Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: The Saint: A Schizophrenic Psychiatrist (October 22, 1947)
Air Date: November 9, 2025 (podcast release)
Duration: ~25 minutes
Starring: Vincent Price as Simon Templar ("The Saint")

Main Theme

This episode of The Saint plunges listeners into a fog-shrouded murder mystery set aboard a ship, where famed sleuth Simon Templar investigates a series of deaths linked to a web of deception, blackmail, and the unraveling mind of a colorblind, schizophrenic psychiatrist. The interplay of psychological intrigue and suspense, laced with Templar’s signature wit, is classic golden-age detective radio.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Setting the Scene: Aboard the Foggy Ship

• The opening places Simon Templar in a mysterious, foggy atmosphere at sea, conversing with film star Barbara Brooks, who is on edge and claims she is retiring at the peak of her career ([01:52]).
• Barbara’s anxiety is palpable; she hints at a terrifying secret, which Templar picks up on immediately.

2. An Apparent Accident: Barbara Overboard

• Barbara sees a shadowy figure on deck, becomes alarmed—and suddenly is pushed overboard. Templar tries to help but is attacked himself ([02:29–03:15]).
• "Barbara. Behind you. Look. ... Man overboard! Man overboard! Maybe you’d like a swim too, Saint." – Simon Templar ([02:59])

3. The Ship’s Doctor: Dr. Norman Enters

• Templar awakens in the ship’s infirmary, tended by Dr. Norman, renowned psychiatrist moonlighting as ship’s doctor ([03:32]).
• The “accident” is quickly revealed by Templar to be murder, with his suspicions already mounting.
• Notable banter between Templar and Dr. Norman establishes a tone of mutual suspicion and cat-and-mouse intellect:
  • "Horrible, yes. Accident, no." – Simon Templar ([04:38])

4. Flashbacks: The Ship’s Costume Ball and Shady Company

• Templar recounts his first meeting with Barbara before departure, her evident fear, and a tense encounter with Phil Rader, known criminal ([06:44–08:46]).
• Complications increase at the costume ball, with Dr. Norman expressing a fascination for Barbara and hinting at his own instability ([09:58]).

Notable Quote:

Dr. Norman: "You know, Templar, I have a confession to make to you. ... I’ve had a schoolboy crush on the beautiful Barbara ever since I saw her in pictures." ([10:24])

5. Another Murder: Lil Miller Killed

• Barbara—revealed as Lil Miller, a notorious card sharp—is murdered, stabbed in the back during the masquerade ([12:16]).
• The confusion over costumes (blue/yellow vs. green/orange harlequin outfits) becomes pivotal to the mystery.
• Templar notes: "A stiletto in the back leaves very little doubt she’s dead." ([12:24])

6. Tracking Motive: Card Sharps and Blackmail

• Templar interviews Lil’s partner Miller, peeling back layers: the couple ran scams, targeting a wealthy mark on the cruise with the help of Phil Rader. Barbara, for her part, is terrified because someone wants her dead ([13:15–14:52]).
• The criminal underbelly comes to light—card games, blackmail, and murder offers.

Notable Quote:

Simon Templar: "You’re a lead pipe cinch to pay for one of your own someday, Rader. But meanwhile, how would you feel getting hung for somebody else’s shenanigans?" ([17:33])

7. The Colorblind Clue

• During a shootout, Phil Rader, mortally wounded, utters a cryptic clue: "Brown tie, blue shirt. Not a very harmonious color scheme, is it, Raider?" ([19:09])
• Templar and Dr. Norman discuss the clue; it implies the killer is colorblind, which is a breakthrough in the investigation ([19:46–20:06]).

8. Confronting Dr. Norman: The Schizophrenic Psychiatrist Unmasked

• Simon revisits Barbara’s stateroom, finding hate-filled letters from a former fiancé—hinting at a "fanatic" split between love and hatred ([20:59]).
• Templar connects the dots: Dr. Norman is the killer, motivated by a pathological obsession and his own colorblind schizophrenia—having confused costume colors, he murdered the wrong woman.
  • Simon: "A colorblind schizophrenic. I don’t believe I’ve ever met one before, Dr. Norman." ([21:32])

Memorable Showdown:

• Norman attempts to poison Templar ("It’s just a dash of prussic acid"), but Templar outsmarts and disables him, using Norman’s own sedative ([22:13–22:55]).

Notable Quote:

Simon Templar: "It was a question of your eyes or my stomach, Doctor." ([22:47])

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• [02:29] Simon Templar: "I’m referring to whatever it is that frightens you. Why don’t you tell me about it?"
• [04:38] Simon Templar: "Horrible, yes. Accident, no."
• [10:24] Dr. Norman: "You know, Templar, I have a confession to make to you... I’ve had a schoolboy crush on the beautiful Barbara..."
• [12:24] Simon Templar: "A stiletto in the back leaves very little doubt she’s dead."
• [17:33] Simon Templar: "You’re a lead pipe cinch to pay for one of your own someday, Rader. But meanwhile, how would you feel getting hung for somebody else’s shenanigans?"
• [19:09] Simon Templar (to dying Rader): "Brown tie, blue shirt. Not a very harmonious color scheme, is it, Raider?"
• [21:32] Simon Templar: "A colorblind schizophrenic. I don’t believe I’ve ever met one before, Dr. Norman."
• [22:47] Simon Templar: "It was a question of your eyes or my stomach, Doctor."

Important Timestamps

• 01:48–03:15: Barbara Brooks’ paranoia and overboard incident
• 03:32–05:17: Templar’s recovery and first speculation
• 06:44–07:36: First meeting with Barbara, introduction of Phil Rader
• 10:24–11:14: Dr. Norman’s confession at the ball
• 12:16–12:56: Lil Miller’s murder on the dance floor
• 14:15–15:09: Templar’s confrontation with Miller & Rader
• 17:33–18:33: Templar’s confrontation with Rader, blackmail plot
• 19:09–19:46: Rader’s dying clue: "Brown tie, blue shirt"
• 20:59–21:32: Templar finds the hate-filled letters, confronts Norman
• 22:13–22:55: Templar’s showdown and defeat of Dr. Norman

Tone and Style

• Witty and Noir: Templar’s banter is laconic and clever, with dark humor underscoring even the tensest moments.
• Psychological Suspense: The script plays with sanity, identity, and perception, particularly in the dynamic between Templar and Dr. Norman.
• Classic Detective Drama: Intrigue, clever misdirections, and a mix of action with psychological deduction.

Conclusion

This Saint episode masterfully blends shipboard intrigue, noir wit, and psychological tension, unraveling a tale of mistaken identity and obsession. The plot pivots on a subtle yet telling clue—a colorblind killer, revealed in a web of lies and shifting motives. Listeners are treated to Vincent Price’s perfect delivery of Simon Templar’s dry humor and razor-sharp deductions.

Ending Note

The episode closes with Vincent Price’s real-life moral message on tolerance and the dangers of prejudice, a thoughtful coda befitting The Saint’s ethos ([23:31]).

Vincent Price: "Refuse to listen to or spread rumors against any race or religion ... Let’s judge our neighbors by the character of their lives alone and not on the basis of their religion or origin." ([23:31])

Perfect for fans of classic detective radio, this episode is a shining example of Golden Age storytelling—sharp, suspenseful, and full of character.