Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Murder at Midnight 46xxxx (005) — Trigger Man

Air Date: November 5, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Original Broadcast: "Murder at Midnight" (Golden Age radio drama)

Episode Overview

This episode revives the classic radio drama "Murder at Midnight," specifically the story "Trigger Man." It’s a gritty tale set in the criminal underworld, centering on Charlie "Chicken" Nicks—a small-time hood with a big reputation for cowardice—who finds himself manipulated into a spree of violence when convinced he only has months to live. The episode explores psychological tension, deception, and the dark corners of the human soul without resorting to supernatural horror, instead delving into human frailty and fatalism.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Developments

1. Charlie "Chicken" Nicks — Introduction & Reputation

• Charlie is infamously known as "Chicken" for carrying a gun but never having the nerve to use it.
  • Quote:
    • Riley: "He's not a gunman because he's never used it and he never will. Just plain chicken hearted yellow. That's why they call him Chicken." (04:34)
• Set at the bleak waterfront, Charlie's failed hold-up of Tom Riley (a detective) leads to his arrest after Riley calls his bluff.

2. Release from Prison & The Boss's Manipulation

• After serving a year, Charlie is released and meets mob boss Angie Donelli.
• Angie feigns concern for Charlie’s health, arranging a suspicious medical check-up.
• Dr. Leonard—the supposed medical specialist—informs Charlie he has a fatal heart aneurysm and only six months to live.
  • Quote:
    • Dr. Leonard: "I'm sorry, Mr. Nix, but you haven't got more than six months to live." (15:44)

3. Transformation: Living On Borrowed Time

• Believing he’s doomed, Charlie is convinced by Angie to become his "trigger man," offering $500 a week and urging him to "live like there’s no tomorrow."
  • Quote:
    • Angie: "You know what I'd do if I had six months to live? I'd live a lifetime in six months... You can get the dough. Look, chicken, you always wanted to be a trigger man, didn't you?" (18:31)
• Charlie successfully murders Riley, shedding his cowardly persona and gaining newfound respect within the gang.

4. The Killer Emerges

• Charlie becomes bold and reckless, earning respect and fear, no longer called "Chicken."
  • Memorable Moment:
    • Bummy Divine mocks him: "Hey, Chicken, still carrying around that pup gun of yours?"
    • Charlie: "The name is Charlie. Charlie Nicks." (28:01)
• He relishes his new, dangerous lifestyle—fast money, nightlife, women—but is increasingly pursued by police.

5. The Truth Comes Out

• During a botched robbery, Charlie is shot and surprisingly survives thanks to a "good heart."
• This revelation leads him to question his death sentence. Investigating, he learns Dr. Leonard was a fraud orchestrated by Angie to exploit Charlie as a fearless trigger man.
  • Quote:
    • Superintendent: "Dr. Leonard? Oh, he paid us a month's rent in advance… but he only stayed two days. Moved out at night, no notice, nothing. Just came and went." (41:02)

6. Confrontation and Final Showdown

• Charlie confronts Angie Donelli at his apartment about the setup. Tension climaxes in a gun duel.
  • Quote:
    • Charlie: "You framed me with this bad heart gag. You needed a gunster who could take chances. And I was your pigeon." (46:01)
    • Charlie: "You taught me how to use a gun, Angie. You should have just let me stay Chicken Charlie Nicks." (47:03)
• Both are mortally wounded, with Charlie reflecting on what "living without fear" led him to—the ultimate, deadly trap.

7. Ironic Resolution

• Police arrive. Charlie, dying, is confronted as "Chicken" one final time yet ends his journey refusing to give up his gun.
  • Quote:
    • Charlie: "Because I'm a killer, that's why. Because I got nothing to live for anyway." (48:44)
    • Cop: "Once a chicken, always a chicken." (49:31)
• As Charlie collapses, the narration and clock chime bring the tragic morality tale to a close.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Angie on seizing his last days:
  "If I had six months to live... I'd live a lifetime in six months." (18:31)
• Charlie’s identity shift:
  "In case anybody else here is interested, the name from here on in is just plain Charlie Nicks." (28:06)
• On being manipulated:
  "You framed me with this bad heart gag... You needed a gunster... I was your pigeon." (46:01)
• Final, bitter realization:
  "If I'd stayed Chicken Charlie, I wouldn't be here now with a slug in my guts... could have lived to be maybe a hundred." (49:14)

Important Timestamps

• 00:57 — Mysterious radio introduction, setting the noir tone
• 04:34 — Riley openly challenges Charlie’s courage during the hold-up
• 15:44 — Dr. Leonard delivers the false diagnosis
• 18:31 — Angie manipulates Charlie, promising a new life as a trigger man
• 28:01 — Charlie asserts his new identity to the gang
• 41:02 — The superintendent reveals the doctor’s quick disappearance
• 46:01 — Confrontation between Charlie and Angie
• 49:14–49:31 — Charlie’s final moments and cops’ cynical send-off

Tone and Style

The episode is classic pulp noir: dark, sharp, dramatic, and laced with the fatalistic cynicism of 1940s radio thrillers. Character voices are gritty and authentic, dialogue brisk and emotionally charged. The story's depth lies in its psychological exploration of cowardice, thinking one is doomed, and being manipulated by others with deadly consequences.

Conclusion

This episode is a riveting showcase of hardboiled radio drama, blending suspense, moral dilemma, and the tragedy of being manipulated into violence. The narrative is tightly wound, delivered with atmospheric flair and reflection, making "Trigger Man" a gripping listen and a time capsule of postwar American radio storytelling.