Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: The Avenger – Murder Hits the Jackpot

Date: March 16, 2026
Main Theme:
A classic crime drama from the golden age of radio, “The Avenger – Murder Hits the Jackpot” follows Jim Brandon, aka The Avenger, as he unravels a layered case involving a murdered real estate man, a counterfeit nickel racket, and violent gangland enforcement through bombings and slot machines. This episode highlights the clever use of scientific investigation and undercover sleuthing to bring criminals to justice.

Episode Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: The Murder of Max Judson

• [02:48–04:08]
  The story opens with suspense: Inspector White is being trailed, desperately tries to make a phone call, but is cornered and forced into a car by gangsters Griff Catlin and Hank.
  • Quote [03:29]:
    Griff Catlin: “Get in the car, Judson.”
    Judson is then robbed and murdered, setting off the investigation.
  • Quote [04:08]:
    Inspector White: “Well, I'm not going to beg for mercy, Griff. I won't give you the satisfaction.”

2. The First Clues and the Counterfeit Nickel

• [05:20–06:10]
  At the crime scene, Judson is found clutching a nickel—an underworld symbol of a double-crosser’s fate.
  • Quote [05:51]:
    Jim Brandon: "A nickel symbolizes the fate of a double crosser."
    Jim asks to keep it for his coin collection, noting it's a buffalo nickel from 1922—a detail that later proves central.

3. Scientific Sleuthing: The Counterfeit Racket Exposed

• [06:48–07:18] / [08:42–10:16]
  Brandon and his assistant Fern Collier conduct chemical tests on nickels gathered from local stores, suspecting counterfeiting.
  • Quote [07:15]:
    Jim Brandon: "We're going to give each one of them a chemical test, Fern."
  • Quote [08:53]:
    Jim Brandon: "Counterfeit money... I think Judson's murder can be tied up with a racket that specializes in counterfeit nickels."
    Brandon explains the counterfeiters’ cleverness—using lead, zinc, and powdered glass to mimic both the look and weight of authentic coins.
  • Quote [09:19]:
    Jim Brandon: "About one-tenth of the nickels in circulation in this neighborhood, at least, are counterfeit."
  • Quote [10:16]:
    Jim Brandon: "If a counterfeiter could supply just 1% ... he would stand to clean up several million dollars."

4. Tracking the Mastermind: Pop Walters

• [10:40–12:12]
  Jim suspects old-time counterfeiter Pop Walters, recently released from prison and now missing from a rest home. White promises to search for him.
  • Quote [11:50]:
    Jim Brandon: "Yes, and this time I don't think he's working alone."

5. Slot Machines and Gang Tactics

• [12:34–14:04]
  Griff Catlin’s gang uses slot machines in stores to distribute counterfeit nickels and enforce “protection” with bombings for noncompliance.
  • Quote [13:32]:
    Jim Brandon (as Griff): "Got a little job for you two boys."
    Multiple bombings follow, escalating the case into a full-blown gang war.
  • Quote [13:34]:
    Inspector White: "Looks like we're right in the middle of an old-time gang war."

6. Field Work: Gathering Evidence

• [16:57–18:27]
  Jim and Fern lose money playing slot machines, confirming most winnings are counterfeit.
  • Quote [18:13]:
    Jim Brandon: "Eight out of ten of those nickels we collected in the slot machine stores were counterfeit."
  • Quote [18:19]:
    Fern Collier: "It doesn’t seem possible that all those storekeepers could be crooked."
    They identify Griff Catlin as the common link—he supplies nickels directly to stores.

7. Connecting the Dots: The Toy Factory

• [19:41–21:27]
  The investigation reveals a toy factory as the front for receiving large shipments of lead and zinc despite producing only plastic toys.
  • Quote [20:53]:
    Fern Collier: "Did you see anything in there that looks suspicious?"
    Jim observes that the factory’s basement—with a truck-accessible door—is ideal for a counterfeiting operation.

8. Unmasking Pop Walters and the Final Showdown

• [22:52–28:19]
  Jim infiltrates the factory, meets Pop Walters, and confirms the operation’s scope:
  • Quote [24:25]:
    Jim Brandon: "Your eyes are okay, Pop. Those nickels you're making are better than ever."
    Walters reveals he stashed his counterfeiting plates before prison and resumed operations quickly.
    Griff catches on, but The Avenger’s invisibility and quick thinking save the day.
  • Quote [27:24]:
    Griff Catlin: "I told you somebody was in here, Griff."
  • Quote [27:30]:
    Jim Brandon: "You double crossed yourself, Griff, when you murdered Judson."
    The Avenger and Pop take Catlin into custody, awaiting Inspector White.

9. Epilogue: The Case Closed

• [29:39–31:48]
  Fern and Jim review the case’s resolution: Hank and Pop confessed, Catlin was the mastermind.
  The critical clue: Judson had a 1922 nickel—a year when the mint did not produce nickels—tipping him off to the counterfeiting racket.
  • Quote [30:53]:
    Fern Collier: “But what led you to suspect that the nickel in Judson’s hand was a counterfeit?”
  • Quote [30:58]:
    Jim Brandon: “That nickel in Judson’s hand was a 1922 nickel. Well, it just happens that the mint didn’t make any nickels that year.”
    Fern leaves to deposit the honest nickels; balance is restored.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The road to crime ends in a trap that justice sets. Crime does not pay.”
  – Jim Brandon / The Avenger, [00:25]
• “A nickel symbolizes the fate of a double crosser.”
  – Jim Brandon, [05:51]
• "Eight out of ten of those nickels we collected in the slot machine stores were counterfeit."
  – Jim Brandon, [18:13]
• "That nickel in Judson's hand was a 1922 nickel. Well, it just happens that the mint didn't make any nickels that year."
  – Jim Brandon, [30:58]
• Pop Walters’ pride in his work:
  – “Here I am turning out better nickels than the mint. Nope. Old Pop ain’t through yet. Not by a long shot.” [24:29]

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:48–04:08 | The murder of Max Judson in Keystone Meadows | | 05:20–06:10 | Judson’s body found; clue of the nickel | | 06:48–07:18 | Gathering and testing nickels for counterfeiting | | 08:42–10:16 | Jim explains the counterfeit racket | | 10:40–12:12 | Pop Walters suspected; manhunt begins | | 12:34–13:34 | Slot machines as counterfeit distribution/ gang tactics | | 16:57–18:27 | Collecting nickels from stores/ slot machines | | 19:41–21:27 | Investigating the toy factory as the operation’s front | | 22:52–28:19 | Jim confronts Pop Walters/ Catlin; Avenger triumphs | | 29:39–31:48 | Case wrap-up, the 1922 nickel revelation |

Tone & Style

This episode maintains the suspenseful, methodical style characteristic of golden age radio mysteries:

• Professional but accessible, with occasional levity between Jim and Fern.
• Gritty depiction of underworld crime, matched by the determined, scientific approach of The Avenger and his allies.
• Dramatic confrontations and clever detective work.

Summary Conclusion:
“The Avenger – Murder Hits the Jackpot” exemplifies the entertaining complexity of classic radio crime dramas. A seemingly simple murder unravels into a web of counterfeiting, racketeering, and mob enforcement, all exposed by sharp investigation and scientific ingenuity. With notable quotes, atmospheric encounters, and a twisty plot, it offers listeners a satisfying sample of vintage crime storytelling.