Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
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Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a radio drama about a freelance insurance investigator that aired from February 11, 1949 to September 30, 1962 on CBS. There were 811 episodes in the 12-year run, and over 720 still exist today. Charles Russell was the first to star as Johnny Dollar, the smart and tough detective who tossed silver dollar tips to bellhops. With the first three actors to play Johnny Dollar there was little to distinguish it from other detective series at the time (Richard Diamond, Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade).
After a year-long break (August, 1954 to August, 1955), the show changed from a 30-minute, one-episode-per-week affair to a 15-minute, five-nights-a-week series that introduced the most successful Johnny Dollar, Bob Bailey, who had just come off another large detective series, Let George Do It. With a new lead and 75 minutes of air time (minus commercials), it became possible to develop more complex storylines with interesting characters.
The episodes usually started with a phone call from an insurance agent, calling on Johnny to investigate an unusual claim. The story is recounted as Johnny lists each line item from his "action-packed expense account." The episodes generally finished with Johnny tallying up his account and travelling back to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was based.
The final episodes of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense, airing on CBS, are often used to mark the end of the Golden Age of Radio. The last episode of Johnny Dollar ended at 6:40 p.m. Eastern Time on September 30, 1962.
Actors who portrayed Johnny Dollar
- Dick Powell (Audition show in 1948)
- Charles Russell (February 1949 - January 1950)
- Edmond O'Brien (February 1950 - September 1952)
- John Lund (November 1952 - September 1954)
- Gerald Mohr (Audition show in 1955)
- Bob Bailey (October 1955 - November 1960)
- Bob Readick (December 1960 - June 1961)
- Mandel Kramer (June 1961 - September 1962)
Listen to
See also
Graphic novel series published by Moonstone Books.External links
- [Jim Widner on Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar]
- [Thrilling Detective: Johnny Dollar]
- [Graphic novel by Eric Theriault, written by David Gallaher]
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