Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar debuted on CBS as a fairly typical slam-bang half-hour detective series on February 11, 1949, featuring Charles Russell in the title role as “America’s action packed insurance investigator”. Over the next few years, several actors played the part - including Edmond O’Brien and John Lund - but, though consistently well written and acted, the series was never really unique or substantial enough to capture a large and enthusiastic audience. Though the show was, at one point, sponsored by Wrigley’s Gum, the network often simply carried it as a sustaining feature - a creative time-filler for the enjoyment of a radio audience rapidly migrating to television.
In the fall of 1955, however, long-time radio veteran Bob Bailey, fresh from the Mutual network detective series Let George Do It, took over the title role. Even though he would leave the show in 1960 and other actors would, as before, play Johnny, Bailey’s tenure as the character is considered by and far to be the most popular and the reason the show not only survived to be the last radio drama on the air, but is still considered one of the best radio shows ever by fans today.
In 1956, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar returned to its previous thirty minute format. Even though the shows were shorter and now self contained instead of divided into five chapters as they had been for over a year, the producers and Bailey did not hold back on various innovations. In particular, it’s this period of shows that took Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar to a new level, strongly establishing the fact that Johnny’s adventures were real and being performed each week as the radio show itself. Johnny would often hear from people he ran into about listening to him on the radio and would reference the show himself. Show staff, such as director and writer Jack Johnstone, were often name dropped in various episodes and even, at times, made an integral part of the story.
In the twelve episodes featured in this collection, listeners tag along with Johnny as he painstakingly pursues each case to its conclusion. Even though the stories are only thirty minute self contained episodes, the extensive research that has obviously gone into each script is evident; the action always takes place in real locations, complete with real street names, and landmarks are frequently noted throughout the shows. Local stations that broadcast Johnny Dollar are often mentioned, as well as the actual names of their personnel -- an interesting and amusing way to sustain interest in the show among network radio affiliates. This also added to the meta feeling the producers wanted fans to experience, that the adventures in the show were real. And the performers, including such radio veterans as Virginia Gregg, Peter Leeds, Hy Averback, Barney Phillips, Vic Perrin, John Dehner, Paul Dubov, Parley Baer, Marvin Miller, Jack Moyles, Lillian Buyeff, and Betty Lou Gerson, demonstrate their diverse talents in a series of realistic and textured characterizations.
Discover why Bob Bailey is considered the ultimate Johnny Dollar in these twelve thirty minute episodes, one of them featuring noted radio and screen legend Vincent Price playing himself. Radio Archives is proud to share with you these twelve classic episodes restored to sparkling audio quality in Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar Volume 7.
#552 The Poor Little Rich Girl Matter
Sunday, September 1, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#553 The Charmona Matter
Sunday, September 8, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#554 The JPD Matter
Sunday, September 15, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#555 The Ideal Vacation Matter
Sunday, September 22, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#556 The Doubtful Dairy Matter
Sunday, September 29, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#557 The Bum Steer Matter
Sunday, October 6, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#558 The Silver Belle Matter
Sunday, October 13, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#559 The Mary Grace Matter
Sunday, October 20, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#561 The Model Picture Matter
Sunday, November 3, 1957 - 30:00 - AFRS
#571 The Boron 112 Matter
Sunday, January 12, 1958 - 30:00 - AFRS
#574 The Price of Fame Matter
Sunday, February 2, 1958 - 30:00 - AFRS
#578 The Diamond Dilemma Matter
Sunday, March 2, 1958 - 30:00 - AFRS
