Rocky Jordan: "Ace High Straight"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: August 18, 2025
Original Airdate: December 12, 1948
Main Theme:
An action-packed episode from the classic radio drama "Rocky Jordan," where the proprietor of the Cafe Tambourine in Cairo is dealt a mysterious poker hand in real life. What begins as post-poker-game exhaustion leads Rocky into a tangled web of murder, betrayal, and mistaken identity as he gets caught up in the murder investigation of a gambler named Ace Warner.

Episode Overview

Rocky Jordan, fresh from a losing poker game, finds himself in the eye of a storm involving a missing bag of money, a barman knocked out cold, and a setup for murder. With characters named Jack, Queen, King, and ultimately a woman called Angel (and a mysterious Ten), the episode is cleverly structured around a poker metaphor—Rocky finds himself trying to fill an "ace high straight" both in cards and in the lineup of suspects.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

1. The Setup: A Bad Poker Night Turns Sours (00:02–05:00)

• Rocky Jordan is weary from a tough poker loss, owing money to Ace Warner.
• He prepares to pay his debts when disruptions in his cafe begin:
  • Chris, Rocky's bartender, tells him a man named Jack is on the phone and a "Mr. Queen" wants to see him.
• The comedic interplay of card names clues Rocky into something odd, saying:

  “Jack and Queen. Not bad with the first two cards. ... I still got poker on the brain.” (00:41 – Rocky)

2. Meeting the "Cards":

King, Queen, and Jack Appear (05:00–10:00)

• Rocky confronts the loud, demanding customer—Tommen King—and forcibly ejects him from the cafe (06:01).
• Milton Queen appears as a polite tourist, dragging Rocky into a drawn-out conversation about Cairo’s mosques.
• The "Jack" phone call yields nothing—Jack has hung up.
• As Rocky returns to his office, he finds Chris unconscious and the safe open; money appears missing, but Chris later reveals he put it in the safe after all. Rocky’s poker metaphors persist:

  “I couldn't help thinking how well my poker hand was filling out. A jack, a queen and now a king.” (10:34 – Rocky)

3. The Murder Unveiled (11:00–16:00)

• Sgt. Greco from the police arrives, questioning Rocky and Chris as Rocky downplays the police interest.
• The plot shifts when it's revealed Ace Warner has been murdered, and a recently fired gun is found in Rocky's desk drawer—a setup.

Noteworthy Excerpt:

• Greco: "I believe you own a .45 caliber automatic, Jordan. Now look, Greco, you can do better than that." (15:04)

4. Investigation: Playing Out the Hand (16:00–24:00)

• At police HQ, Captain Sam Sabaya questions Rocky.

• Rocky puts forward the theory that the commotion in the cafe (the King riot, Queen’s distractions, and Jack's call) was orchestrated to set him up for the murder while his office was left vulnerable.

• Ballistics confirm the murder weapon matches the planted gun from Rocky’s desk.

• Sabaya reluctantly releases Rocky for lack of evidence.

• Rocky: "Somebody contrived to get me out of my office while his accomplice entered it from the alley. He didn't count on finding Chris." (18:54 – Rocky)

5. Tracking Down the Suspects (24:00–35:00)

• Rocky tracks Tommen King, who shamefacedly insists he was merely drunk and wishes to settle for damages. He hands over his card.

  “Would £100 be sufficient?” (27:21 – King)

• Rocky visits Ace Warner’s gambling den and questions Maxie, learning that the mysterious “Angel” was involved with Ace and is possibly King’s wife.

6. The "Ten" Emerges & The Veiled Woman (35:00–44:00)

• Chris relays a phone message: “If you want to find Angel, try 10 Dahabiya.” Rocky realizes this could be an address or clue—filling his poker straight.
• Rocky encounters a veiled native woman limping—first outside his cafe (10:00), again in the bazaar; suspects she is involved.

7. Houseboat Confrontation & Revelations (44:00–53:00)

• Rocky tracks Angel to 10 Dahabiya, a swank houseboat, and confronts her:
  • She claims ignorance, but Rocky pushes on her connection to "King".
  • She says her foot was hurt by a camel—an enigmatic injury.

8. The Joker: Unraveling the True Scheme (53:00–1:00:00)

• Rocky discerns that the veiled woman isn't Angel, but a disguised Junior Queen (Milton Queen’s "nephew").

• He chases and unmasks Junior in the bazaar, leading to a crowd spectacle.

• Rocky: “Look her over, folks. She’s not a native and she’s not a woman. He’s uncle’s little nephew, Junior Queen.” (01:00:45)

9. The Final Showdown (1:00:00–End)

• Rocky rushes back to warn Angel, arriving in time to confront Milton Queen with a gun.

• Rocky bluffs, claiming the police have already caught Junior, causing Queen to be distracted—Rocky knocks away his glasses, and Queen fires wildly.

• Angel is left unharmed (save her foot), and Queen attempts to escape—Captain Sabaya and Greco arrive to make the arrest.

• Sabaya: "Greco, get after him."
  Greco: "But, Captain, I cannot swim."
  Sabaya: "It is an order, Greco."
  (01:03:16)

• Classic Rocky Jordan quip to close as they confirm Angel’s foot injury:

  “You know, that's something I'm still trying to figure out. Sam, how did she hurt that foot? ... A camel stepped on it.” (End)

Memorable Quotes

• Rocky Jordan (on his continuous poker motif):
  “I was well on my way to an Ace High straight. A phone call from a guy named Jack who didn’t wait for me to answer. A loud Egyptian named King and a smiling tourist named Queen. And finally, a murdered gambler named Ace.” (16:15)
• Rocky Jordan (to Sabaya, explaining the setup):
  “Somebody contrived to get me out of my office while his accomplice entered it from the alley.” (18:54)
• King (on reparations):
  “Would one hundred pounds be sufficient?” (27:21)
• Maxie (on Angel):
  “You know Ace’s dead... Angel, that was his girlfriend... quite a dish, Rocky. He was getting rid of her dough. She’s too jumpy, scared her husband show up.” (29:52)
• Rocky Jordan (revealing the twist):
  “Look her over, folks. She’s not a native and she’s not a woman. He’s uncle’s little nephew, Junior Queen.” (1:00:45)

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

• 00:02–05:00 – Opening monologue and poker motif established.
• 06:00–08:00 – Tommen King’s drunken brawl and ejection from the cafe.
• 10:30 – Discovery of Chris knocked out and the safe tampered with.
• 15:00 – Greco confronts Rocky with the murder weapon in his office.
• 20:00 – Sabaya questions Rocky; the murder set-up is revealed.
• 27:00 – King offers payoff for damages; suspicions rise.
• 29:50 – Maxie reveals Angel’s importance and King’s identity link.
• 36:00 – Chris relays call about “10 Dahabiya”—the clue falls into place.
• 44:00 – Houseboat confrontation: Rocky meets Angel.
• 53:00–1:00:45 – The bazaar chase; Junior Queen unmasked as the disguised accomplice.
• 1:02:00 – Final confrontation with Milton Queen; Sabaya and Greco's intervention.
• End – Humorous wrap as Angel’s foot injury is finally explained.

Tone & Style

The episode is rich with:

• Snappy dialogues (classic 1940s radio style)
• Fast-moving repartee, interspersed with hard-boiled quips
• A persistent poker motif both for humor and to structure the unfolding mystery

Rocky's narration is wry and self-aware, using card metaphors for both self-deprecation and plot structure.

Conclusion

“Ace High Straight” is a quintessential example of the Golden Age radio detective drama, layered with pseudonyms, red herrings, and a delightfully literal poker metaphor that anchors the mystery. Rocky Jordan’s dry humor and sharp detective work take center stage in unraveling a complex murder setup amidst the lively, exotic backdrop of Cairo.

Recommended for:
Fans of classic mysteries, radio drama enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys a twisty whodunit seasoned with vintage charm.