1001 Radio Crime Solvers: “THE $200,000 BOND CASE and THE GIBSON MURDER CASE” (Richard Diamond, P.I.)

Episode Date: August 20, 2025
Host: Jon Hagadorn
Feature: Richard Diamond, Private Detective (starring Dick Powell)
Stories: "The $200,000 Bond Case" & "The Gibson Murder Case"

Overview

This episode of 1001 Radio Crime Solvers features two hard-boiled detective cases from the classic radio show “Richard Diamond, Private Detective.” In these vintage mysteries, Diamond tangles with gangsters, double-crosses, and locked-room puzzles. The first story, "The $200,000 Bond Case," revolves around a missing fortune and a deadly web of deception. The second, "The Gibson Murder Case," sees Diamond unravel a locked-room murder tied to a mysterious woman and a pair of crafty killers.

Both stories blend sharp wit, fast dialogue, and suspenseful plots, showing why radio was the golden age of crime solving.

The $200,000 Bond Case

Main Theme

Richard Diamond is drawn into a tumultuous hunt for a missing $200,000 in stolen payroll bonds, facing off against ruthless criminals and a double-crossing femme fatale.

Key Plot Points & Discussion

Opening & Setup

• Diamond’s humor defines the tone—world-weary, sarcastic, razor-sharp.
• “I can go along for a whole month and get by on nothing but meals at the Automat and a dozen laughs a day. The funny ones usually pay just as well as the tough ones. But eventually, somebody starts something that’s about as funny as an open grave.” (Diamond, 00:35)

The Visitors in Diamond’s Office (05:00)

• Two heavies, Frank and Vern, confront Diamond, demanding he hand over "the bundle" (the $200,000).
• Diamond’s wisecracks escalate the tension, but violence erupts and he’s knocked unconscious.

Enter the Mysterious Woman (08:30)

• Diamond awakens to find a glamorous woman in his office. She offers him $1000 to safeguard a package from a subway locker, without explanation.
• “You get the item, and I’ll introduce myself in two days. And I do keep a drink in the house, Mr. Diamond.” (Woman, 10:49)

Subway Locker Trap (11:00)

• Retrieving the lightweight, locked bag, Diamond’s accosted by Vern at gunpoint.
• Violence is narrowly averted when police lieutenant Walt Levinson intervenes, killing Vern.

Headquarters & Plot Unraveling (13:00)

• Diamond identifies the other attacker as Frank Purcell, presumed dead from a notorious gang crash years earlier.
• The mysterious woman is revealed to be Mrs. Crump, wife of Billy Crump (another gang member).

Mrs. Crump’s Apartment (16:00)

• Diamond and Walt find Mrs. Crump murdered, evidence pointing to Purcell.

The Riddles of the Bonds (18:00)

• Diamond deduces the $200,000 is hidden somewhere familiar, based on cryptic numbers and a throwaway comment by Mrs. Crump: "Do you work nights, Mr. Diamond?”
• He discovers the cash rolled and stuffed inside a light bulb in his own office.

Final Confrontation (22:00)

• Diamond faces off with Purcell, now desperate.
• The tension peaks: “You say no or even maybe, and I’ll kill you where you sit.” (Purcell, 22:36)
• Walt bursts in, and Diamond cleverly shoots Purcell through his desk.

Denouement (25:00)

• The scheme is revealed: Mrs. Crump and Purcell tried to double-cross each other over the payoff.
• In a classic comedic wrap-up, Diamond recovers at Helen’s, bantering with her and the butler Francis.

Notable Quote:

• “You know something? You ain’t so funny.” (Purcell to Diamond, 25:00)

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Diamond’s banter with his girlfriend Helen: “I found a Japanese beetle in the desk the other day. Been giving me judo lessons.” (04:31)
• The noir standoff in the subway: (11:00–13:00)
• Discovery of the cash hidden in a light bulb: (21:40)
• Final snappy back-and-forth with Helen and Francis: (25:58–28:00)

The Gibson Murder Case

Main Theme

Diamond investigates a seemingly impossible murder: a wealthy man is found dead in a locked apartment. The puzzle deepens with romantic intrigue, blackmail, disguises, and a classic “body in a rug” trick.

Key Plot Points & Discussion

Inciting Incident (32:20)

• A man named Gibson is killed during a lovers’ quarrel, his body needing discreet disposal.

Miss Esther Blodgett’s Call (36:58)

• A nervous schoolteacher, Esther, calls Diamond after finding a corpse in her prized “Hepplewhite” chair.

Investigating Gibson’s Life (44:41)

• Diamond learns from Gibson’s daughter that her father recently moved out, possibly for a mysterious woman.
• The trail leads Diamond to a hotel waitress named Virginia Pilgrim.

The Landlady & The Apartment (49:51)

• Virginia Pilgrim, it’s revealed, lived in the Village and had several male visitors, including Gibson and a “greasy” younger man.

The Locked Room Puzzle (51:18)

• The police and Diamond figure out Gibson’s body was moved, not killed, in the schoolteacher’s apartment.
• Key clues: brown lint on Gibson’s clothes is from a rug mat; rugs are missing from apartments being painted.

The Big Reveal (53:19)

• The Austins, a couple on the second floor, are identified as Virginia Pilgrim (alias) and her husband, the murderers.
• They used their old key to the schoolteacher’s apartment to stash the body there. Pilgrim cracks under pressure and confesses.
• “I didn’t kill him. Harvey did. I didn’t kill him!” (Virginia Pilgrim, 55:57)

Ending & Signature Tune (56:30)

• Diamond returns to Helen for food, flirtation, and a song, closing with a playful exchange about “Hepplewhite”—just a chair after all.

Notable Quotes

• “Well, move over, honey. Now, take it easy and give me one thing at a time. Who’s the dead guy?” (Diamond to Esther, 38:09)
• “You two babbling about? Danger, stop, look, and listen?” (Diamond, 43:40)

Timestamps & Highlights

• Diamond wigs out on “Hepplewhite”—a running joke confusing the dead man for a chair: (37:53, 40:45, 58:09)
• Esther’s comical composure: “After the initial shock wore off, I found myself in complete control… I just lit a cigarette. It tasted so good, I offered one to the dead man.” (38:54)
• The deduction of the rug as the murder transport: (53:19)
• The arrest and confession of the real killers: (54:42–56:00)
• Diamond’s tune at the piano with Helen: (57:01–57:57)

Overall Tone and Style

The stories blend hardboiled investigation, quick-paced humor, and clever plotting. Diamond’s character is defined by wisecracks, sardonic commentary, and relentless pursuit of justice, balanced by warmth in his off-the-clock moments.

Throughout, the dialogue remains playful, loaded with double entendres, banter, and radio-era flair.

Key Memorable Quotes

From “$200,000 Bond Case”

• “As long as I get that ever-lovin’ loot in my little hot hand, Lucifer can walk in with a machine gun and I’ll arm wrestle him for the price of a hot dog.” (Diamond, 00:51)
• “Well, what I got hurts and you’re welcome to it.” (Diamond, 06:00)
• “What are you going to do about that big, bad policeman outside the door?” (Diamond, 22:51)

From “The Gibson Murder Case”

• “Hepplewhite? No, the dead man. What about Hepplewhite?” (Diamond, 37:57)
• “How did you ever get to be a schoolteacher? You don’t look the type.” (Diamond, 43:30)
• “You dumped him in Ms. Blodgett’s apartment because you knew she was out of town. And you used to live there, so you still had a key.” (Diamond, 55:42)

For New Listeners

Even without prior experience with “Richard Diamond, Private Detective,” this double-feature episode puts you right in the bustling world of New York City crime-solving. Expect rapid-fire intrigue, a detective with a heart (and a mouth), irresistible dames, and villains who learn the hard way not to cross a seasoned P.I.

Tune in next week for more classic radio sleuthing on 1001 Radio Crime Solvers—where every episode is a golden-age whodunit brought to life!