Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Nero Wolfe: "The Careless Cleaner" (Originally aired 11/17/1950)
Episode Date: November 25, 2025
Starring: Sidney Greenstreet as Nero Wolfe
Premise: A woman is found murdered in a New York men's club suite, drawing Nero Wolfe into a web of jealousy, deceit, and misdirection—all wrapped in old time radio’s signature witty banter.
Episode Overview
This episode features Rex Stout's legendary detective Nero Wolfe and his wisecracking assistant Archie Goodwin as they unravel the mystery behind the murder of a beautiful cleaning woman found stabbed in an exclusive men’s club. At the heart of the case: a troubled artist, his wife, a conniving agent, and a tangle of misdirection that tests Wolfe’s legendary deductive prowess. The tone is peppered with dry humor, sharp dialogue, and a classic locked-room mystery feel.
Key Discussion Points & Developments
Setting the Scene: Artistic Turmoil and Domestic Strife
- Clay Michelson, a talented but troubled artist, is embroiled in constant quarrels with his wife, Fila Michelson. Suspicions of infidelity lead to dramatic threats and Michelson leaving home for the refuge of his agent and friend, Lou Saunders. (03:02-05:02)
- Michelson exhibits erratic behavior fueled by jealousy and alcohol. He remarks to Fila:
“I'm through, Fila… stay out of my way. And keep your boyfriend out of my way, too, whoever he is, or I'll kill him.” (03:36-03:47)
The Murder Unfolds: At the Garrison Club
- A cleaning woman, Hilda Lundgren, is found stabbed in Saunders’ suite at the prestigious Garrison Club. The murder weapon: a sharp, distinctive Chinese letter opener owned by Michelson. (08:03-08:42)
- Inspector Kramer enters the picture, questioning all present. Lou Saunders insists:
“I can't remember where, but the face looks familiar.” (09:04)
- The cleaning woman is described as surprisingly glamorous:
“Lovely looking woman. Blonde and really built.” – Archie (09:10-09:13)
Suspects & Motives: Love, Lies, and Alibis
Clay Michelson
- Appears heavily intoxicated and disoriented, becomes an immediate suspect due to his proximity and the weapon. He maintains his innocence and claims to have been visiting his wife, though she denies it. (13:14-14:52)
Fila Michelson
- Denies seeing Clay the day of the murder, contradicting his alibi. Under Wolfe’s questioning, she eventually admits to emotional entanglement with another man but says it was over:
“All right. So I thought I was in love with another man.” (17:25)
- Wolfe warns Fila about the dangers of jealousy:
“Unreasoning and unjustifiable jealousy sometimes creates the very conditions that it fears.” (28:14-28:23)
Lou Saunders
- Initially reluctant to admit deeper involvement, later revealed to have visited Fila’s home in the afternoon. He and Fila were previously romantically involved, but she ended it. (23:08-23:48)
Clues and Revelation: The Flask and the Poison
Key Evidence
- Michelson’s new flask, claimed to have been purchased that morning and lost, is found in Fila’s apartment—implicating her at first. (20:05-20:15)
- Archie confronts Fila about the flask, believing she is framing Clay. In a struggle, the flask disappears during a blackout. (20:38-20:49)
The Truth Emerges
- Wolfe deduces that Hilda was not killed by the stabbing, but poisoned by drinking from Michelson's flask.
- The killer, seeking to misdirect, stabbed her after death to mimic a crime of passion and point suspicion toward Michelson. Wolfe instructs Archie:
“Someone advanced a fantastic theory about wiping the blood away... the lack of blood had already made me wonder...[plus] the dilated pupils.” (25:00-25:14)
- Saunders slips up, stating his alibi times that match the actual time of death before police release that information—a crucial self-incrimination. Wolfe confronts him:
“How did you know she died between one and three?” (26:44-26:55)
Culprit Exposed
- Wolfe lays out his theory: Saunders poisoned the flask to eliminate Michelson and clear his path to Fila. When the cleaning woman drank from it and died instead, Saunders tried to cover his tracks with a staged stabbing, then placed the flask in Fila’s apartment. (27:04-27:38)
- Wolfe signals Inspector Kramer to arrest Saunders, now caught by his own words and fingerprints. (26:35-27:55)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Archie to Wolfe (on their finances):
“You'd better learn to count. We're broke.” (01:54)
-
Wolfe demonstrating his signature impatience:
“I am unemployed, confound you. It may be a client. And if it is, and we can extract a fee—you follow me, Archie?” (06:13-06:21)
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Wolfe’s deduction:
“Our cleaning woman was not murdered by the knife found in her body. She was poisoned.” (24:24)
-
Wolfe’s lesson to Clay Michelson:
“Unreasoning and unjustifiable jealousy sometimes creates the very conditions that it fears.” (28:14-28:23)
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Archie’s classic closing lament:
"A hectic case with two beautiful dames. Michaelson gets one, the undertaker gets the other. And what do I get? Hey, that reminds me. You got a fee? I get paid." (28:43-29:12)
Important Timestamps
- 01:29-03:02: Introduction of the Michelsons and the setup of marital and artistic tensions
- 08:03-08:42: Discovery of the murder at the Garrison Club
- 13:14-14:52: Clay Michelson pleads for Wolfe’s help while under suspicion
- 16:19-17:25: Wolfe interrogates Fila Michelson about her marriage and possible motives
- 20:05-20:15: Key clue discovered—Michelson’s flask in Fila’s apartment
- 24:24-25:14: Wolfe reveals the true cause of death and lays out forensic evidence
- 26:44-26:55: Saunders incriminates himself by knowing the time of death in advance
- 27:04-28:23: Saunders' plot is fully exposed, and Wolfe delivers his moral lesson to the Michelsons
- 28:43-29:12: Archie concludes with a quip about his luck and his paycheck
Final Resolution
Wolfe unmasks Lou Saunders as the murderer. Motivated by unrequited love and jealousy over Fila, Saunders attempted to murder Clay Michelson via poisoned whiskey, but the unintended victim was Hilda Lundgren, the cleaning woman. Saunders’ efforts to cover his crime led to his undoing, thanks to Wolfe’s careful analysis and a fatal slip of the tongue regarding the time of death.