1001 Radio Crime Solvers – Detailed Podcast Summary

Episode: "The Bill Kirby Murder Case" and "The Singing Critic" (Richard Diamond, P.I.)

Original Air Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Jon Hagadorn

Episode Overview

This episode features two episodes from the golden age detective series "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," focusing on "The Bill Kirby Murder Case" and "The Singing Critic." Both stories showcase the sharp wit and tough-but-compassionate methods of private eye Richard Diamond, played by Dick Powell. The first half is a classic murder mystery involving family secrets, blackmail, and murder; the second is a comedic tale where Diamond's neighbors and a rival detective conspire to stop him from singing.

"The Bill Kirby Murder Case" (00:01:20 – 29:13)

Main Theme

A distraught mother hires Richard Diamond to find out what’s troubling her son Bill Kirby—a fellow private detective—who’s behaving oddly and comes into suspicious money. The case quickly escalates to murder, an attack on his family, and a coded clue hidden in a shoe.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

• Family Trouble and Suspicion

  • Mrs. Kirby seeks Diamond’s help about her son’s suspicious behavior, newfound wealth, and now, his disappearance.
    • [03:32] Mrs. Kirby: "Bill has been acting strangely for the last month or so."
    • She reveals Bill left a mysterious package with her.
    • Diamond is sympathetic and takes the case, joking about his payment: "I'm a sucker for corned beef and cabbage." [06:51]

• Discovery of Murder

  • At the police precinct, Diamond learns Bill Kirby is dead—shot and dumped in the river.
    • [09:24] Diamond, stunned: "Just a guess... Kirby?"
    • Lieutenant Levinson reports Kirby’s mother and sister have also been beaten, likely related to the missing package.

• Interrogations and Clues

  • At Mrs. Kirby’s home, Richard and the police learn attackers were looking for the package Bill left. It turns out to be a single, oversized shoe with cryptic numbers inside.
    • [12:14] Mrs. Kirby: "In the bread box, in a bread wrapper."
    • [13:11] Otis: "Hey, it's a shoe."
    • The shoe isn’t Bill’s size; it becomes clear the numbers are a code.

• Bar and the Case’s Break

  • Diamond is accosted but survives a beating ([17:00]). He recovers, visits the bar Kirby frequented, and discovers Kirby left an envelope with the bartender ([21:08]).
    • The envelope leads Diamond to address 18 North River—Continental Shipping.

• Confrontation at Continental Shipping

  • Richard confronts "James Willis," an alias for James Kozlik, a reformed safecracker. The thugs Bart and Danny arrive; it's revealed Willis was orchestrating an inside-job gold heist, with shipping info stashed in the shoe as a coded pickup. Bill Kirby’s interruption led to his murder.
    • [24:05] Diamond confronting Willis: "You got the confidential shipping report and put it in that shoe in some kind of code so it could be picked up."
    • Stakes escalate, but Diamond, with support from Levinson, apprehends the criminals after a chase ([25:39]).

• Aftermath and Reflection

  • Diamond discusses the case conclusion. There’s a subtle moral note: although Kirby was blackmailing Willis, Diamond sees to it that the reward money helps the now-poor Mrs. Kirby ([28:03]).
    • [28:07] Levinson: "What are you going to tell Mrs. Kirby?... Well, you caught him, you get the thousand."

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Funny how you can run into a situation like that... trouble doesn't usually bother me... Then a little old lady walks in with a bucket full of heartache." – Diamond, reflecting on compassion [07:00].
• "You never were a baby. You started with a beard and a low whistle." – Helen, bantering with Diamond [02:19].
• "If I do anything for your son, I'm a sucker for corned beef and cabbage." – Diamond to Mrs. Kirby [06:51].
• "I've got to square this beef the only way I know how." – Diamond, taking on the case out of moral duty [14:13].
• "The mother has quite a story." – Levinson [10:56].

Important Timestamps

• [03:32] Mrs. Kirby details Bill’s strange behavior.
• [09:24] Diamond discovers Kirby has been murdered.
• [12:14] The discovery of the shoe clue.
• [17:00] Diamond is attacked by thugs.
• [21:08] The clue at the bar—the envelope.
• [22:37] Showdown at Continental Shipping.
• [28:07] Diamond discusses the reward and Mrs. Kirby’s needs.

"The Singing Critic" (32:12 – 59:21)

Main Theme

In this lighter, comedic story, Diamond’s penchant for singing at Helen’s apartment drives a grumpy neighbor ("the grouch") mad, leading to a hilarious scheme with a rival detective aimed at silencing Diamond’s golden pipes.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

• Neighborhood Singing Controversy

  • Diamond receives a stack of fan letters from neighboring tenants begging him to resume his singing, except for one persistent critic.
    • [33:06] Fan letter: "Please, Mr. Diamond, continue to sing at least once a week. I am beginning to nag my husband..."

• Sabotage Plots

  • The grouch next door hires a shady rival detective, Pat Kosak, to stop Diamond from singing—at $50 if he can ensure silence ([41:14]).
  • Diamond suffers temporary voice loss after an enthusiastic song session, to the dismay (or delight) of his mixed audience.

• Attempted Silencing

  • Diamond receives a mysterious summons to an address, where he’s locked in an icebox for half an hour. Rescued by police, he gets a second summons—this time locked, with Otis, in a steam room.
    • [47:08] "Well, that's exactly where I was. In an ice box. Not a very big one, but a very cold one."
    • [52:14] Otis and Diamond discover they're locked in the steam room in their clothes.

• Return and Resolution

  • Despite these attempts, the combination of hot and cold remedies restores Diamond’s voice to full strength.
    • [58:27] Helen: "That ice box and steam bath really did it, Diamond."
    • Diamond belts out "Honey Bun" in a triumphant, defiant performance, breaking the neighbor and his co-conspirator.

• Comic Fallout

  • The grumpy neighbor, lumping his $50 payment, is left defeated as Diamond’s singing returns louder than ever, the caper having backfired comically.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Me, me, me, me..." – Diamond mock-vocalizing as Helen reads fan mail [32:29].
• "You want to deprive those poor, discouraged people of a little honest, simple pleasure... those people might not leave their apartments for days. It'll get to be like a prison camp... Scurvy!" – Diamond's mock-dramatic plea to Helen [35:24].
• "If you can do the job in one day for 50 bucks, I'll steal a Chrysler Building and bring it over to you on a motor scooter." – Pat Kosak, rival detective, to the grouch [41:14].
• "First an icebox and now a steam bath. I’m gonna start thinking I’m in California." – Diamond [52:26].
• "That ice box and steam bath really did it, Diamond." – Helen, as Diamond regains his voice [58:27].
• Final zinger to the neighbor: "Oh, hello, Mr. Lumpkin. Did I hear you say you lost your voice this morning? ...Good night, Mr. Diamond." [58:46 – 59:21]

Important Timestamps

• [32:29] Helen and Diamond read the flood of fan mail.
• [35:24] Diamond's tongue-in-cheek speech about neighbor suffering.
• [41:14] Grouch hires rival detective.
• [47:08] Diamond locked in an icebox.
• [52:14] Diamond and Otis locked in a steam room.
• [58:27] Diamond’s voice restored, singing in full force.
• [59:21] Final comical wrap-up.

Tone and Style

• Witty, self-deprecating, and sharp. The dialogue brims with playful banter and one-liners, particularly between Diamond and Helen, or Diamond and cop Otis.
• Classic noir flavor in the first story—hard-boiled but with a sentimental streak.
• Broad comedy and meta-humor in the second, lampooning detective tropes and audience engagement.

Conclusion

This episode delivers the full package of vintage radio detective entertainment: suspenseful mystery, sharp dialog, emotional moments, and madcap comedy. “The Bill Kirby Murder Case” offers a gripping, twisty investigation into a family’s tragic secret, while “The Singing Critic” provides a hilarious send-up of celebrity, community, and the unintended good of bad intentions.

For First-Time Listeners

You don't need prior exposure to "Richard Diamond" to enjoy these stories—everything needed is revealed through sharp dialogue and brisk pacing. Whether you love classic mysteries or zany comedy, this episode highlights why radio noir is an enduring favorite.

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