Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
Season 12, Episode 06
June 17, 2024
Freelance insurance investigator with the action-packed expense account
Re-Imagined Radio samples the "The McCormick Matter" episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, starring Bob Bailey. Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, was billed as "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator, the man with the action-packed expense account." Episodes began with Dollar preparing his expense account for the latest case. At the end of the episode, expenses totaled, Dollar concluded by saying, "Yours truly, Johnny Dollar." From our Tribute Series.
Access the episode script
Background
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
OTR detective series
February 18, 1949 to September 30, 1962
Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
30-minutes weekly episodes and five-day-a-week 15-minutes serials
Total episodes: 811 episodes
Surviving episodes: perhaps 720 (Old Radio World)
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was heard on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) from 1949 to 1962. After a year-long hiatus, the series returned in 1955 with a new format and new lead actor. Radio historians and commentators say the new five-day-a-week serial episodes starring Bob Bailey were the best of Johnny Dollar. We agree and sample from "The McCormick Matter," the first episode in the new format starring Bailey as Johnny Dollar, "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator," the man with the "action-packed expense account."
Synopsis
Radio historian and commentator John Dunning describes Johnny Dollar as "America's fabulous freelance insurance investigator," the man with the "action-packed expense account." Based in Hartford, Connecticut, headquarters for many insurance companies, Dollar receives his assignments from Universal Adjustments Bureau, a clearinghouse for insurance companies seeking to investigate claims. Generally, Dollar investigates insurance claims across the country or around the world for anyone who will pay his expenses and any reward offered. He has a keen mind, a nose for murder, and can take care of himself when the going gets tough, which it often does.
Broadcast History
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was heard on CBS radio, February 18, 1949 (first episode was "The Parikoff Policy") to September 30, 1962 (last episode was "The Tip-Off Matter"), fourteen years, including a year hiatus 1954 to 1955.
Narrative Structure
Dollar narrated each episode in relation to his expense account. "Expense account, item one," he would begin and then launch into the narrative behind that item. So it went through the entire expense account. At the end of each episode, expenses totaled, story told, there was the sign off, "Yours truly, Johnny Dollar." It was an effective narrative practice.
Different Dollars
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a very popular long running radio series with 889
broadcasts, 6 audition programs, and 8 different actors in the lead (Salomonson). Or, according to
Jerry Haendiges, 821 episodes, 5 auditions, and 7 actors (Haendiges).
Actors
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was a very popular long running radio series with 889 broadcasts, 6 audition programs, and 8 different actors in the lead (Salomonson). Or, according to Jerry Haendiges, 821 episodes, 5 auditions, and 7 actors (Haendiges).
Actors
Richard (Dick) Powell (1904-1963)
0 episodes (Graham, Haendiges)
Audition, "The Milford Brooks Matter," December 7, 1948
Dick Powell began his entertainment career in the 1930s as a good-looking song and dance man appearing in a number of films for Warner Brothers and Paramount. Seeking to take on serious dramatic roles, he played Philip Marlow in the 1944 film noir, Murder, My Sweet, adapted from Raymond Chandler's novel Farewell My Lovely. Powell was the first to portray Marlow, by name, in moving pictures. The film was a big success.
Powell reprised his performance as Philip Marlow on June 11, 1945 with co-star Claire Trevor for Lux Radio Theater. With this performance, Powell became the first to portray Philip Marlow on radio. Powell performed in several other Lux episodes until 1955.
Following his successful type transition, Powell was tapped for the lead in Rogue's Gallery, a detective series heard on NBC and ABC, September 27, 1945 to 1951. Powell played Richard Rogue, private detective for the first two seasons, 1945-1946. Powell played his character in a light-hearted manner, and critics and historians agree although the series did not make a serious mark it was good rehearsal for Richard Diamond, Private Detective.
In 1948, Powell auditioned for the lead role in the popular Your's Truly Johnny Dollar series, playing Dollar as a lovable rogue. Powell's audition was never broadcast and he never appeared in any episodes, but, according to Adam Graham, his audition gives an interesting picture of how the series might have been (Graham).
But, the next year, 1949, Powell was tapped as the lead for Richard Diamond, Private Detective. The new series was created by Blake Edwards, who later wrote the very successful Pink Panther movies starring Peter Sellers. Powell, as Richard Diamond, played a fun-loving former police officer turned private detective.
Episodes began with Powell whistling the show's theme song, "Leave It to Love." Then a client visits or telephones Diamond's office to engage his services. The middle part of each episode was usually rough going, requiring Diamond's OSS training and detective skills.
At episode's end, Diamond relaxes with girlfriend Helen Asher in her Park Avenue, New York, penthouse. Diamond often sings a standard, popular song, or a showtune.
Charles Russell
Audition, "The Robert W. Perry Case," was recorded January 14, 1949 (Haendiges)
24 episodes (Graham), 36 episodes (Haendiges)
February 11, 1949 to January 14, 1950 (Sterling 891)
First episode: "The Parakoff Policy" (Haendiges)
Last episode: "The Missing Chinese Stripper" (Haendiges)
Russell's Johnny Dollar character was tongue in cheek, similar to the Sam Spade radio character
(Graham).
Edmund O'Brien
77 episodes (Graham), 107 episodes (Haendiges)
February 3, 1950 to September 3, 1950
First episode: "Death Takes a Working Day" (Haendiges)
Last episode: "The Montevideo Matter" (Haendiges)
O'Brien's take on Johnny Dollar was more gritty, noir (Graham).
John Lund
2 auditions, "The Trans-Pacific Matter," November 24 and 28, 1952. Salomonson notes one of these
auditions as by "Unknown Actor" thus making his count of Johnny Dollar actors eight total.
84 episodes (Graham), 98 episodes (Haendiges)
November 28, 1952 to September 19, 1954
First episode: "The Singapore Arson Matter" (Haendiges)
Last episode: "The Upjohn Matter"
Gerald Moher
Audition, "The Trans-Pacific Import-Export Matter," August 29, 1955 (Haendiges)
0 episodes
Most noted for his radio role as Philip Marlow, in The Adventures of Philip Marlow.
Frequent appearances on The Whistler and Rogue's Gallery.
Bob Bailey
280 15-minute episodes, 204 30-minute episodes (Haendiges)
October 3 1955 to November 27, 1960
First episode: "The McCormick Matter"
Last episode: "The Empty Threat Matter"
This run began with 5 times a week, 15-minute episodes. Beginning November 11, 1956, the series
changed to weekly, 30 minute episodes (Haendiges). When the series moved from Los Angeles to New
York, Bailey stayed behind. As more and more radio shows moved to television, Bailey gave
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar a second life. When the series was retired, it went out
with a bang, not a whimper (Graham). Learn more about Bob Bailey below.
Robert Readick
21 episodes (Graham), 28 episodes (Haendiges)
December 4, 1960 to June 11, 1961
First episode: "The Urned Income Matter"
Last episode: "The Million Dollar Jewelery Matter"
Readick acted as a caretaker for the series while CBS sorted out what to do next (Graham).
Mandel Kramer
61 episodes (Graham), 67 episodes (Haendiges)
June 18, 1961 to September 30, 1962
First episode: "The Low Tide Matter"
Last episode: "The Tip-Off Matter"
Kramer played the role of Johnny Dollar until the series went off the air.
Bob Bailey
In the 1950s, many radio programs were moving to television, or shutting down, unable to face
the new
medium's competition. After six seasons, and a year's hiatus, CBS gambled and on October 3, 1955
brought
back Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar with a new lead actor, and a new format.
Bob Bailey came from the series Let George Do It, a mystery-detective show heard on the West Coast stations of the Mutual radio network. He played George Valentine, a private detective who got his cases by advertising in the newspaper.
Bailey's interpretation of Johnny Dollar was tough, but not hard-boiled. Streetwise but not overly cynical. A human who would get emotionally involved in his cases. He was impatient, and would often not listen to someone before rushing off on a tangent, realizing later his mistake.
A Gamble Pays Off
In the 1950s, many radio programs were moving to television, or shutting down, unable to face the new medium's competition. After six seasons, and a year's hiatus, CBS gambled and on October 3, 1955 brought back Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar with a new lead actor, and a new format.
New Lead Actor
Bob Bailey came from the series Let George Do It, a mystery-detective show heard on
the West Coast stations of the Mutual radio network. He played George Valentine, a private
detective who got his cases the same way as Dan Holiday in Box 13, by advertising
in the newspaper. In our episode "Syndication," Re-Imagined
Radio gives tribute to Box 13 starring Paramount movie star Alan Ladd.
Valentine/Bailey's ad read, "Personal notice—danger's my stock-in-trade. If the job's too tough for you to handle, you've got a job for me. George Valentine. Write full details" (Dunning 1976, 353).
Bailey's interpretation of Johnny Dollar was tough, but not hard-boiled. Streetwise by not overly cynical. A human who would get emotionally involved in his cases. He was impatient, and would often not listen to someone before rushing off on a tangent, realizing later his mistake (Dunning 1998, 743).
New Format
Instead of weekly 30-minute episodes, the new format provided a five-days-a-week, 15-minutes serial approach for each episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. With this new format, each episode evolved over a week.
There were significant benefits to the new format. Total time of 5 episodes = 75 minutes. Even with time taken out for intros, breaks, and outros, the remaining time was more than that available in 30 minute episodes (often 25 minutes or less). This resulted in more opportunities to develop Dollar's character.
Jack Johnstone, who had experience writing 15-minute episodes for Superman, continued as producer, director, and sometimes writer. Johnstone and colleagues produced fifty six multi-part Johnny Dollar episodes: fifty four five-part episodes, one six-part episode, and one nine-part episode. The serialized episodes continued until November 2, 1956 when the series again reverted to a once a week, 30-minute format. Bob Bailey continued in the lead, until "The Empty Threat Matter" episode of November 27, 1960, when the Hollywood run ended (Wright).
Exemplary Episodes
The first and last three episodes starring Bob Bailey.
"The Big Scoop Matter"
Episode 513, 11 November 1956
First episode for Bob Bailey. A crusading reporter is murdered before he can expose a national
gambling syndicate. Bob Bailey, Virginia Gregg, Les Tremayne, Dan Cubberly (announcer), Russell
Thorson, Barney Phillips, Stacy Harris, Larry Thor, Parley Baer (who played Chester Wesley
Proudfoot on Gunsmoke).
"The Markham Matter"
Episode 514, 18 November 1956
A man seems to be slowly poisoning his wife. Bob Bailey, Paula Winslowe, Roy Rowan (announcer),
John Dehner, Frank Nelson, Lois Corbett, Virginia Gregg, Bert Holland.
"The Royal Street Matter"
Episode 515 25 November 1956
A New Orleans antique shop has had a fire, but the owner refuses to file a claim! Why? Bob
Bailey, Virginia Gregg, Forrest Lewis, Lou Merrill, Lawrence Dobkin, Frank Gerstle, Dan Cubberly
(announcer).
"The Bad One Matter"
Episode 714 13 November 1960
A juvenile delinquent down south knows the secret of a murder, but refuses to reveal it, and for
a good reason! Bob Bailey, Lawrence Dobkin, James McCallion, Forrest Lewis, Russell Thorson, Sam
Edwards, John Wald (announcer), Jack Johnstone (writer, producer, director).
"The Double Deal Matter"
Episode 715, 20 November 1960
The story of "Mickey the Hood" and the famous "Canary Diamonds." What's The connection? Bob
Bailey, Jack Johnstone (writer, producer, director), Barney Phillips, Paul Frees, John Wald
(announcer), Virginia Gregg, Chester Stratton, Harry Bartell, Jackson Beck (Ex-Lax commercial).
"The Empty Threat Matter"
Episode 716, 27 November 1960
The last episode for Bailey; The last show in Hollywood, California. Johnny returns from Tahiti
with a nervous old man, who is sure that he's going to be murdered. Ben Wright, Bob Bailey,
Carleton Young (who starred in Nick Carter,
Master Detective (1943-1955), G. Stanley Jones, Harry Bartell, Ralph Moody,
Virginia Gregg.
Resources
Abbott, John C. The "Who Is Johnny Dollar?" Matter. Vol. 2. Albany, GA: Bear Manor
Media, 2016.
READ a review of this three-volume book
here.
Bob Bailey Episodes of Johnny Dollar at Internet Archive.
Gallaher, David. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Brief Candle Matter. Chicago, IL: Moonstone Books, 2003.
Haendiges, Jerry. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs.
List of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar episodes. Wikipedia.
The Top 5 Yours Truly Johnny Dollar Serials at Adam Graham's The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio website.
Works Cited
Dunning, John. Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio
1925-1976. Prentice-Hall, 1976.
Dunning, John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University
Press, 1998.
Available at Internet
Archive→
Graham, Adam. Yours Truly Johnny Dollar→. The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio.
Old Radio World. Johnny Dollar→.
Piascik, Andy. The Hartford Insurance Investigator With the Action-Packed Expense Account→
Salomonson, Terry. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: A Radio Broadcast Log. Howell, MI:
T.G.G. Salomonson, 1998.
See also Solomonson, Terry. Information and
Help To The New Collector—Part IV→, part of the The
Vintage Radio Place — Jerry Haendiges' Vintage Radio Site website.
Sterling, Christopher H., Cary O'Dell, and Michael C. Keith, editors. The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio. Routledge, 2010, pp. 891-892.
Wright, Stewart. Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar-Single Episodes-Bob Bailey 15 Minute Episodes→. Internet Archive.
Johnny Dollar in Iran
Johnny Dollar popular in Iran? Yes. Here's the story, and chances to listen.
Radio Iran was officially established on April 24, 1940. As the country's first radio station, and its first form of mass communication, the mission of Radio Iran was to help modernize Iran through programming that would appeal to listeners throughout the country (Sheibani 5, 6-7).
Radio Iran's broadcast schedule included programs about Iran's geography, history, archeology, agriculture, as well as topics of global and regional affairs. There were also programs focusing on legal, economic, athletic, and social issues, talk shows, programs about Persian and world literature, music . . . an array of radio programming prepared by experts in these fields, produced and presented by professional radio broadcasters (12, 13).
The audience for all these programs was everyday people, the citizens of Iran, regardless of their level of literacy or economic status. This audience included children, women, and men, with programs created and broadcast for each (13, 24).
Surprisingly, during the 1960s and 1970s, one of the most popular programs on Radio Iran was an adaptation of the American CBS radio series, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar. Called simply Johnny Dollar on Radio Iran, this series starred and was directed by Heidar Saremi, whose regular job was with the Iranian Secret Police (32).
In addition to Saremi, other notable radio performers like Hamid Ameli, Farhang Merhparvar, Manijeh Zarrin, and Hamid Manoucheri, also appeared in episodes of Johnny Dollar (33).
Each episode featured a quiz at its conclusion. Listeners were asked how Johnny Dollar determined who was guilty of the crime. Those who guessed correctly were entered in raffle for a prize.
The series was broadcast weekly, on Wednesday nights at 8:30, and was so popular that the streets were said to be empty during broadcasts of Johnny Dollar. Listeners were at home, listening, enjoying.
The most popular episodes were written by Jalal Nematollahi. Others were written by radio scriptwriter Assadollah Shahryari and others (33). The series was broadcast weekly, on Wednesday nights at 8:30, and was so popular that the streets were said to be empty during broadcasts of Johnny Dollar. Listeners were at home, listening, enjoying (33).
Six individual episodes and the entire season, all in Farsi and English, are available for listening online.
Resources
KARIMI, NASSER and JON GAMBRELL. In
Iran, the Old-Time US Radio Detective "Johnny Dollar" Returns to the Airwaves.
Associated Press, 22 Sept. 2024.
Table
of Contents available here
Metadata
Translation/audio adaptation: Asadollah Shahriari, Jalal Nematollahi / Hossein Madani, Abdul
Hossein Momeni
Actors: Arzoo, Hamid Ameli, Hamid Manouchehri, Saeed Mohajer, Siroi Ayoghi, Abbas Nowrozi,
Farhang Mehrparvor, Farid Zahouri, Feridoon Esmaili, Qasem Goli, Kiyomarth Mobasheri, Maryam
Farrokhnia, Manijeh Zarin, Houshang Khalatbari
Director of the program/radio show: Haider Sarmi
Narrative book producer: Fatemeh Manshipour
Service Secretary: Sara Eshghi Nia
Age category: young
Effector: Hossein Iqani
Sound engineer: Zohra Zarafam
Keywords: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, lasting voices, detective, nostalgia
Source: Department of General Show
Reference type (play-radio show - program-book-film): radio show
Nationality: Western literature (non-Iranian)
Story: collection of stories
Our suggestion: the nostalgia of the forties for our grandparents and the simple childhood of
our parents. Do not miss this nostalgia
Year of manufacture: Decade
Production
Contents
Re-Imagined Radio samples from "The McCormick Matter" for this episode. "The McCormick Matter" was the
first serial episode with Bailey in the lead as Johnny Dollar. It set the tone for the rest of the
series, and is one of the best. Information for the original five parts includes
Part 1, October 3, 1955, "The McCormick Matter"
A dying prison inmate puts Johnny on the trail of stolen jewelry.
Part 2, October 4, 1955, "The McCormick Matter"
On the trail of the stolen jewels, a fortune that has never re-appeared.
Part 3, October 5, 1955, "The McCormick Matter"
Iris Carter is the girl with the gun. Joe Panney is found dead and tortured.
Part 4, October 6, 1955, "The McCormick Matter"
Johnny is shot in a Bronx theatre as the manhunt comes full circle and returns to Long Island.
Part 5, October 7, 1955, "The McCormick Matter"
The surprising end of the story.
Cast
Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar
Written by John Dawson
Directed by Jack Johnstone
Roy Rowans, Announcer
with Mary Jane Croft, Virginia Gregg, Marvin Miller, Forrest Lewis, Frank Gerstle, Herb Butterfield,
Herb Ellis, Tony Barrett, Ken Cristy, Jack Kruschen, and Junius Matthews.
Credits
Music composed and conducted by Amerigo Merino
Additional writers Les Crutchfield, Robert Ryf, Jack Johnstone
Credits
Written, Produced, and Hosted by John F. Barber
Sound Design, Music, and Post Production by Marc Rose
Promotional Graphics by Holly Slocum with Sydney Nguyen
Significance
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar enjoyed a fourteen-year run on CBS. The years 1955 to 1956 are considered the best, for the different format and actor Bob Bailey, one of the eight Johnny Dollar actors during the series' history, and the best.
"The McCormick Matter" was the first serial episode with Bailey in the lead as Johnny Dollar. It set the tone for the rest of the series, and is one of the best.
With Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, CBS resisted the encroachment of television and kept radio drama flourishing a few more years. Today, the series, and especially Bailey's portrayal, are considered one of the best, and last detective series heard on radio.
Producer's Notes
This episode celebrates one of radio's greatest detective series and honors Bob Bailey's definitive portrayal of Johnny Dollar. By sampling from "The McCormick Matter," we showcase the storytelling excellence that made this series a lasting testament to radio drama's golden age.
The connection with
— John F. Barber
Promotion
Press
Graphics
