Podcast Summary: "Nero Wolfe: Stamped for Murder" (10/20/1950)
Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode Title: Nero Wolfe: Stamped for Murder
Air Date: October 20, 1950
Summary Date: November 4, 2025
Starring: Sydney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe
Episode Overview
This episode delivers a classic, twist-filled detective story featuring the brilliant, eccentric, and epicurean Nero Wolfe and his street-smart assistant, Archie Goodwin. Centered around a fraudulent treasure map, an inheritance gone awry, and a pair of deadly swindlers, the episode deftly combines humor, suspense, and old-school detective reasoning set in 1950s New York.
Main Characters
- Nero Wolfe: Genius, stubborn, food-loving orchid fancier and private detective.
- Archie Goodwin: Wolfe’s irreverent and clever assistant and narrator.
- Gloria Kent: The distressed young woman at the center of the case.
- Mr. Kent: Gloria’s father, a victim of fraud—and murder.
- Elmer Rodman: Librarian and link to the genuine old letters.
- Cross & Halleck: Two con artists behind the treasure map scam.
- Ben Sanford: “Expert” at the document lab and key to the deeper mystery.
- Inspector Kramer: Persistent but often outmaneuvered NYPD detective.
Key Story Segments & Details
1. The Case Arrives at Wolfe’s Door (01:54 - 06:02)
Gloria Kent, with Elmer Rodman, pleads for Wolfe’s help: her father lost her $10,000 inheritance in a treasure map scam. Wolfe initially rejects “domestic” cases, but Archie talks him into investigating out of guilt and attraction toward Gloria.
Notable Quote [03:29, Wolfe to Kent]:
“Your pretty face beguiled Mr. Goodwin. He should have warned you this office does not undertake cases involving... family problems.”
2. The Swindlers & the Map (07:30 - 10:43)
Archie tracks down Cross and Halleck, who unexpectedly and suspiciously return the $10,000 immediately, asking only for the forged documents in exchange. Wolfe suspects something deeper is at play.
Notable Quote [09:53, Wolfe]:
“He surrendered too quickly, Archie, too easily—and that money in the envelope he was carrying, all ready to refund... Something’s fishy.”
3. Murder Strikes (10:43 - 12:47)
Archie goes to return the money to Gloria, but discovers her father murdered—throat cut. Gloria is grief-stricken, seeking justice or even revenge.
Notable Moment [11:28, Archie’s discovery]:
“What in the d—He’s dead. His throat’s cut.”
4. Tangled Motives: What’s the Real Prize? (13:06 - 15:19)
Inspector Kramer investigates, focusing on the missing map and letters—and suspects. Wolfe points out the criminal actions revolve around the “phony” documents, suggesting there’s more to them than meets the eye.
Notable Quote [14:07, Wolfe]:
“She must be found. More important, we must learn why forged letters and a forged map produce such turmoil.”
5. The Document Lab Revelation (15:19 - 17:43)
At the lab, Archie learns Ben Sanford, allegedly an expert, certified the map’s authenticity. Wolfe deduces Sanford is in league with the swindlers.
Notable Exchange
Wolfe: “You alone believe in the value of the map. Therefore, you alone would have murdered Kent for the map.”
Sanford: “Now, wait a minute...”
6. A Second Murder & the Red-Headed Temper (18:33 - 21:46)
Archie tries to find Gloria at Rodman’s apartment, only to witness Rodman murdered in a similar fashion. Gloria, meanwhile, impersonates the maid at Cross and Halleck’s apartment, intent on vengeance.
Notable Moment [21:31, Archie to Gloria]:
“Cut it out... Give me the gun, Gloria. That’s right. Who did you think I was?”
Gloria: “Halleck.”
7. The Final Confrontation & Wolfe’s Trap (22:51 - 27:47)
Wolfe assembles all suspects, revealing Gloria still possesses the letters. Using heat, he reveals secret writing—but the real ploy is to expose the true criminal. The swindlers panic as the envelope stamps burn, but Sanford alone remains calm, exposing himself as the killer who knew the “real” documents were switched.
Key Exchange [25:04]:
Halleck: “The stamps—the ‘Missionaries’ are worth a fortune!”
Wolfe: “Of course... Mr. Sanford is not alarmed. Why not? ... Only one man could know I prepared these dummy letters...That is the killer.”
Archie [26:17]:
“Self-confessed? Like fun. He was booby-trapped!”
8. Case Resolution (27:47 - 28:35)
Wolfe explains the underlying motive: rare 1851 Hawaiian “Missionary” stamps, each worth up to $25,000, were on the letters, not the map. Rodman, belatedly realizing what he’d sold, tried to rectify his error. Greed, then, proved fatal for Kent and Rodman, but Wolfe’s reasoning delivers justice.
Notable Quote [28:12]:
“I ask something that would not be easy to grant... Will you use your red hair, your pretty face, your admirable figure, and your ample fortune to lure Mr. Goodwin away... I would like to enjoy my dinner in peace.”
— Wolfe, humorously requesting peace and quiet for once
Notable Quotes
- Wolfe [04:46]: “No, Ms. Kent, I’m sorry. This is not for me.”
- Archie [05:22, on Gloria]: “She’s lost all of her money. She needs help.”
- Archie [11:28]: “What in the d— He’s dead. His throat’s cut.”
- Wolfe [09:53]: “He surrendered too quickly, Archie, too easily…”
- Wolfe [13:44]: “There are other matters more important. I dine at eight. That leaves me one hour to solve your murders.”
- Archie [28:12]: “Let’s have an understanding right now, Gloria. Difficult for you or… or for me?”
- Wolfe [28:35]: “There is only one word for you, Miss Kent: intrepid.”
Timestamps for Key Moments
- 01:54 – Clients arrive, Wolfe resists taking the case.
- 07:30 – Confrontation with Cross & Halleck.
- 10:43 – Archie discovers Mr. Kent’s murder.
- 13:44 – Inspector Kramer enters.
- 15:19 – Identification of Ben Sanford at the document lab.
- 18:53 – Rodman is killed.
- 21:31 – Archie stops Gloria from acting rashly.
- 22:51 – The assembled showdown at Wolfe’s house.
- 24:18 – Wolfe uses heat to expose “secret writing.”
- 25:07 – Swindlers panic over burning stamps.
- 26:15 – Wolfe sets the trap and names the killer.
- 27:47 – Case solved: explanation and value of stamps.
- 28:12 – Wolfe jokingly pleads for dinner in peace.
Tone & Style
- Crisp, witty, and often droll dialogue, especially between Wolfe and Archie
- Fast-paced detective unraveling with clever explanations
- Colorful period flavor with nods to food, orchids, and 1950s New York
For new listeners and classic radio fans alike, this episode is a masterclass in witty banter, plot twists, and old-school detective style—with a delightful payoff and a dash of romance and humor at the end.