Podcast Summary: "Broadway Is My Beat – The David Blaine Murder Case" (Aired 07/22/1951)

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Broadway Is My Beat: The David Blaine Murder Case
Host/Detective: Detective Danny Clover (voiced by Larry Thor)
Date Transcribed: November 26, 2025

Overview

In this moody and evocative episode from the golden era of radio drama, Detective Danny Clover navigates the neon-lit loneliness of Broadway to unravel the mysterious death of David Blaine. What initially seems to be a suicide soon gives way to suspicions of murder, revealing jealousies, heartbreak, and deadly pride lurking beneath the polished veneer of New York’s streets. The episode expertly captures the existential grit and poetry of postwar Manhattan, using noir dialogue and a haunting jazz score to underline the emotional stakes.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Developments

1. A Fatal Night on Broadway (02:15–04:39)

• Danny Clover paints an atmospheric portrait of nighttime Broadway before being summoned to a fourth-floor apartment where David Blaine, a noted gun collector, has apparently shot himself.
• Quote (Clover, 02:15): "In July, the night slips down over Broadway like a black silk stocking... The shadows start at 7 o’ clock and deepen into night. You hug it close because it’s your chance that something will happen to you outside of the movies and the tap on the shoulder starts it."
• Sergeant Mugavan and Detective Muggerman are present as Blaine’s fiancée, Regina Carroll, is found in shock, and neighbors are anxious.

2. Initial Investigation: Suicide or Murder? (04:39–08:39)

• After processing the crime scene, Clover meets Regina Carroll for a tense interview. She is adamant about her love for Blaine and cannot explain why he would kill himself.
• Regina hints that Blaine had a secret:
  Quote (Regina Carroll, 07:16): "He had a secret. That’s it. He didn’t want to stain me with it... Isn’t that why a man kills himself for the girl he loves?"
• Medical examiner Dr. Sinski’s findings are inconclusive but raise doubts:
  Quote (Dr. Sinski, 08:15): "Except when a man who dies as Blaine did, in shock spasm, arms rigid at right angles to his body... how is it the gun was not found in his hand but on the floor?"

3. Suspects and Motives Begin to Emerge (09:11–11:45)

• Clover interviews neighbor Richard Fallon, a bitter writer with sharp words for the city but no obvious motive.
• Technical reports suggest no one could have escaped after shooting Blaine, and financial records show Blaine lost $50,000 in the market—the likely cause for suicide.

4. A Twist: Murder Called In (11:53–12:14)

• Blanche Hemby phones to claim Blaine was murdered, giving her address. Clover arrives to find her dead, suggesting a connection between the two cases.

5. Peeling Back Regina Carroll’s Past (15:51–20:29)

• Investigation uncovers Blanche's troubled background and a possible link to Blaine.
• Clover uncovers that Regina had multiple broken engagements; hears from ex-fiancé Pete Mason that Regina was a proud, rigid woman whose relationships always ended abruptly.
• Quote (Pete Mason, 22:20): "Regina... has a picture in her head of a husband in a smoking jacket with satin lapels and a curved pipe and a fireplace. I don’t fit the requirements."

6. The Case of the Watches (16:36–19:37)

• Richard Fallon is caught with a distinctive watch matching Regina’s engagement present.
• Notable Scene: The jeweler, Mr. Levante, reveals two identical watches—one bought by Blaine for Regina, one bought by Regina herself to cover the loss after returning the original to Blaine post-breakup.
• Quote (Levante, 18:42): "This is quite an unusual watch... We rarely sell more than one a year... we sold two in the last few months... Both to Miss Carroll or for her.”

7. Cracking the Case: Forensic Breakthrough (23:03–24:29)

• Dr. Sinski re-examines the gun and notes scratch marks indicating a silencer was used—a sign of premeditation and careful staging, not suicide.
• Quote (Dr. Sinski, 24:29): "The man killed himself with a silencer on his weapon. Now that’s what I call taking ‘quiet, please’ a shade too far.".

8. Confronting the Killer (25:02–27:34)

• Clover lays out his theory to Regina: She killed Blaine out of pride and jealousy, then staged the scene and orchestrated the theft of the engagement watch to hide the breakup.
• The alibi of hearing a shot is explained—she fired a blank from her own gun moments after the real killing.
• Quote (Clover, 27:27): "You did. You couldn't live with the thought of another man walking out on you like the other three. That's why you bought the watch, so your friends would think you were still engaged."
• Regina's façade breaks: "It isn't true. I did walk out. Why? Why? Take me away. Put me someplace I don’t want to look at anyone. I can’t look at anyone."

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On New York’s Atmosphere:
  "It’s Broadway. The gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world. Broadway. My beat." (Clover, 28:55)

• On the aftermath of violence:
  "Stand for a moment and consider the virulence of death. How it is not content with its own, must reach out to slash the livid scar into the heart of those crowding its edge..." (Clover, 04:39)

• Regina Carroll’s breakdown:
  "Miss Carol, like David here, is filth instead of me... It isn't true. It isn't true. I did walk out. Why? Why? Take me away." (Regina Carroll, 27:46–28:13)

Key Timestamps for Reference

• [02:15] – Danny Clover’s opening narration sets the noir mood
• [03:18] – Discovery of David Blaine’s death
• [07:00] – Regina Carroll’s emotional interview
• [08:15] – Coroner’s subtle clue on the gun
• [11:28] – Evidence of Blaine’s financial ruin
• [12:06] – Blanche Hemby claims murder
• [13:53] – Blanche Hemby found dead
• [18:42] – Revelation of two identical watches
• [24:29] – Forensic discovery of the silencer
• [25:02]–[27:34] – Clover’s dramatic confrontation with Regina Carroll
• [28:55] – Closing, atmospheric soliloquy

Tone & Style

The episode is richly atmospheric, marked by hard-boiled dialogue and poetic narration. Detective Clover’s empathy and insight contrast with the cold brutality of the crimes, while side characters provide glimpses of the loneliness and striving that defines mid-century New York.

For Listeners

Whether you love classic radio, crime stories, or the evocative language of noir, this episode offers a masterclass in narrative structure and character. All clues are provided to the audience, and the unfolding investigation draws you into the heartbreak and shadows of Broadway.

End of Summary