The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective

The Adventures of Sam Spade, Detective was an old-time radio detective drama that aired from 1946 to 1951. Based on the character created by writer Dashiell Hammett in the 1930 novel, The Maltese Falcon, and later potrayed by Humphrey Bogart in the film of the same name, the radio version of Sam Spade was a departure in many ways.

Starring Howard Duff in the title role, the radio Spade combines the toughness of the original with a new sort of playfulness. The writing has a wry sense of humor and stinging sarcasm, with the zippy Wild Root Cream Oil commercials adding to the relative light-heartedness of the show.

Lurene Tuttle plays Sam's scatter-brained secretary Effie Perrine.

If you like Sam Spade, you will probably also enjoy Johnny Dollar and Philip Marlowe.

Here is a sample of the online episodes currently available at The Old Time Radio Fan: