Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Episode: Dangerous Assignment – Renew Sheik Haroun’s Uranium Deal (03/27/1950)

Aired: January 14, 2026
Host: Choice Classic Radio

Episode Overview

In this classic "Dangerous Assignment" episode, government agent Steve Mitchell (played by Brian Donlevy) is sent to Cairo to persuade his old friend Sheikh Haroun to renew a crucial uranium mining deal. The agreement, essential for international interests, is in jeopardy when the sheik unexpectedly refuses to see any representatives. What starts as a diplomatic mission quickly turns into a complex web of intrigue, betrayal, and murder as Mitchell navigates tribal politics, assassination attempts, and deceit at every turn.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Assignment: A Mission to Cairo

• Commissioner’s Briefing [01:00]
  • Steve is immediately tasked to fly to Cairo after returning from Switzerland.
  • The mission: Convince Sheik Haroun to renew a uranium mining agreement vital to international security.
  • The sheik, who controls a walled city on the edge of the Sahara, suddenly refuses any contact.
  • “Someone upped the ante, huh?” – Steve speculates that other interests are influencing the sheik.

Cairo: Barriers and Bombs

• Arrival and First Attempts [05:00]

  • Steve’s attempt to see the sheik is blocked by loyal guards and Ahmed, the secretary.
  • Mikan, former trusted lieutenant of the sheik, has also been cut off unexpectedly.

• Assassination Attempt [08:00]

  • An explosive device is left in Steve’s hotel room, disguised in a fruit bowl.
  • Steve narrowly avoids the blast, suspecting Ahmed's involvement.

The Sphinx Club and Entertainers

• Gathering Information [14:00]
  • Steve teams up with Mikan at the Sphinx Club to devise a plan.
  • They encounter Eddie Martel, a skilled impersonator and entertainer, whose talent becomes key to Steve’s investigation.

The Fake Call Scheme

• A Voice Impersonation Plot [18:00]

  • Steve hires Martel to impersonate him in a threatening phone call to Ahmed, hoping to flush out the truth.

• Martel’s Murder [23:00]

  • The plan backfires: when Steve returns to check on Martel, he finds him murdered.
  • Cairo Police, led by Lt. Aboura, become involved as tension escalates.

The Climactic Search

• Trail of Intrigue [28:00]
  • Steve tracks down Ahmed, only to find him dead as well, suspects swirling.
  • A mysterious dancing girl in a red skirt, Ahmed’s girlfriend, is seen visiting, becoming another person of interest.

Sandstorm Showdown

• Sandstorm and Infiltration [34:00]
  • A khamseen (Saharan sandstorm) sweeps through, providing cover for Steve and Lt. Aboura to infiltrate the sheik’s walled city.
  • Entry is gained via a secret route Steve remembered from years before.

The Final Confrontation

• Revelation and Justice [39:00]
  • The traitorous Mikan is revealed as the mastermind: he murdered the sheik to sell out to rival mining interests, planning to pose as the sheik until an agreement was signed.
  • “If you'd known anything about poker, I might never have caught on,” Steve tells Mikan, referencing a code phrase about an "inside straight" that tipped him off (43:23).
  • A tense fight ensues by a deadly pitfall; Steve overpowers Mikan and extracts a confession about the sheik’s murder.

Epilogue: Lessons and Irony

• Resolution and Aftermath [46:00]
  • With the villain exposed and the sheik avenged, Steve and Lt. Aboura reflect on poker, bluffing, and the dangers of partial knowledge.
  • A humorous promise that Aboura will be taught poker—just as Steve once taught the sheik.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The Assignment – Humor in Danger
  • Steve (Commissioner’s office, 01:45):
    “Oh, great. I haven't had a date for a week and now you want to fix me up with a mummy.”
• Bureaucratic Pressure
  • Commissioner (02:30):
    “But it's vital that our agreement with him be renewed. Well, that's it. You've got your assignment, Steve.”
• The Bomb Discovery
  • Steve (10:20):
    “Then suddenly I quit thinking and start listening… the bowl of fruit. I grab the bowl, run to the window, open it, and then I heave it out in the garden below. The concussion knocks me back.”
• Comic Relief – Eddie Martel’s Impressions
  • (16:00-17:30):
    Martel: “Now, can I have your attention please, all of you at the back of the room there. All right, now how about this impression? … Listen, baby, I don’t want to have any trouble with you.”
• Threatening Phone Call
  • Sheik Haroun (On the phone, 20:15):
    “I have no intention of renewing it. I intend to make other arrangements… Let me advise you for the last time to let the matter drop. If you do not, I cannot be responsible for the consequences.”
• Climactic Confession
  • Mikan (45:35):
    “He's dead. Dead?... I killed him.”
• Poker as a Metaphor
  • Steve (47:15):
    “You know, that's funny.... Mikan knew more about poker than he realized. He knew how to bluff, and that's a large part of the game. But if you're gonna play a game, you better know all about it.”
  • Lt. Aboura (47:40):
    “Just what is an inside straight?”
  • Steve (48:00):
    “You mean you don't know anything about poker either? ... Come on, you start the school as soon as we get back to Cairo. It may be that I've found me a pigeon.”

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Commissioner briefs Steve on his Cairo assignment | | 05:00 | Steve's first attempt to contact the sheik | | 08:00 | Attempted bombing in Steve’s hotel room | | 14:00 | Meeting at Sphinx Club; introduction of Eddie Martel | | 18:00 | Eddie Martel recruited for impersonation scheme | | 23:00 | Discovery of Martel’s murder; Lt. Aboura enters the case | | 28:00 | Ahmed found dead; focus shifts to dancer in red skirt | | 34:00 | Sandstorm allows infiltration of walled city | | 39:00 | Final confrontation, Mikan revealed as traitor | | 46:00 | Mikan’s confession; resolution and poker joke |

Episode Tone & Style

The episode masterfully blends gallows humor and deadpan quips from Steve Mitchell with classic pulp intrigue. Dialogue is brisk, often witty, with Steve’s informal, sardonic tone cutting through the tension. Dramatic moments are punctuated with suspenseful music and crisp exchanges, keeping the story engaging and fast-paced—hallmarks of Golden Age radio drama.

Summary

“Renew Sheik Haroun’s Uranium Deal” delivers action, espionage, and old-school radio charm. Steve Mitchell faces political betrayal and deadly conspiracy in Cairo, ultimately relying on his signature blend of grit, wit, and streetwise cunning to uncover the truth and secure international peace. The episode also showcases classic radio storytelling at its best: clever use of sound effects, memorable side characters, and a strong sense of place and peril.

Listeners new to Dangerous Assignment will find a blend of international intrigue and detective doggedness—along with a reminder never to play poker (or politics) with someone who knows how to bluff better than you.