Case Closed! – "Stand By For Crime: The Lonely Hearts Club of Doom" & "Barrie Craig: Behold a Corpse"

Podcast: Case Closed! (RelicRadio.com)
Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Case Closed!" features two classic crime stories from the golden age of radio: Stand By For Crime: The Lonely Hearts Club of Doom (1953), and Barrie Craig: Behold a Corpse (March 1, 1953). Listeners are invited to experience mysteries packed with intrigue, deception, and old-fashioned detective work as we revisit the thrill and drama of radio storytelling from the past.

Part 1: Stand By For Crime – "The Lonely Hearts Club of Doom" (00:00–24:20)

Main Theme

A cautionary tale of loneliness, greed, and murder, this story follows newscaster Chuck Morgan as he investigates the dangers lurking behind lonely hearts ads and the schemes that prey on the vulnerable.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

• Chuck Morgan Receives a Mysterious Tip

  • Chuck is tipped off by a mysterious caller, Amos Bugsby, promising a sensational story (00:00–01:56).
  • Accompanied by his witty secretary, Carol Curtis, he travels into the countryside to meet Bugsby, setting the stage for a tense, atmospheric case.

• Bugsby's Plight: Loneliness and Deception

  • Amos Bugsby, a scarred and isolated rancher, recounts how he joined a Lonely Hearts club, driven by deep loneliness (05:15–05:59).
  • He meets a widow, Helen Cutler, and her "brother" Bob, through suspect newspaper ads (06:03–08:35).

• The Con and the Threat

  • The supposed courtship turns dark after marriage—Helen and Bob threaten Bugsby at gunpoint, aiming to make her a widow and seize his fortune (10:14–12:28).
  • Bugsby narrowly escapes, but Helen frames him to the police, leaving him a fugitive (13:05–13:29).

• Chuck's Counter-Con

  • Chuck deduces Helen and Bob are serial predators, moving from city to city (14:07–14:24).
  • He vows to set his own trap by answering their next ad under an alias (14:26–16:09).

• Sting Operation and Tragic Denouement

  • Chuck corresponds with "Mary Hayden" (Helen’s new alias), eventually marrying her in a sting operation (18:15–20:41).
  • The confrontation unravels; an emotional Helen confesses new feelings for "Jim Sawyer" (Chuck), but her brother Bob brands her a fool and attempts to kill Chuck. The police arrive just in time, but Helen is killed by Bob (21:05–24:24).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Loneliness:

  • "Loneliness is just about the hardest burden a man could have to bear. And that's why I answered the ad in the newspapers."
    —Amos Bugsby (05:44)

• The Betrayal:

  • "You fell for a sucker game and now you're gonna pay off, sucker."
    —Helen (12:00)

• Moment of Truth:

  • "I'm going to watch for the next newspaper ad to appear. Then I'm going to answer it and marry Helen myself."
    —Chuck Morgan (14:26)

• The Trap Closes:

  • "Let him have it, Bill."
    —Chuck Morgan, as the police move in (23:24)

• Wry Aftermath:

  • "Listen to her. Against her principles. Listen, birdbrain, I'm not a married man. My wife died this afternoon. She was shot to death."
    —Chuck Morgan, in banter with Carol Curtis (24:28)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Chuck receives the story lead from Amos Bugsby
• 05:44 – Bugsby discusses his loneliness
• 10:14 – Marriage and immediate betrayal
• 12:28 – Bugsby threatened, story pivots to Chuck’s investigation
• 14:26 – Chuck begins his sting operation
• 18:15 – Chuck's undercover marriage to Mary Hayden
• 21:05 – The climactic confrontation
• 24:24 – Aftermath and dark humor between Chuck and Carol

Part 2: Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator – "Behold a Corpse" (24:20–51:03)

Main Theme

A noir-tinged investigation into identity, inheritance, and gaslighting, as Barry Craig is hired to determine if a wealthy woman's returned husband is, in fact, an imposter—or something more insidious.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

• The Distressed Lady Client

  • Brenda Connor suspects the man claiming to be her husband, Ralph, is an imposter; his habits, speech, and even handedness differ from the man she once knew (27:20–30:07).
  • Barry listens as she details small, inconsistent traits and an intuitive fear.

• Intrigue and Surveillance

  • Private detective Mike Hasek tails Craig and reveals Brenda's possible infidelity with tennis pro Chris Contoura (31:54–33:09).
  • Craig investigates Ralph's business partner, Saxton—discovering red flags in the business's financials and accounting for Ralph's absence (38:39–44:45).

• Layers of Deception

  • The bookkeeper exposes lies about the company's accounts and suggests Saxton (with the supposed Ralph) is conspiring to get Brenda declared incompetent in order to seize her fortune (44:45–46:07).

• Gaslighting and Legal Manipulation

  • Brenda breaks down, and “Ralph” pushes for her institutionalization, which will redirect her estate to him if successful (46:07–46:43).

• Double-Cross and Revelation

  • Hasek proposes splitting the estate with Craig, revealing even more tangled motives (47:04–48:30).
  • Craig feigns going along, then confronts “Ralph” with proof: his right-handedness, despite pretending to be left-handed—a tactic to unbalance Brenda’s mind (49:03–49:52).

• Justice

  • Barry exposes the full scheme: “Ralph” is the real article but employs psychological manipulation to induce Brenda’s breakdown and gain legal control over her estate (50:09–51:02).
  • Craig prepares to bring him to the District Attorney.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Setup:

  • "Some clients choose you because they hope you're stupid. They don't want a cop, they want a stooge... so they can get away with murder."
    —Barry Craig (26:25)

• A Wife’s Intuition:

  • "This man was my husband come back. I’m not so sure that it is he... There are some differences, still differences that could only mean time..."
    —Brenda Connor (28:13, 30:15)

• Descent and Gaslight:

  • "But you don’t look overjoyed."
    —Barry Craig, questioning Brenda’s feelings
  • "I could find none of them in this man…"
    —Brenda Connor (29:48)

• Accusatory Confrontation:

  • "You’re right-handed. You wrote that check out right-handed like Ralph Connor should, since he was always right-handed. But you’ve been deliberately left-handed for Mrs. Connor’s benefit since you came back to her—to confuse her about you, start her doubting your identity... so you could take control of her money and her estate."
    —Barry Craig (49:44–50:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 26:25 – Barry Craig’s cynical narration introduces the case
• 27:20 – Brenda Connor unburdens suspicions about her returned husband
• 30:07 – The evidence: differences in personality and handedness
• 31:54 – Mike Hasek kidnaps Craig, takes him to the roadhouse (affair revealed)
• 38:39 – Interview with Ralph Connor’s business partner Saxton
• 44:45 – Bookkeeper exposes the fraudulent accounting
• 46:07 – Ralph details plans for Brenda’s institutionalization
• 47:04 – Hasek proposes sharing the estate with Craig
• 49:03 – Craig tricks Ralph into exposing himself
• 50:09 – Scheme revealed, Craig prepares to go to the police

Final Thoughts

"Case Closed!" delivers a double dose of 1950s radio noir, exploring not just crime and investigation, but themes of loneliness, trust, greed, and manipulation. The episode is rich with sharp dialogue, clever detective work, and moments of suspense and emotion that showcase the enduring power of classic radio storytelling.

For further listening and support:
Visit RelicRadio.com
Support the show at donate.relicradio.com