Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Big Guy – Patent Leather Bag

Date: March 14, 2026
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio

Episode Overview

This episode features "The Big Guy: Patent Leather Bag," the final story in the current series about Joshua Sharp, a detective who is both a single father to Josh Jr. and Debbie, and a professional sleuth. The episode weaves together themes of integrity, the complexities of promises, and crime investigation in a classic Golden Age radio mystery.

Joshua Sharp is confronted with a theft accusation against his kids, a neighbor's mysterious death, and a tangled web of secrets involving blackmail, a stolen handbag, and murder. The story culminates in a lesson about the limits of absolute honesty and the nuanced responsibilities of keeping one's word.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Establishing Family Values and the Mystery of the Black Eye

• The episode begins with Joshua emphasizing the importance of keeping one’s word to his children.
  • Quote (01:00) — Joshua: "If you can't keep a promise, don't make a promise. But once you've given your word, be bound by it. Keep it no matter what."
• Breakfast is interrupted by the discovery that Josh Jr. has a black eye, received from another child, Tubby Denton, which he did not retaliate against due to a promise made to his father.
  • Quote (03:31) — Joshua: "So that's why you didn't. Well, I'm proud of you, son. I'm very proud of you."
  • Insight: Sets up the key moral framework (the importance and complications of promises) and foreshadows later dilemmas.

2. The Accusation: Mrs. Jessup’s Missing Handbag

• Mrs. Jessup, the landlady, accuses Josh and Debbie of stealing her patent leather handbag, citing circumstantial evidence: they were the only ones in the building.
  • Quote (05:01) — Joshua: "I hope you're prepared to say more than that, Mrs. Jessup."
  • Quote (06:56) — Joshua: "Now look, if they touched anything of yours, you'll have it back in the next minute and a half. But I'll stake my life they know nothing about it."
• Joshua is fiercely defensive of his children but resolves to get to the truth.

3. Investigation and the Puzzling Evidence

• Joshua questions his kids, who steadfastly deny entering Mrs. Jessup’s apartment or taking the bag.
• The arrival of a delivery boy with a COD package for a hunting knife and sewing kit ordered by the children, paid with a $5 bill, deepens suspicion.
  • Quote (10:43) — Joshua: "Why. Why, it's. It's ours, Daddy."
  • Insight: The origin of the $5 becomes a point of contention, linking it to the missing money from Jessup's bag.

4. Mrs. Jessup’s Collapse and Death

• Joshua confronts Mrs. Jessup; the stress results in her sudden collapse (12:18).
  • Quote (12:18) — Joshua: "She had fallen at full length on her parlor rug, her eyes rolled back and her arms and legs stiff and rigid."
• Dr. Maryvale arrives, asks to be left alone with her, and soon after, pronounces her dead from a heart attack (15:19).
  • Insight: Subtle hints are dropped about Dr. Maryvale's true involvement.

5. The Deeper Mystery: Leads and Murders

• A mysterious informant, Matt Bowden, offers information about Mrs. Jessup for $120 but is murdered before he can speak (17:22).
  • Quote (17:46) — Joshua: "The bullets had come blazing down from the dark, rickety balcony that ringed the rutly lobby and Bowden crashed to the unswept floor at my feet and died there."
• A call with Dr. Huddleston, Jessup’s actual physician, reveals Mrs. Jessup had no history of heart problems, casting suspicion on Dr. Maryvale/Lindsay (21:00).

6. Piecing It Together: Broken and Bent Promises

• Joshua confronts his children again, convinced they witnessed someone enter Jessup’s flat.
• The kids reveal they gave their word not to reveal having seen the man—he paid them $5 for their silence.
  • Quote (23:45) — Debbie: "Well, didn't you say that your word is your bond and that once you give it, you should stick by it, no matter what it means."
  • Quote (24:05) — Debbie: "We didn't know. He came up the stairs and saw us and said he'd give us $5 if we give our word never to say we saw him. And we gave our word."
  • Insight: The central dilemma of the episode—when (if ever) is it right to break a promise?

7. The Big Reveal & Showdown

• Dr. Maryvale, revealed to actually be John Lindsay (a disgraced doctor/ex-con), is confronted by Joshua.
  • Quote (24:21) — Joshua: "I've known that you murdered Mrs. Jessup, Dr. Merivale."
  • Quote (25:17) — Maryvale/Lindsay: "I don't relish this or anything I've had to do. But it's been forced on me. You wouldn't really kill again. What choice have I?"
• A gun is pulled, but the children and Joshua distract him, leading to his unsuccessful escape and arrest (25:30).

8. Resolution and Moral Reflection

• The children struggle with guilt about breaking their word, and Joshua explains the exceptions to integrity when a promise enables harm.
  • Quote (26:19) — Joshua: "It's all right for you to tell. It was the only thing to do."
  • Quote (26:32) — Joshua: "Circumstances alter cases, son. That is, in some degree, it depends on who you give your word to."
  • Quote (26:43) — Joshua: "You want to know something else that's hard to understand? ... How I ever managed to get two wonderful kids like [you]."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If you can't keep a promise, don't make a promise. But once you've given your word, be bound by it. Keep it no matter what." – Joshua Sharp (01:00)
• "I'm proud of you, son. I'm very proud of you." – Joshua, learning Josh Jr. kept his promise (03:34)
• "There are some times when you should break a promise." – Joshua Sharp, on life’s complexities (26:23)
• "Circumstances alter cases, son. It depends on who you give your word to." – Joshua Sharp (26:32)
• "How I ever managed to get two wonderful kids like..." – Joshua Sharp, finale reflection (26:43)
• The children’s guilt and relief upon learning that sometimes justice or safety outweighs an absolute promise.

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------| | 01:00 | Joshua’s code on promises and family values | | 05:01 | Mrs. Jessup accuses the kids | | 10:25 | Delivery boy and the $5 question | | 12:18 | Mrs. Jessup’s collapse | | 17:46 | Murder of Mac Bowden | | 21:00 | Dr. Huddleston reveals real medical history | | 23:45 | The children’s secret and the promise dilemma | | 24:21 | Confrontation with Dr. Maryvale/Lindsay | | 25:30 | Showdown and Mary's arrest attempt | | 26:19 | Joshua explains exceptions to promises | | 26:43 | Emotional family wrap-up |

Tone and Language

The script features snappy, witty, and warm period dialogue. Joshua’s narration moves from gentle wisdom with his children to hard-nosed, direct confrontation with suspects. The children are earnest, inquisitive, and innocent, adding emotional stakes to the mystery. The episode balances suspense, morality, and tender domestic moments, encapsulating the storytelling style of classic radio drama.

Closing Thoughts

"The Big Guy – Patent Leather Bag" masterfully blends a whodunit with a moving meditation on personal ethics. The interplay between Joshua and his children brings heart to the procedural, while the twisty plot keeps listeners engaged. Ultimately, the story illustrates how integrity can be tested—and sometimes must bend—in pursuit of greater truths.