Podcast Summary: "Pat Novak for Hire: Don't Tell Hilda" (02/27/1949)

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Pat Novak for Hire: Don't Tell Hilda
Original Air Date: February 27, 1949
Summary Compiled: November 29, 2025

Overview of the Episode

This episode of "Pat Novak for Hire" is a quintessential hard-boiled detective drama, set against the San Francisco waterfront, where murder and deception are just part of everyday business. Pat Novak, tough-talking private eye for hire, finds himself entangled in a web of amnesia, mistaken identity, and murder after a mysterious woman collapses in his company and dies. As Novak navigates false leads, suspicious characters, and a suspicious cop, he struggles to clear his name and untangle a plot built on a faked identity, a dead heiress, and betrayal.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Pat Novak’s Introduction and Atmosphere

• [02:34] Pat Novak (Jack Webb) paints a moody picture of his life as a waterfront detective, immediately setting the "noir" tone:

  "Down in the San Francisco waterfront, everything but murder is a parlor trick. … It’s a good living if you don’t run short of bail bonds and Benzedrine."

2. Mysterious Woman’s Arrival

• [03:38] In the rain, a distressed, amnesiac woman bumps into Novak and asks for help.
  • Memorable noir banter establishes both Novak’s cynicism and the woman’s confusion:

    Hilda: “I think I've lost my memory.”
    Novak: “Who are you?”
    Hilda: “I don't know.”

  • She soon passes out in the cafe, provoking immediate suspicion ([06:14]).

3. The First Death – Setup for the Case

• [06:28 & 07:54] The woman dies, apparently from an overdose. There’s no identification, only a reference to the name “Hilda.” Novak, fearing he’ll be implicated, consults his friend, Jocko Madigan, an inebriate ex-doctor.

4. Hellman’s Suspicions

• [10:30] Inspector Hellman, a perennial adversary of Novak’s, confronts him at home, sure that Novak’s involved:

  "So are you, Novak. You're gonna look good sucking your thumb in the gas chamber." ([10:41])

5. Tracing the Woman’s Identity

• [12:45] Jocko uncovers a clue: Eight years prior, a 17-year-old heiress, Marcia Halpern, disappeared from a hospital with amnesia. The description fits the dead woman.
  • Novak pursues this lead to wealthy Emory Halpern’s residence.

6. The Halpern Connection — Enter Mark Taylor

• [14:43] Emory Halpern is absent, but lawyer Mark Taylor is present. He confirms the photo Novak shows him is of Marcia Halpern.
  • Upon learning Marcia is dead, Taylor acts shaken:

    “After all these years to come back, and then this.” ([16:09])

• [17:52] A twist: Taylor receives news that Emory Halpern died in a car accident the previous night — suspicious timing.

7. Perfume Clue and The Introduction of Hilda

• [20:39] At the accident scene in Sacramento, Novak finds a perfume-soaked handkerchief near where Halpern died — a woman was likely present.

• Later, Novak drops in on Taylor and meets Hilda Travis, a stunning, cool-tempered “family friend”:

  Hilda: “Would a drink take off the rough edges, Mr. Novak?” ([22:03])

• Novak tests her perfume against the handkerchief – a direct, seductive exchange loaded with tension.

8. The Will, the Motive, and The Real Plot

• [24:09] Jocko’s research reveals Emory Halpern recently updated his will: if Marcia was dead, the estate goes to Mark Taylor.
• Taylor withdrew money to pay for a Lisbon passage for “Helen Dupre,” a name not previously involved.

9. The Final Confrontation and Confessions

• [25:20] In a showdown at Taylor’s apartment, Novak accuses Taylor and Hilda of orchestrating the entire scheme. Jocko IDs Hilda as the woman he saw at the crash scene, confirming her role.
  • Taylor’s guilt unravels as Hilda turns against him:

    Hilda: "You're all right on the straightaway, but you're a bad guy on the curves, Mark." ([26:47])

• The plot is revealed:
  • “Helen Dupre” was impersonating Marcia Halpern to claim the inheritance.
  • Taylor and Hilda planned the deaths.
  • The scam unravels due to poor performances, Novak’s observations, and a crucial witness.

10. Novak’s Conclusion

• [27:34] Novak’s closing monologue dissects the scam and how it failed:

  “Well, it seems that Marcia Halpern was dead for years. Somewhere on the other side, a girl named Helen Dupre got the story out of her… The same night, they planned to kill the old man the way they did. That way Helen Dupre and Mark could split the dough. But they figured it wrong. Sometimes it only takes one.”

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Pat Novak’s signature hard-boiled narration:

  • "You get that way from winking at too many things. Well, it's a good living if you don't run short of bail bonds and Benzedrine." ([02:34])

• Hilda’s loaded invitation:

  • "Won't you come in?" ([21:43])
  • "We'll finish our drinks and pray for a cloud burst." ([23:21])

• Inspector Hellman, eternally unimpressed:

  • "With you, that's a lifetime. The guy said you were good friends. That's the way our story is going to read you." ([19:14])

• Novak’s summary of the double-cross:

  • “She was nice too. If you don’t mind claw marks.” ([28:50])

Timestamps for Key Moments

• [02:34] Pat Novak's gritty introduction
• [03:38 – 06:28] Encounter with amnesiac woman (‘Marcia Halpern’/Helen Dupre); she dies suddenly
• [10:30–11:50] Inspector Hellman’s grilling of Novak
• [12:45] Jocko’s investigation; Marcia Halpern backstory
• [14:43–17:52] Meeting Mark Taylor; identification of Marcia; news of Emory Halpern’s death
• [20:39–21:40] Perfume handkerchief clue; Novak meets Hilda Travis
• [24:09] Jocko reveals Taylor’s inheritance motive
• [25:20–27:34] Final confrontation, plot unraveling, and Novak’s closing

Summary and Flow

• The story is a classic puzzle of identity and greed, with multiple suspects, a disorienting “amnesia” twist, and a world-weary detective piecing the case together even as his own guilt seems likely. The tone is sharp, witty, and tinged with melancholy – the hallmarks of radio noir. Pat Novak’s voiceover provides not only clues, but the texture of a world where loyalty is suspect and everyone has something to hide.

Recommended for fans of hard-boiled mystery, rapid-fire dialogue, and twisty inheritance plots.