Toot, Tootsie
Sponsored bySterling Products, Quaker Oats, Tootsie Roll

Dick Tracy was an American detective radio drama series based on the popularity of the newspaper comic strip Dick Tracy by Chester Gould.[2]

History

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The show first aired in 1934 for the NBC Radio New England region. Himan Brown, then still at college, arranged the radio rights for the comic strip.[3]

On February 4, 1935, it was picked up by CBS Radio, airing in 15 minute episodes four times a week. Returning next season it aired on Mutual Broadcasting System from September 30, 1935 to March 24, 1937. From April 29, 1939, "Dick Tracy" became a half-hour-long prime time radio serial, airing at 5:00 pm.

When the USA got involved in the Second World War, the show was temporarily cancelled.[4] ABC Blue Network picked it up again from March 15, 1943 to July 16, 1948 and broadcast it on Saturdays. Around this time it was sponsored by Tootsie Rolls, so the music theme was changed to "Toot, Toot Tootsie". The musical arrangements were composed by Ray Carter.[3]

Cast

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The show was directed by Mitchell Grayson, Charles Powers and Bob White. At Mutual, Bill McClintock did the sound effects. At NBC, Keene Crockett did this job. During its run on ABC, Walt McDonough and Al Finelli were hired for this task.[1]

Popularity

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Like many children's radio shows at the time, Dick Tracy had its own fan club, which offered premiums.[3]

Significant events

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The beginning of the May 1, 1945 episode ("The Case of the Empty Safe") was interrupted on the Blue Network for a special news flash relating that Adolf Hitler had "died of a stroke." Copies of this episode, complete with the mistaken news flash—Hitler had committed suicide the day before, not died of a stroke—still exist today. (See: Death of Adolf Hitler.)

On July 8, 1945, during a New York newspaper deliverers' strike, New York mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia read a complete Dick Tracy strip over the radio.

Parodies

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On Feb.15, 1945, Command Performance broadcast the musical comedy Dick Tracy in B-Flat with Bing Crosby as Tracy, Bob Hope as Flattop, and Dinah Shore as Tess Trueheart. Dick Tracy's wedding was repeatedly interrupted as Tracy chased one villain after another. In the strip, his marriage wasn't until 1950, and his honeymoon was disrupted by his going after Wormy.[4]

Sources

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  2. ^ Harmon, Jim (2011). Radio Mystery and Adventure and Its Appearances in Film, Television and Other Media. McFarland & Co. pp. 26–40. ISBN 9780786485086. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Cox, J. (2002). Radio Crime Fighters: More Than 300 Programs from the Golden Age. MCFARLAND & Company Incorporated. p. 98. ISBN 9780786443246. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
  4. ^ a b "Dick Tracy Radio - Dick Tracy Depot". dicktracy.info. Retrieved 2017-02-03.
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