Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Further Buffalo Matter (10/11/1959)
Release Date: January 19, 2026

Overview

This episode features another thrilling case with Johnny Dollar, the "man with the action-packed expense account," set in the golden era of radio detectives. Dollar follows the trail of a huge store robbery involving $400,000 and confronts dangerous criminals amid a raging storm on Lake Erie. As the tension mounts, Dollar navigates a web of suspicion, betrayal, and peril in his relentless quest to recover the stolen money.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Robbery Aftermath and Tense Check-In (02:12 – 05:00)

• Johnny Dollar calls Pat McCracken with an update: he hasn't yet recovered the stolen $400,000 but believes he knows its location—aboard a yacht off the Canadian shore.
• Pat is unsure about Johnny’s expense account, hinting at Johnny’s tendency to get ahead of himself with expenses.
• There’s immediate tension: Dollar faces pressure to solve the case and recover the money quickly.

Pat McCracken (02:53): “You fail to get that money back, and I’ll gladly attend your funeral.”

2. Stuck by the Storm and Stakeholders' Frustrations (05:10 – 10:00)

• The Coast Guard blocks Johnny from pursuing the suspects via boat due to a dangerous storm.
• Old man McNair (the store’s owner) expresses skepticism and frustration at Johnny's theory implicating his ex-employee, John Harker, whom he trusted.

Mr. McNair (07:17): “That amount of money doesn’t mean very much to me... but it’s the principle of the thing.”
Johnny Dollar (08:42): “At this point, I was feeling real good, real happy. Everybody was being so nice to me.” (Sarcastic inner monologue)

3. Opportunity via Helicopter (10:11 – 19:40)

• The storm lets up. Murphy from the Coast Guard offers assistance and weather updates.
• Johnny seizes on an idea to reach the yacht quickly—a helicopter rescue.
• He negotiates with Tinker Barnum, the pilot, ultimately agreeing to a steep price for a risky, immediate flight.

Tinker Barnum (14:21): “Sure, Dollar. Complete equipment for it—winch, line, slings, everything.”

4. High-Stakes Aerial Arrival (19:41 – 27:00)

• Johnny approaches the yacht via helicopter, improvising a bluff to convince Harker and his cohort, Billy, to allow him aboard.
• The bluff: Johnny claims the authorities have found the real thief (hoping to lower their guard).

Johnny Dollar (22:55): “Parker, this is Johnny Dollar—You hear me? … McNair wants you to know the police have found the man who did the robbery. They shot him down.”

• Johnny is lowered onto the yacht in dangerous conditions, only to be immediately disarmed and threatened.

5. Confrontation and Double-Cross (27:01 – 35:00)

• Harker, now suspicious, confronts Johnny: “Did you think I’d be crazy enough to believe what you were shouting down from that helicopter, whatever it was?” (28:13)
• Johnny’s life is threatened; they discuss sinking his body with chains if need be.
• The crooks plan to get rid of Johnny and evade pursuit, debating when to kill him as the helicopter circles above.

6. Final Gambit and Rescue (35:01 – 41:00)

• Johnny spots the yacht’s duplicate cabin controls and fakes a stumble, using it as an opportunity to turn the tables.
• In the chaos, Johnny lunges at Billy, knocking him overboard, and subdues Harker.
• Tinker, circling in the helicopter, ensures Johnny's rescue and the wrapping-up of the case.

Johnny Dollar (38:45): “Plenty, Harker. And if you want some of the same—”

7. Resolution and Expense Report (41:01 – 42:30)

• The money is recovered from the yacht’s chain locker.
• Johnny wraps the case, detailing his expenses (with comic emphasis on the cost and the necessity of tipping Tinker heavily for the rescue).
• He signs off, promising another thrilling adventure involving “two beautiful girls—one of them a sweetheart and one of them a killer.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pat McCracken (02:53): “You fail to get that money back, and I’ll gladly attend your funeral.”
• Johnny Dollar (08:42): “At this point, I was feeling real good, real happy. Everybody was being so nice to me.”
• Tinker Barnum (14:21): “Sure, Dollar. Complete equipment for it—winch, line, slings, everything.”
• Johnny Dollar (22:55): "Parker, this is Johnny Dollar—You hear me? … McNair wants you to know the police have found the man who did the robbery. They shot him down.”
• Harker (28:13): “Did you think I’d be crazy enough to believe what you were shouting down from that helicopter, whatever it was?”
• Johnny Dollar (final cost report, 41:34): “Expense account total, including an even thousand bucks for Tinker Barnum… $1,800 even. And believe me, it’s a bargain.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening/theft aftermath & phone call: 02:12 – 05:00
• Coast Guard halts pursuit: 05:10 – 06:30
• McNair confronts Dollar: 06:31 – 10:00
• Helicopter plan & negotiation: 13:00 – 19:40
• Helicopter’s approach & bluff: 19:41 – 27:00
• Confrontation on yacht: 27:01 – 35:00
• Johnny’s gambit & subduing crooks: 35:01 – 40:00
• Case wrap-up and expense account: 41:01 – 42:30

Tone and Style

The episode delivers vintage radio detective drama, complete with sardonic humor, fast-paced banter, and high tension. Johnny’s cool-headed narration is interspersed with sharp repartee, suspenseful action, and a healthy dose of self-deprecation.

Conclusion

A classic Johnny Dollar outing marked by its resourceful hero, menacing villains, and creative action set-pieces. Old time radio fans will savor both the intrigue and the wit as Dollar outthinks—and ultimately outmuscles—his adversaries, sealing another victory for “the man with the action-packed expense account.”