Dick Tracy 48-04-26 (1314) The Case of the Careless Crooner

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Dick Tracy 48-04-26 (1314) The Case of the Careless Crooner
Release Date: July 20, 2025

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Introduction

In this thrilling episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, listeners are transported back to the Golden Age of Radio with the iconic detective, Dick Tracy, as he tackles a tangled case involving blackmail, love letters, and murder. Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, the episode masterfully blends suspense, drama, and classic detective work.

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Plot Overview

The episode opens with Dick Tracy receiving a distressing request from Iris Ashland. She fears that her younger sister, Joan, whose engagement is at risk, has written frivolous love letters to a popular crooner named Artie Choate. Choate is now threatening to publicize these letters, potentially ruining Joan's reputation and her impending marriage.

Dick Tracy sets out to retrieve the letters from Choate, but initial attempts prove unsuccessful as Choate evades cooperation. Determined to protect Joan's future, Tracy collaborates with his colleague, Pat Patton, to delve deeper into the case, which ultimately leads them to a shocking discovery.

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Key Investigations and Interactions

1. Confrontation with Iris Ashland ([00:25] - [04:49])

   Dick Tracy discusses the gravity of the situation with Iris Ashland, highlighting the lengths to which she is willing to go to protect her sister. Iris reveals her desperation, even brandishing a gun if necessary:

   Iris Ashland ([02:35]@[02:35]): "I don't care how you get them, but... [She brandishes a gun.]"

   Tracy remains calm, urging Iris to trust his process and refrain from taking matters into her own hands.

2. Planning the Midnight Visit ([05:03] - [08:24])

   As night falls, Dick Tracy and Pat Patton decide to pay Choate a late-night visit, believing it to be the ideal time to catch him unguarded. They enlist the help of Bells Jackson, Choate's pianist, who provides crucial insights into Choate's recent behavior and whereabouts:

   Bells Jackson ([07:44]@[07:44]): "I think he was going down south someplace... cleaning a revolver."

3. Discovery of Artie Choate's Death ([09:13] - [11:55])

   Upon arriving at Choate's apartment, the duo, accompanied by Bells Jackson, uncover Choate dead on his desk with a revolver nearby. Dick Tracy immediately suspects foul play:

   Dick Tracy ([09:38]@[09:38]): "This wasn't an accident. This is murder."

   An unanswered phone call intensifies the mystery, leading Tracy to conclude that Choate's death is no mere suicide.

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Notable Quotes

• Dick Tracy: "This is Dick Tracy on the Case of the Careless Crooner. Stand by for action. Let's go, men." ([00:12])

• Iris Ashland: "He's a mean, nasty little worm. Oh, yes, the bobby socks are swoon in the aisles when he sings." ([02:58])

• Pat Patton: "But this is different." ([03:29])

• Bells Jackson: "Nearly everybody calls me Bells." ([08:45])

• Dick Tracy: "All right, then. Now I'm going to have another try at artichoate." ([04:32])

• Dick Tracy: "This wasn't an accident. This is murder." ([09:38])

• Dick Tracy: "This was supposed to be a simple job... Now you know as much about the case as I do." ([13:16])

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Conclusion and Teasers for Future Episodes

As the episode wraps up, Dick Tracy reflects on the unexpected turn of events, emphasizing the complexities detectives face:

Dick Tracy ([11:13]@[11:13]): "It was certainly quite a shock to find Artie Choates sprawled across the library desk, dead... Now, then, I want you to be with me when the next step is taken."

The narrator hints at continued adventures and detective insights in future episodes, ensuring listeners are eager for more thrilling cases.

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Behind the Scenes: Advertisements and Promotions

Note: This summary focuses solely on the main content of the episode. Advertisements, promotional segments, and non-content sections, such as upcoming show teasers, have been intentionally omitted to maintain focus on the core narrative.

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Harold's Old Time Radio continues to celebrate the rich legacy of radio dramas, bringing beloved characters like Dick Tracy to life with engaging storytelling and authentic period details. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, this episode promises suspense, drama, and the timeless charm of classic radio entertainment.

Transcript

[Narrator]

And now, Dick Tracy.

[Dick Tracy]

This is Dick Tracy on the Case of the Careless Crooner. Stand by for action. Let's go, men.

[Narrator]

Yes, it's Dick Tracy, protector of law and order. How many of you Tracy fans know what ornithology is? Well, it's the study of birds. And exactly 163 years ago today, one of America's best known ornithologists was born. His name, John James Audubon. But he wasn't born in the US his birthplace was Le Quai in what is now the Republic of Haiti. And he was educated in France. His father, a French navy captain, had commanded a naval vessel at the Battle of Yorktown during the Revolutionary War and had acquired a farm near Philadelphia. There, Audubon spent 10 years collecting birds and making sketches of them. His interest in birds served him well because when he was about 40 years old, he met Alexander Wilson, known as the father of American ornithology. Wilson was trying to publish a book describing American birds, and his drawings were rather crude. Well, this gave Audubon the idea of publishing his own book, which he did the following year. All of you have no doubt seen Audubon's pictures of birds. Some of you are members of one of America's 3500 Junior Audubon clubs. These and our various Audubon societies were all named after the man whose birthday anniversary we observe today. John James Audubon. And now, here is Dick Tracy.

[Dick Tracy]

Now, about this job of being a detective. I promised I'd take you with me and we'd try and work out this blackmail case from the very beginning. You remember that Iris Ashland came to me and asked me to recover some letters for her. These letters had been written by her younger sister in a silly moment to a crooner named Artie Choate. Choate was just the kind of heel who would threaten to reveal the contents of the letters to the public and cause a scandal. As Iris Ashland explained to me, my.

[Iris Ashland]

Younger sister Joan is now engaged to marry a very fine young man of good family. If he or his parents should learn that Joan wrote silly love letters to Artie Choate, well, the engagement would be off. So I want you to go to that miserable crooner and buy the letters. I don't care how you get them, but.

[Dick Tracy]

Yes, but it was no go. Artie Choate told me to go fly my kite. The letters were his, all six of them. And he'd do business when he got good and ready. So Pat Patton and I dropped over to have another talk with Miss Ashland. If Choate wouldn't play ball. There was very little anybody could do.

[Iris Ashland]

Oh, yes, there is something somebody can do. I'm not going to let him ruin my sister's life.

[Dick Tracy]

Oh, come now.

[Iris Ashland]

And that's exactly what he'll do. He's a mean, nasty little worm. Oh, yes, the bobby socks are swoon in the aisles when he sings. But you know and I know he has a disposition like a.

[Pat Patton]

That he has, Ms. Ashley. He's a bad boy. But we can't take a few love letters away from him by force, now can you?

[Dick Tracy]

Will you?

[Pat Patton]

And he doesn't want to sell them. He says so our hands are tied.

[Iris Ashland]

Perhaps your hands are tied, but not mine. There are ways of shutting Mr. Choate up.

[Pat Patton]

Oh, sure. Many's the time I've turned them off on my radio. But this is different.

[Iris Ashland]

Do you see this?

[Dick Tracy]

Oh, no, Ms. Ashland. You're surely not so desperate that you'd.

[Pat Patton]

Have you a permit for this gun?

[Iris Ashland]

Yes, I have a permit for this gun. And I know how to use it, too. If you men can't make Artie Choate see the light, if you can't convince him to give up Joan's letters and stop threatening her happiness, then I'll.

[Dick Tracy]

Now, wait, wait. Let's not be hasty.

[Iris Ashland]

Hasty?

[Dick Tracy]

I said, let's not be hasty. Now, I've been to see Choate and got exactly nowhere. Will you listen a moment and put that gun away? No, no, not back in your purse. In the desk drawer.

[Iris Ashland]

All right. But I don't like the way you.

[Dick Tracy]

You came to me and asked me to handle this problem for you. It isn't in my line of work. But because of my friendship for your father, because of his memory, I agreed to help you and your sister. But either you let me handle this in my own way, or I'll withdraw from the case. And I won't have you waving a gun around and threatening. Is that clear? Yes. All right, then. Now I'm going to have another try at artichoate.

[Pat Patton]

That's a good idea. Catch him when he's in a more cheerful mood. Although I doubt if he ever is.

[Dick Tracy]

And I must ask you to stay out of this, Ms. Ashland. And I want your sister Joan to keep in the background, too. By the way, is she here in the apartment? I'd like to talk to her.

[Iris Ashland]

Joan is up in the country at a house party. She won't be back tonight.

[Dick Tracy]

Well, you tell her to keep on staying away and not to meddle in this. I'll try my luck with choate again about 2 o' clock in the morning.

[Pat Patton]

But why visit a fellow like Artie the crooner At two bells in the a.m. you ought to be in bed asleep like decent people.

[Dick Tracy]

Well, Pat Choate and his band are playing at the Belshazzar Hotel. They don't play Home sweet home until 1am So I figure we can drop into choate's apartment about 2. Might be a good time.

[Pat Patton]

Well, I'm not a night owl, Richard. I like to keep regular hours fun. Business before pleasure. I suppose so. Let's find a taxi and ride up to his place in a wee small house.

[Dick Tracy]

No, 2am isn't exactly business hours. But musicians aren't exactly business people. That goes for singers too. The kind of cry into a mic microphone. So Pat and I took a cab up to the Cho Department building and got out. As we stood on the sidewalk under a street light, fella came along with a large paper bag in his arms. When he got closer, I recognized him. He was Bells Jackson, the piano player for Choate's band. He saw us and stopped.

[Bells Jackson]

Hey, Jack, where's the fire? I wish I had time. I'd go. I go for fires.

[Dick Tracy]

Oh, hello there. You're Mr. Jackson? What fire?

[Bells Jackson]

Didn't you hear the sirens just now?

[Dick Tracy]

No. You mean just now?

[Bells Jackson]

Yeah, sure. Clanging along down the street there.

[Dick Tracy]

Well, I'm sorry we missed the excitement. Is your boss in?

[Narrator]

Boss?

[Bells Jackson]

You mean Artie? Oh, yeah, he's in.

[Dick Tracy]

You remember me, don't you? My name's Tracy and this is Mr. Patton.

[Bells Jackson]

You want to see Artie?

[Dick Tracy]

Mm hm.

[Bells Jackson]

He's not in a very good mood.

[Pat Patton]

Is he ever in a very good mood?

[Bells Jackson]

He's hungry. Sometimes after he eats, he's like he used to be. I've been out getting some hamburgers.

[Dick Tracy]

Fine, fine. Then we'll just go up to the apartment with you. You live up there with Choate?

[Bells Jackson]

No, but I have to look after the band's music, keep it up to date. I make the arrangements and a lot of other things.

[Pat Patton]

Isn't it a bit late to be fooling around with music, Mr. Jackson?

[Bells Jackson]

Oh, this is special. Tonight was our last night.

[Pat Patton]

How do you mean?

[Bells Jackson]

We finished at the Belshazzar hotel. We have two weeks to lay off.

[Dick Tracy]

Oh, well, then Mr. Choate ought to be in a good frame of mind with two weeks vacation ahead of him.

[Bells Jackson]

Yeah, that's right.

[Dick Tracy]

He.

[Bells Jackson]

He oughta. Something ought to answer that.

[Pat Patton]

Answer what?

[Bells Jackson]

A telephone ringing someplace in this building.

[Pat Patton]

I don't hear anybody ringing. It's theudic no.

[Dick Tracy]

But then perhaps Mr. Jackson has keener ears than we have. Wait a minute.

[Bells Jackson]

Stop now. Okay, let's go up to the fifth floor. Just push number five button.

[Dick Tracy]

Okay.

[Pat Patton]

To me, as if you're also the handyman for Mr. Choate. Playing the piano, working on music and running out for hamburgers and stuff.

[Bells Jackson]

I don't mind.

[Dick Tracy]

What's Choate gonna do with his two week holiday?

[Bells Jackson]

I don't know. I think he's gone hunting someplace.

[Dick Tracy]

Hunting? Uh huh. In the spring?

[Narrator]

In April.

[Bells Jackson]

I think he was going down south someplace.

[Narrator]

Yeah, hunting.

[Bells Jackson]

He was cleaning a revolver. Yeah, he must have been going out to kill something.

[Narrator]

You'd do that with a revolver?

[Pat Patton]

You know, what can you hunt with a revolver?

[Dick Tracy]

I don't know all the answers, Pat.

[Bells Jackson]

But I remember now. You guys were up here this afternoon.

[Dick Tracy]

That's right. Say, by the way, what's your first name?

[Bells Jackson]

Horace.

[Pat Patton]

Horace Jackson.

[Bells Jackson]

Nearly everybody calls me Bells.

[Pat Patton]

Bells? Why did they call you?

[Bells Jackson]

Oh, yeah, they say I hear bells and gongs and things. They say I hear squad car sirens and. No, they're only fooling. I'm a good piano player. They all admit that. All of them. Oh, solid. Come on in. The door's unlocked. Just go on right in. Adi's in the front room. Now.

[Narrator]

This way.

[Bells Jackson]

We're going this way. I hope he won't be angry with me for bringing you up here.

[Dick Tracy]

Steady, boys, steady.

[Bells Jackson]

Artie, I hope you won't mind, but these men were just. Adi. Artie, you asleep? Hey, what's the matter?

[Dick Tracy]

Stand back from there. Stand back. Ari, Choate isn't asleep, huh? He's dead.

[Pat Patton]

Dead, you say? How could he be? I mean, yeah, yeah, he is. With a bullet in his head.

[Bells Jackson]

Dead. Arty's dead?

[Dick Tracy]

Yes, he's got himself a vacation, all right. A nice long vacation. But even from where I stand, I can tell one thing is certain. This wasn't an accident. This is murder.

[Bells Jackson]

It's the telephone. You can hear it, can't you? Right there on the desk.

[Dick Tracy]

Yes, I hear it.

[Bells Jackson]

Well, why don't you answer it?

[Narrator]

Don't let it ring. Don't let it ring.

[Dick Tracy]

I'll answer it, but I want to use my handkerchief to cover the receiver. There may be fingerprints and. Hello?

[Narrator]

Hello?

[Dick Tracy]

Hello? Whoever it was hung up. Eric's murder.

[Pat Patton]

All right, Dick. No man could do away with himself like this.

[Bells Jackson]

All right. I thought he was asleep across the desk. He looks like he's asleep, doesn't he? But here's the gun, the one he was cleaning. Right here on the desk.

[Dick Tracy]

Stay away from there. I don't want anything touched. This is a job for Homicide, Pat.

[Pat Patton]

Yeah, I know. I make the call. Is there an extension phone in this apartment? Bells. Mr. Jackson.

[Bells Jackson]

Huh? Extension.

[Pat Patton]

Yes. Is there another telephone? I don't want to use this one.

[Bells Jackson]

Oh. Oh, yeah, yeah. In his bedroom by the bed.

[Pat Patton]

Lead the way. I'll try to get Lt. Berkey. He ought to be in the early morning.

[Dick Tracy]

Well, it started out to be a simple job of buying a few old love letters back from a man has turned into murder. Right. Now you know as much about the case as I do. It was certainly quite a shock to find Artie Choates sprawled across the library desk, dead. There was a revolver on the desk, too, but I didn't touch it. The first rule is not to touch anything, but call the police. If you do anything else, you just get yourself into trouble. Now, then, I want you to be with me when the next step is taken. And tomorrow I'll give you the ABCs of a detective's thinking. So let's get on this case and solve it quickly.

[Narrator]

In a minute, we'll return to Dick Tracy. But first, what will it be like for a couple to go to the movies in 1955? You'll hear the hilarious answer to this momentous question on this Wednesday night's great Bing Crosby Show. You see, the question comes up when Bing and his glamorous guest star, movie queen Claudette Colbert, exchange quips over conditions in theater Lobb. Their humorous repartee leads into a laugh track sketch in which the Groener and Claudette play a couple about to visit the flickers. Seven years from now on Wednesday night's show, the lovely Miss Colbert will also be given the chance to sing as she and Bing join voices in you Are Too Dangerous, Cherie, a song they'll do in French. As usual, Bing will delight you with a few solos. The same Bing the Thousand Islands song, A Friendly Mountain and I May Be Wrong. He'll be backed by the fine harmony of the rhythm airs and the wonderful music of John Scott Trotter's orchestra. You're sure to enjoy every minute of this Bing Crosby show guest starring Claudette Colbert. So Tracy fans remember to be on hand this Wednesday night at 10 o' clock in the east and 9 o' clock elsewhere when the Bing Crosby show is on the air over most ABC stations. And now back to Dick Tracy.

[Pat Patton]

Yeah, I got hold of Lieutenant Berkey, Dick. He'll be right along.

[Dick Tracy]

Good. This is a job for Homicide, Pat. We better not mix in.

[Pat Patton]

Yeah, but we're already mixed in. We can't just say we were standing here waiting for a streetcar.

[Dick Tracy]

No. We'll have to explain our connection. Of course. Meanwhile, let's have a talk with Bell Jackson. I'd like to get his story.

[Narrator]

There's a thrill and plenty of inside detective tips on this case of the careless crooner. Be sure to tune in tomorrow, same time, same station, for the Adventures of Dick Tracy, featuring Jeff Morrow and Carl Easton Eastman. And this is George Gunn speaking. There's no business like show business, especially when you have two top comedians like Abbott and Costello in their own funny show every Wednesday night. Here's this famous madcap couple carry on in a strictly wacky vein on their ABC program each Wednesday. With Lou Costello giving out with his famous bad boy routine. His partner, Bud Abbott, acts as foil to Lou shenanigans. Abbott and Costello bring their usual contagious brand of humor to their ABC Wednesday night fun fest, aided and abetted by singer Susan Miller and Mattie Malnick's orchestra for a carload of laughs. Don't forget the Abbott and Costello show. And it's aired every Wednesday night over most of these same ABC stations. This is abc, the American Broadcasting Company.