BULLDOG DRUMMOND: HIJACKERS (SEPTEMBER 28, 1941)

Captain Hugh "Bulldog" (originally "Bull-Dog") Drummond was a wealthy veteran of World War who was bored with peacetime, so he began advertising his availability as an adventurer for hire.  And adenture he got, propelling him through a series of  novels, stage plays, films, radio and television programs, comic books, and graphic novels.  He was the creati0n of H.C. McNeille, writing under the pseudonym "Sapper," who published ten books and five short stories about the character before his death in 1937.  After McNeille's death, his creation was taken up McNeille's friend Gerard Fairlie who published seven b books about the character from 1938 to 1954.  (Fairlie was rumored to be McNeille's prototype for Drummond, a fact that Fairlie exploited, despite the fact the he was still in school when McNeille created the character.  Two further books about the character were written inn the late 1960s by H. R. F. Keating, under the pen name "Henry Raymond."

As envisioned by McNeiile, Drummond represented the upper class British conservative of the time; that is to say that Drummond was a jingoistic racist with a mean steak.  C. Day-Lewis described the character as "an unspeakable public school bully."  Other commentators have not been so kind, although it must be noted that Drummond reflected the conservative Tory view of the world at that time.

Bulldog Drummond's influence has spread considerably.  W. E. Johns used him as his model for the popular aviation hero Biggles in 98 popular juvenile books.  Ian Fleming has remarked that James 

Bond was Drummond from the waist up and Mike Hammer from the waist down.  Two dozen films have been about the character -- one film that was not made was one that Alfred Hitchcock was supposed to direct in 1933, Bulldog Drummond's Baby; a problem arose concerning the rights to the character and Hitchcock ended up using the plot (sans Drummond) to make The Man Who Knew Too Much.

On the radio, Bulldog Drummond ran from April 13, 1944 to January 12, 1949 om the Mutual Radio Network, and was briefly revived for three months at the start of 1954.  The show, originally starring George Coulouras, began its first season in England but then moved   its location to America with the thirteenth episode (which is the one linked below).  The character has strayed slightly from McNeille's original concept and is described as an " amateur detective, soldier of fortune, champion of lost causes, the most celebrated adventurer-detective of fiction and the screen."  Many of the trappings of the screen version are gone (including Drummond's girlfriend and then wife); remaining however, is Denny, Drummond's servant and former batman, who has now been elevated to sidekick.

As the title of this episode suggests, truck raveling the lonely highways of America and carrying a heavy load of goods are at risk of hijackers.  hijackers, however, are at risk of Bulldog Drummond.. 

The episode lied below was sent to local stations and includes instructions on how to personalize the introduction to meet each station's need.  Something kind of cool to hear.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF3HjES6ZS8