Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Nero Wolfe: The Impolite Corpse (Original Airdate: 12/08/1950)
Date Released: December 16, 2025
Host: Choice Classic Radio

Episode Overview

This episode features a classic detective mystery from the "Nero Wolfe" radio series, starring Sydney Greenstreet as the iconic, eccentric, and brilliant detective Nero Wolfe. The case, titled "The Impolite Corpse," revolves around the murder of Walter Channing, an unpopular advertising executive. As Wolfe, with the help of his witty assistant Archie Goodwin, sorts through a tangle of suspects and misleading clues, the importance of office politics, personal grudges, and small details come to the fore. Set in the high-tension world of a busy advertising agency, the story unfolds with clever dialogue and the puzzle-solving acumen characteristic of the series.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

The Murder and the Agency

• [02:29] Walter Channing, a hard-edged executive, is introduced dictating memos to his secretary, Brenda Barclay.
• Channing is dismissive and cutting, making himself unpopular among his staff, including Brenda and another long-serving employee, Tom Bennett.
• An antagonistic, personal history between Channing and Brenda is revealed:
  • “You were flashy when I met you. You're getting flashier. That means cheaper.” (Walter Channing to Brenda, 05:33)
• Tension increases as hints are dropped about bribes, firings, and a long-simmering office romance gone sour.

Discovery of the Body

• [07:10] Walter Channing is found shot dead at his desk by the night porter and a shoeshine boy named Kelly.
• The police initially suspect suicide due to the position and nature of the wound, but Archie and Brenda quickly cast doubt, revealing that the gun was found unnaturally far from the body and had been wiped of fingerprints.

Brenda Barclay’s Fears

• [06:38] Brenda approaches Nero Wolfe, frightened she's about to become a suspect due to her past romantic involvement with Channing and the jealousy of others in the office.
  • “When the police talk to her, I—Doris, his wife. I've been Walter Channing's secretary for eight years. At one time, we…we thought we were in love… Mrs. Channing was aware of this.” (Brenda Barclay, 08:08)

Nero Wolfe Investigates

• Wolfe, with characteristic disdain for physical exertion, sets the investigative process in motion, assembling interviews with agency staff, Channing's wife Doris, and Alan Melick (Brenda’s former fiancé and a department head).
• The dialogue is sharp and filled with classic Wolfeian dry wit:
  • “I never take a corpse for a client.” (Nero Wolfe, 01:16)

Suspects and Motives

• Everyone in the office is shown to have motive, with varying degrees of animosity toward Channing:
  • “Channing was a slave driver, Mr. Goodwin. The girls hated him and men were afraid of him.” (Tom Bennett, 09:58)
• Brenda’s reputation, Alan Melick’s broken heart, and Doris Channing’s bitterness are explored as possible motives.

The Key Clues

• Stain Evidence: An ink stain is found on Channing’s trousers; attempts have been made to clean it with a strong solvent (carbon tetrachloride and perchloroethylene)—products typically found in a typewriter or shoe cleaner.
  (14:10)
• Spot on Carpet: A powder aniline dye is detected on the carpet—commonly used in women’s suede shoe dressing.
  (19:30, 26:02)
• The infamous memo eliminating shoe shines appears conveniently after the murder and is believed to frame the shoeshine boy, Kelly.

The “Sanctity of Deskh-ood”

• [22:40] Wolfe introduces his key insight:
  • “So long as a man sits at his desk, he enjoys a curious area of privacy. He is remarkably safe from intrusion. That’s the sanctity of deskhood.” (Wolfe, 23:16)

The Revelation

• To approach Channing at his desk without alerting him, the killer would have to be someone he trusted or was used to encountering there—most likely kneeling in front of him, as an assistant might when cleaning an ink spot.
• [26:36] Archie connects the dots:
  • “Suppose a woman knelt in front of Channing to clean that ink spot off his trouser cuff. That smudge could have rubbed off the tip of her shoe onto the carpet.”
• The evidence leads to Wolfe’s dramatic accusation:
  • “Three questions, Archie, with one answer. That spells the name of the murderess. Our own client, Brenda Barkley.” (Wolfe, 26:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nero Wolfe’s wit:
  • “Not to get murdered herself. I never take a corpse for a client.” (01:16)
  • “Archie, put her in a cab. Then come up to the plant room. There are some things I want you to execute for me.” (09:15)
• On suspicious motives:
  • “Whoever killed Walter Channing did the rest of us a favor.” (Tom Bennett, 10:16)
• Wolfe on deskhood:
  • “Desk hood refers to that area behind a desk where a man earns his livelihood, makes his career, builds his reputation… So long as a man sits at his desk, he enjoys a curious area of privacy. He is remarkably safe from intrusion.” (23:16)
• On the denouement:
  • “The obvious can be too obvious.” (Wolfe, 25:14)
• Archie’s closing quip:
  • “Let us try to keep out of trouble in the company of a blonde who wants to.” (Archie, 27:46)

Important Timestamps

• [02:29] Introduction of Walter Channing and motives among his staff
• [06:38] Brenda Barclay asks for Nero Wolfe’s help
• [09:58] Insights from other agency employees
• [14:10] Key findings: the ink stain and solvents
• [19:30] The discovery about shoe dye on the carpet
• [22:40] “Sanctity of deskhood” revelation
• [25:03] The memo as frame-up for Kelly
• [26:54] Final accusation: Brenda Barclay is the murderer

Final Thoughts

This episode is a prime example of Golden Age radio detective drama, blending witty banter, tightly woven plotting, and a classic locked-room mystery feel. Nero Wolfe’s mastery with logic and social observation shines, as he unmasks not only the murderer but also the clever attempt to misdirect suspicion—a staple of Rex Stout’s writing.

Listeners unfamiliar with the original story will find this episode engaging and accessible, with a satisfying solution and a memorable array of suspects typical of classic radio whodunits.