Let George Do It 50-12-25: "Santa Claus on Glass"

Harold’s Old Time Radio | Aired December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this festive installment of the classic detective radio series Let George Do It, titled "Santa Claus on Glass," George Valentine, his secretary Claire "Brooksie" Brooks, and a colorful cast are swept into a mystery right in the midst of their Christmas Eve preparations. The case begins with a comical kitchen crisis but soon pivots to missing persons, mysterious packages, and misplaced sentiments, all taking place in a lively apartment building. The story artfully balances holiday spirit with intrigue, ultimately wrapping the mystery and the characters' emotions in a heartwarming conclusion fitting of the season.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Christmas at the Apartment—Setting the Scene

• [01:25-04:44]
  • George and Brooksie are preparing a duck for dinner, exchanging stories about their Christmas traditions.
  • Lighthearted banter sets a festive, comedic tone before the action begins.
  • Notable moment: “It’s funny, the things you remember about Christmas. We always had the whole family for dinner...” —George ([02:42])

2. Unexpected Guests and Mysterious Deliveries

• [04:45-08:40]
  • Birdie, the new elevator man, drops by and receives a present (a necktie) from Brooksie, establishing the theme of giving but also sowing seeds of suspicion with his opportunistic behavior.
  • A mysterious, specially-wrapped package arrives for Mr. Suchek, an enigmatic neighbor.
  • Several tenants, including Leopold Farnum—a nervous, elegant man—circulate, adding to the air of intrigue.

3. Mrs. Suchek & the Missing Husband

• [09:46-14:20]
  • Claire and George meet Mrs. Suchek, introduced by her presence in the supposedly absent husband’s apartment.
  • It’s revealed that Mrs. Suchek owns both the apartment and considerable wealth, while her husband Eric has become a “charming but increasingly dependent” man with unclear dealings.
  • Mrs. Suchek’s emotional state: torn between worry, resentment, and nostalgia for better times.
  • “You can’t live on pride forever, can you?” —Mrs. Suchek ([13:05])

4. Clues & Suspicions Rise

• [14:22-17:12]
  • Brooksie finds Eric’s bank book with large recent deposits and suspicious notes suggesting possible smuggling or secret deals.
  • The missing package for Suchek—originally handled by Birdie—goes missing, and Birdie is assaulted in the process.
  • Claire: “Everybody’s got an angle.” ([16:22])

5. The Double Life of Eric Suchek

• [17:12-21:00]
  • Another package arrives, this one insured for $5,000 and shipped from Holland.
  • George deduces that Eric has a double phone line—one in the apartment, another in a studio upstairs, implying a secret second life.
  • Leopold Farnum’s confession: he’s in love with Mrs. Suchek and has hired detectives to watch Suchek, hoping to protect her from heartbreak.
  • “Rich, proud woman who wouldn’t divorce her husband because in spite of everything else, he was so... so desperate.” —Farnum ([20:25])

6. The Truth in the Studio

• [21:17-26:13]
  • George enters the upstairs studio, believed to be used by Eric for clandestine romance or illegal activities.
  • Instead, it’s revealed the “other woman” is a memory: an old photograph of Mrs. Suchek herself.
  • The “double life” is a sentimental retreat—Eric escapes there to remember their early days together.
  • “Don’t you understand, Mrs. Suchek? That double life of his is about as sinister as this memory... The other woman is you.” —George ([26:13])

7. The Parcel’s Secret—Sentiment, Not Smuggling

• [24:15-26:13]
  • The mysterious, much-fought-over package is finally unwrapped: it’s a hollow glass Santa Claus—a sentimental Christmas ornament, not a smuggling vessel.
  • The case turns from suspicion and cynicism to the rediscovery of old love and forgiveness.

8. Resolution & Christmas Reflections

• [26:49-28:49]
  • George and Brooksie reflect on the true nature of the mystery: not criminal, but emotional and nostalgic. Eric’s recent bank activity and “packages” are explained as legitimate business.
  • “You listen to too many radio mysteries!” —George ([27:08])
  • Mrs. Suchek and her husband find their way back to each other in the spirit of the season.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You know, it’s funny the things you remember about Christmas.”
  —George Valentine ([02:42])

• “Everybody’s got an angle.”
  —Claire Brooks ([16:22])

• “You can’t live on pride forever, can you?”
  —Mrs. Suchek ([13:05])

• “Don’t you understand, Mrs. Suchek? That double life of his is about as sinister as this memory... The other woman is you.”
  —George Valentine ([26:13])

• “Christmas isn’t for trouble.”
  —Claire Brooks (paraphrased throughout)

• “Why not believe the facts?...You listen to too many radio mysteries!”
  —George Valentine ([27:08])

• “Christmas is for not being bothered with details. Like...like the smell of burning duck.”
  —George Valentine ([28:49])

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:25 | Start of the story and scene-setting in George’s apartment | | 04:43 | Birdie the elevator man introduced; the package for Suchek arrives | | 09:46 | George and Brooksie meet Mrs. Suchek | | 13:15 | Mrs. Suchek reminisces, and worries deepen | | 17:12 | Discovery of Suchek’s double phone life and larger mystery | | 21:17 | George uncovers the truth about the photo and Eric’s “affair” | | 24:15 | The glass Santa package is opened | | 26:13 | Resolution: “The other woman is you.” | | 28:49 | Final reflections and return to Christmas cheer |

Tone & Style Notes

The episode’s tone is warm, witty, and gently sentimental, mixing George’s hardboiled detective humor with Brooksie’s compassion and the bittersweet longing of the supporting characters. The dialogue sparkles with period charm and understated affection, remaining true to the postwar radio tradition of combining suspense with humanity.

For Listeners New to the Episode

While "Santa Claus on Glass" unfolds as a mystery, it’s ultimately about misunderstanding, old wounds between spouses, and rediscovering love and hope during Christmastime. The case itself is solved with empathy rather than cynicism, making this episode a perfect Golden Age radio Christmas tale—not just a puzzle to untangle, but a gentle reminder of the season’s spirit.