THE STARLIGHT MYSTERY THEATER: MATHEW SLADE, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: A SWEET SCENT OF MYSTERY (SEPTEMBER 27, 1964)

 Airing in 1964 and syndicated over Pacific Radio's affiliated stations, Mathew Slade (one T, please; well, usually) was a San Francisco private eye who harkened back to the days of old-time radio.  Slade was "suitably hard-boiled and hard-drinking, with a voice full of Jack Webb deadpan and a sprinkling of ratatat wisecracks."  Of course he had a long-suffering secretary/girlfriend, Loretta "Jonesy" Jones, and there was a half-buddy, half antagonist cop, Sergeant Sid Donelli of Homicide.  

The program was created  by Robert Frederick and Brian Adams, basing the series on a Candaian radio series that ran 1957-1960.  William Wintersole starred as Slade; he would go on to play Michael Sherman on The Young and the Restless for twenty-five years.  Sylvia Walden was Jonesy, and Norman Belkin played Donelli; both were accomplished character actors.  Karl Swenson (who had lead roles in radio's Lorenzo Jones, The adventures of Father Brown, and Mr. Chameleon, and a major recurring role in Our Gal Sunday) often appeared as another police foil, Lieutenant Barny Flagg.  Thirteen episodes were aired, of which ten survive.

In "A Sweet Scent of Mystery," Mrs. Burroughs, a heavily scented woman who appeared much younger than she really was, tells Slade that her daughter Laurie was murdered the month before; authorities had attributed the death to an accident.  She suspects her son-in-law was guilty.  Or could the murderer be, as Jonesy suspects, Laurie's sister?  The true solution was telegraphed fairly early in the show, but that should not stop you from enjoying this throwback to the Golden Age of Radio.

Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfuw7vDWewE

QUERY

 Today is National Paperback Book Day.  Are you reading one now?  Please share.

SHORT STORY WEDNESDAY: THE LOCKED TOMB MYSTERY

"The Locked Tomb Mystery" by "Elizabeth Peters" (Barbara Mertz, a.k.a. "Barbara Michaels")  (first published in Sisters in Crime, edited by Marilyn Wallace, 1989; reprinted in The Year's Best Mystery and Suspense Stories -- 1990, edited  by Edward D. Hoch, 1990; in The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits, edited by Mike Ashley, 1993; in The Mummy's Tomb, edited by John Richard Stephens, 2001; and in The Mammoth Book of Egyptian Whodunnits, edited  by Mike Ashley, 2002)

It's the Eighteenth Dynasty, Egypt, and the game is afoot!

Although they say today that you can't take it with you, things were much different in ancient Egypt.

An unpopular, wealthy old hag, Senebtisi, has decreed that her wealth be buried with her to ease her journey along the Western Road, leaving her son, Minmose, to struggle with his trade as a stone carver.  Although he resented this, Minmose was a loyal son and followed her wishes.  Boxes and baskets of goods and large jars of precious oil filled her tomb, and Senebtisi's mummy was adorned with a mask and armlets of pure gold.  Her funeral was conducted by the sem-priest Wennefer, one of the  most respected men in the country; it was Wennefer himself who sealed the burial chamber and inscribed wards against demons at the entrance.  The tomb itself was of solid rock -- walls, floor, and ceiling -- with not the slightest break.  The necropolis was well-guarded.  A year passed and, as will happen from time to time, reports of tomb raiders arose and relatives of the dead grew uneasy and afraid that the tombs of their loved one might have been violated.  Among those who were uneasy was Minmose, who, with Wennefer, went to Senebtisi's tomb.  The seal on the entrance was unbroken, but on the possibility that tomb raiders might have entered by tunneling through the walls or the floor, Minmose and Wennefer broke the seal and entered.  The tomb was in a shambles; Senebtisi's torn and tattered mummy lay on the floor, the gold -- and perhaps other treasures -- missing.  The walls, floor, and ceiling of the tomb were unviolated.  Truly, indeed, a locked room tomb mystery...

The pharaoh was Nebmaatra, also know as Amenhotep III, who would become the father of the rogue king Akhenaten.  Nebmaatra was incensed at this outrage and ordered Amenhotep Sa Hapu, the director of the king's works, to investigate.  (Amenhotep Sa Hapu was a historical character known for his wisdom and administrative ability; one thousand years after his death, he was elevated to divine status as a god of wisdom -- one of only two non-royal architects to be so honored.  For the author's purposes, he has solved a number of tricky murder cases in the past.)  As a detective, he knew who had robbed the tomb, but now he had to figure out how the crime was committed.  In his investigation, he is aided by the Egyptian Wadjsen  (Peters is not above a little wordplay).

A nifty little tale, worthy, perhaps, of Edward D. Hoch's Dr. Sam Hawthorne.

As "Peters," Barbara Mertz was best known for her 20 novels about Victorian-age Egyptologist Amelia Peabody and her husband Radcliffe Emerson and their son, "Ramses."  As "Peters," she also wrote six mysteries about art historian Vicki Bliss, four about librarian Jacqueline Kirby, and nine standalone mysteries.  As "Barbara Michaels," Mertz penned twenty-nine Gothic and supernatural thrillers.  She also wrote three nonfiction books under her own name, two of which concerned ancient Egypt, an co-edited the Agatha Award-winning Amelia Peabody's Egypt: A Compendium.  She had a PhD in Egyptology.  She was the founder of Malice Domestic, and was a member of several societies concerned with ancient Egypt.  In addition, she founded a scholarship for women writers.  At least ten of her books were nominated for major awards and she received two Grand Master Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award, and was honored with Malice Domestic's first Amelia Peabody Award.  She was one of my wife's favorite mystery authors.

OVERLOOKED FILM: SECRETS OF CHINATOWN (1935)

  

For Hollywood in the 11930's Chinatown could be a dark and mysterious place, full of strange secrets, stranger people, sudden death, and -- more often that not -- Caucasian actors.  And what was true of Hollywood was also true of British Columbia, where this movie was filmed.

A dark organization of black-robed men are smuggling drugs, and maybe something worse, from China through the Chinatowns of Vancouver and Seattle.  Any person who gets in their way receives a cion which marks them for death.  Eventually, the police are forced to turn to private detectives Donegal Dawn (Raymond Lawrence; Queen of the Turf, Alibi for Murder, Drums of Tahiti) and Robert Rande (Nick Stuart; A Demon for Trouble, Blake of Scotland Yard, King of the Congo) to help them put an end to the so-called tong killings.  Donegal is a master of disguise and an expert in Eastern ways.  During the investigation, Robert falls in love with Zenobia (Lucile Brown; The Mystery Squadron, On Probation, Tumbling Tumbleweeds), a clerk at a curio shop owned by Chan Tow Ling (Harry Hewitson; his only credited role according to IMDb).  Donegal warns Robert that his life and hers would be in danger should be try to tale Zenobia from Chinatown.  Robert breaks into the shop's cellar where he views a weird ceremony in which Zenobia (obviously mesmerized) is acting as the priestess.  Robert is captured and Donegal cannot find any trace of him, Zenobia, or the cultists.  Can he save them and put a stop to all the illegal goings-on within the one hour it takes to watch this flick?

Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer (Seven Keys to Baldpate, A Scream in the Night, General Spanky) and adapted by Guy Morton (Canadian journalist and author of western novels Rangy Pete [filmed in 1925 as The Texas Trail], Black Gold, Wards of the Azure Hills -- this may have been his only screenplay) from his novel The Black Robe.  Also featuring James Flavin (King Kong, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, In Cold Blood), James McGrath (Crimson Paradise, Woman Against the World, Death Goes North), Reginald Hincks (Secret Patrol, Tugboat Princess, Manhattan Shakedown), John Barnard (his only credit on IMDb), and Arthur Legge-Willis (Crimson Paradise, Stampede, Lucky Fugitives)-- occidentals all.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICK REYNOLDS!

Nick Reynolds (1933-2008) was one of the original members of the folk music group The Kingston Trio, along with Dave Guard and Bob Shane.  The original group performed from 1957 to 1961, and continued until 19067b with John Stewart replacing Dave Guard.  Bob Shane reformed the group as The New Kingston Trio from 1969 to 1976 with (at various times) Jim Connor, Pat Horine, Roger Gambill, Bill Zorn, and George Grove.  In 1976, the group reverted to The Kingston Trio name and has continued to this day with a varied lineup.  The success of their first, self-named, album (which stayed on the Billboard charts for 195 weeks!) also brought their first big hit record, "Tom Dooley," which went on to win a Grammy for Best Country & Western Performance at the first Grammy Awards.  There had been no category at that time, but The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences rectified that the following year, awarding the first Grammy Award for Best Ethic or Traditional Folk Music Album to the group's second studio album, At Large. 

The popularity and influence of The Kingston Trio cannot be overstated.  For nearly five years they overshadowed all other popular music groups and changed the course of popular music, as well as vastly increasing the sales of acoustic guitars.  Among the many artists they influenced were Steve Martin, Lindsey Buckingham, Paul Simon, Gram Parsons, Stephen Sills, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Al Jardine, Denny Doherty, Tony Trishka, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, David Grisman, Tom Paxton, Harry Chapin, Jimmy Buffett, Tim Buckley, Steve Goodman, Shawn Colvin, Jerry Yester, and such groups as Abba, Manhattan Transfer, and The Bee Gees.  Tom Leher once remarked that before the Trio, there was no real concert circuit.  Perhaps the greatest accolade for many of us was the The Kingston Trio was Bill Crider's favorite group.

"Scarlet Ribbons"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caK_bUTM35A

"Tom Dooley"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8grIno58BM

"The Tijuana Jail"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FueL6yMnoYo

"Raspberries, Strawberries"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD3CqdKo35s

"M.T.A."

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

"You're Gonna Miss Me"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c-pMso44Qc

"Scotch and Soda"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqGGAJ2D_bY

"Greenback Dollar"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvGxZD-HNCM

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI3QVsW30j0

"Jane, Jane, Jane"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg95rokcuEg

"Reverend Mr. Black"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y51VPrd5Js

"Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8sIC7uxmDs

"Seasons in the Sun"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tyhv_rh6Ko

"My Ramblin' Boy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znFXgGxGz64

"Parchment Farm"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vurq0rKI8hw

"I'm Going Home"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuB_F61ND50

"Norwegian Wood"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LM-J1hyr8c

HYMN TIME

 Hudson Harmony Band.

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

PEP COMICS #31 (SEPTEMBER 1939)

Such a deal!  For ten cents you can be a member of the SHIELD G-MAN CLUB and get both an identification card and an official SHIELD G-MAN CLUB badge (in red, white, and blue) proclaiming the values of the club:  Truth, Justice, Patriotism, and Courage.  How can you not join?

Hulking Nazi super-villain The Strangler is in prison with his evil buddy Snowbird (so named because of the white powder he keeps sniffing up his nose) and dreaming of getting revenge on The Shield and Dusty when he gets a secret message from Goebbels reactivating him.  I can't say much for the prison system because the guards are all dolts and The Strangler is allowed to retain his Nazi villain costume, complete with monocle, cape, and swastika decorated chest, so escaping is a piece of cake.  The Shield and Dusty track the pair down and are captured and bound while The Strangler goes off to do his Nazi stuff, leaving our heroes guarded by Snowbird and his machine gun.  A little bit of pepper sprinkled into the Snowbird's powder gets him sneezing and allows The Shield and Dusty to escape.  In the end, Snowbird goes back to prison and The Strangle drowns...or does he?  The only thing dumber than the prison guards are the Nazis.

In addition to having a chance to join the SHIELD G-MAN CLUB, readers of the comic can also join the "Young Soldiers of America Club."  All you need to do is say that you plan to buy Victory Stamps (or a single stamp) and you can have your name and address printed in the comic book.  They'll take your word for it.

The Hangman (he has a blue cape, blue gauntlets, blue shorts and a blue mid-calf boots over a skin-tight green costume, and with an orange hangman's rope for a belt) deals in justice, while the Nazis deal in oppression and hatred.  He zooms around occupied France kicking Nazi butt.  The Hangman is lured to a concentration camp where he is captured by The Hunter (another hulking villain, this time with a leopard skin outfit and a horned skullcap with a swastika emblem -- those Nazi supervillains really like swastika emblems, it's how they recognize each other at lodge meetings).  Well, you can't keep a good Hangman down.  He escapes and free prisoner Johnny, an American correspondent, showing him a ring belonging to his sister Thelma to prove he is a good guy; The Hangman also happens to be Thelma's best friend.  So off they go, followed by many Nazis, The Hunter, and his hounds.  They escape a fiery trap set for them by The Hunter, the The Hangman clocks The Hunter with a big stick and has Johnny change clothes with The Hunter.  The dogs smell Johnny's clothes on the Hunter and attack him, tearing him to shreds, and The Hangman and Johnny make to Switzerland and safety.  All of this displeases Hitler, but, hey, "Nothing, Herr Hitler!  Nothing can stop The Hangman from getting to you, for so long as there is a free soul in this world, you must meet your Hangman!"

The Hangman then returns in a one-page text story, "Death Draws a Cartoon."  No Nazis this time, just a murderer who gets his comeuppance.

Young Armand Delatour is a student in England while his father fights for freedom in France.  Captured, Delatour is scheduled to be executed by the Nazis, but manages to have a note smuggled to his son, urging him to carry on.  "Men may die but France will live forever!"  John Grayson, the society dilettante who is secretly The Captain Commando, flies to France to rescue Delatour, not realizing that his son Billy and his friends Armand, Sykes, and Janssen have snuck on board to help rescue Armand's dad.  The four lads are The Boy Soldiers; it seems Nazis are no match for them.  It really makes me wonder why the war went on for as long as it did.

Once again, Danny is in Wonderland.  Swimming with his friend Kupkake (who resembles one of Disney's dwarfs), they are about to be attacked by an alligator when Danny's dog, Snapper, saves them.  Danny kills the alligator with his magic sword, but Snapper (**sniff**) is killed.  All the trees and animals in Wonderland are sad.  Mother Nature says she cannot help Danny get Snapper bakc but she knows someone who can...Father Time, whose castle is located on an ever-growing mountain.  So Danny and Kupkake embark on the dangerous quest to find Father Time.   But Father Time is too busy trying to get Sleepy Town (which is currently 1000 years behind in time) back on schedule to waste his time on one little dog.  Danny and Kupkake offer to help get Sleepy Town back on schedule if Father Time saves Snapper.  to be continues in the next issue for those who could be bothered.

Sergeant Boyle is on a convoy about to head back to the United States after delivering men and supplies to the Pacific front.  He has a week before the convoy is to set sail again, so he and his buddy Captain Twerp decide to check out New York.  Boyle has also been providing a comic book with stories about his adventures.  Nazis kidnap Twerp, hoping to get information about the convoy.  Boyle tracks them down, and with the help of some of Twerp's comic book fans, spoils thing for the Nazis.  Have I mentioned that Nazis are dumb?

The Shield and Dusty return in a one-page text story, "Melodies of Murder."  The ever-dumb Nazis are using doctored Benny Goodman recording to pass on secret information.

Pep Comics was also the birthplace of Archie Andrews.  In these early days, Archie was a bit chubbier and had buck teeth, and Riverdale was evidently close to Boston.  (Archie creator Bob Montana went to high school in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire, and based many of his characters on people he knew in high school.)  Back then, Veronica's father was named Burton (not Hiram) Lodge and was an elected official in Washington, D.C.  When Veronica takes Archie to the airport to meet her father, Archie ends up representing his state on a Congressional committee.  It seems as far back as 1939, Washington pols could be clueless.

Finally, Bentley of Scotland Yard investigates when a corpse has been impaled on a church steeple.  In an Ellery Queen-like "Challenge to the Reader" moment, you have been given all the clues and can pick who you think was the murderer before you turn the final page:  Jim Crivet, Dr. Tagg, the sexton, or Anne Crivet.  And, sonuvagun, it wasn't a Nazi!

A jam-packed issue with some pretty good stories, and also Danny in Wonderland.  I once worked for a man whose sixteen-year-old daughter would write advertising copy for the company.  The copy was terrible but the man thought his daughter did an outstanding job.  Since then, our family catch phrase to describe absolute dreck was "My sixteen-year-old daughter wrote this!"  Now I'm thinking Harry Shorten, the writer who would soon become the managing editor of Pep Comics, had a sixteen-year old daughter  ( he actually had two daughters but I don't know what their ages were).

Check out the issue.

https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=102154&b=i