Podcast Summary: “This Is Your FBI: The Castaway Killer” (Originally Aired 03/01/1946)

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode Title: This Is Your FBI: The Castaway Killer
Date Summarized: January 18, 2026
Original Air Date: March 1, 1946

Overview

This episode of “This Is Your FBI,” titled The Castaway Killer, dramatizes an FBI case involving a deported criminal, Nick Corona, who fakes his suicide and becomes a dangerous fugitive on the Maine coast. The episode explores themes of trust and deception, the perils of criminal opportunism, and law enforcement perseverance. Full of suspense characteristic of the Golden Age of Radio, it highlights both interpersonal drama and methodical investigative work.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

1. Setting the Scene: Deportation and Escape

• Nick Corona is introduced as a convict set to be deported from the U.S.:
  • “Corona went over the side sometime during the night.” (07:06)
  • He escapes the ship Oriole, possibly via a porthole and with a life belt, and is presumed dead, but FBI agents doubt his alleged suicide.

2. Rescue and Deception on the Maine Coast

• Captain Brewster and first mate Mr. Walpole of the fishing trawler Anna Girl spot and rescue a castaway, who claims to be "Joe Butler":
  • “You’re going to be all right. Just take another swallow of this, okay?” (04:02)
• Brewster and his wife, Anna, bring the mysterious survivor home, showing kindness and hospitality.

3. Developing Suspicion and Tension

• FBI Agents in Boston (Lanham and Wiley) suspect Corona’s survival:
  • “I believe he went over the site all right, but I believe he stayed on top of the water, too.” (07:03)
  • They begin a coordinated effort along the New England coast to track him.

4. The Seduction and Complicity of Anna Brewster

• Anna, drawn to the mysterious “Butler,” yearns for more than her small-town life:
  • “Just to be free, to go wherever you please.” (08:46)
• After learning “Butler” is in fact Nick Corona, Anna decides to run off with him:
  • Anna: “Take me with you, please.” (13:18)
  • This leads to a confrontation with her husband, culminating in violence.

5. Murder and Escape

• Corona murders Captain Brewster when confronted about his identity:
  • (SFX: struggle) “Nick, he ain’t breathing.” (15:08)
  • Anna and Nick decide to flee before authorities arrive.

6. Investigation Intensifies

• The FBI and local police link the rescued castaway to Corona:
  • “Somebody in a little fishing village, Randall’s Cove, heard a news broadcast in Portland about Corona and called the station.” (19:30)
• Anna deceives the visiting constable about Nick’s (and her) whereabouts, buying time for their escape.

7. The Fallout and Final Pursuit

• Authorities discover Captain Brewster’s murder and that Anna and Corona have fled together, using Brewster’s car.
• FBI agents revisit Corona’s criminal history to anticipate his next move and deduce that he may seek refuge in an old rum-running hideout.

8. Climax: Betrayal and Capture

• In the hideout, Anna realizes she’s been used by Corona:
  • Corona: “Baby, this ain’t no love deal. You’re strictly a convenience.” (25:17)
• Anna attempts to leave but is stopped.
• FBI agents burst in at the last moment and capture Corona:
  • “Let her go Corona. … They are taking you, Corona, now.” (25:47)

9. Resolution

• Narration reveals Corona was convicted for Captain Brewster’s murder and executed in the electric chair.
• Episode underscores that kindness or appeasement towards criminals is futile—a central moral of the story.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Suspicion of Survival (Lanham):
  “I believe he went over the site all right, but I believe he stayed on top of the water, too.” (07:03)

• Anna’s Yearning:
  “Just to be free, to go wherever you please.” (08:46)

• Revelation and Request:
  Anna: “That was you, wasn’t it?” (12:43)
  Corona: “Yeah.”
  Anna: “Take me with you, please.” (13:18)

• Violence and Aftermath:
  Anna (after Brewster is struck): “Nick, he ain't breathing.” (15:08)
  Corona: “Now, you can take your time about packing.”

• Corona’s Cynicism:
  “Baby, this ain’t no love deal. You’re strictly a convenience.” (25:17)

• Moral of the Story (Narrator):
  “Nick Corona’s treatment of Captain Brewster proves again that in dealing with criminals, the policy of appeasement does not work.” (18:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Corona’s Escape Recap: 06:47 – 08:15
• Anna and Corona's First Intimate Conversation: 08:30 – 10:43
• Realization & Decision to Flee: 12:20 – 13:30
• Captain Brewster’s Confrontation and Murder: 13:45 – 15:29
• FBI Investigation and Village Tip-off: 19:12 – 20:20
• Anna Deceives the Constable: 20:29 – 21:18
• FBI Researches Corona’s Past: 22:50 – 23:59
• Hideout and Betrayal: 23:59 – 25:29
• FBI Capture of Corona: 25:43 – 26:13
• Final Moral & Resolution: 26:13 – 27:16

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a classic hardboiled crime drama style—direct, suspenseful, and laced with 1940s radio melodrama. Characters speak in period-appropriate idiom (“You sold yourself short,” “Baby, this ain’t no love deal”) and the storyline efficiently melds personal drama with police procedural.

Final Thoughts

The Castaway Killer is an archetypal example of Golden Age radio detective drama, blending intrigue, swift plotting, and a cautionary moral. It delivers both entertainment and a message about justice, responsibility, and the dangers of misplaced trust.

For old time radio fans and newcomers alike, this episode offers a compelling, suspenseful story with all the hallmarks of “This Is Your FBI”: methodical investigation, moral clarity, and dramatic resolution.