Podcast Summary: The Fat Man – “The Crooked Horse”

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: The Fat Man 46-09-09 (034) The Crooked Horse
Original Air Date: September 9, 1946
Host (Character): Brad Runyon, “The Fat Man”
Release Date (Podcast): August 17, 2025

Overview

In this gripping episode from radio’s golden age, detective Brad Runyon (“The Fat Man”) is hired to investigate a mysterious murder that may never have happened, according to the official record. What seems to be a routine crime unravels into a high-stakes espionage plot involving secret agents, coded messages, a vanished corpse, a missing formula, and deadly double-crosses. Set almost entirely within the shadowy corridors of a second-rate hotel, “The Crooked Horse” is a classic blend of murder mystery and Cold War intrigue.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Case Emerges ([00:16]-[05:18])

• Runyon’s Philosophy on Detectives:
  Runyon opens with musings on the misconceptions about detective work – “not all criminals have a yellow streak down their back.”

  “Life of a real detective isn’t made up of silk dressing gowns, briar pipes and intricate clues any more than the life of a real soldier is pretty uniforms.” (B at [01:11])

• A Distressed Client:
  A straightforward, unglamorous woman enters Runyon’s office describing a murder she overheard at the Parker Hotel ([02:28]).

  • She heard suspicious code words (“white” and “black”), what sounded like a silenced gunshot, and saw a “dead man, slumped, eyes wide open” through a keyhole. ([03:59])
  • Yet, hotel records show the room (610) was never occupied.

2. The Clues and Contradictions ([05:41]-[11:09])

• Questioning the Staff:
  Runyon investigates the desk clerk, who insists “610 is reserved” and denies any incident or conversation with the client during the night ([07:07]).

  • Conflicting stories: The clerk says he never left the desk or met the woman ([07:51]). Is someone lying?

• Room Search and Shadowy Figures:
  Runyon stealthily searches room 610 and is interrupted by someone trying the door (suggested to be “Walker”), further muddying the waters ([09:27]).

3. The Client’s True Identity & Espionage Intrigue ([11:09]-[15:34])

• Exposed Eavesdropping:
  Runyon discovers the woman was purposefully eavesdropping on room 610 using a cocktail glass pressed to the wall ([11:22]).

  “A cocktail glass with water on it makes a swell Dictaphone if you press the glass and put your ear to the stem.” (B at [11:22])

• She Comes Clean:
  Pressed, she confesses: she’s a US secret agent trailing foreign operatives and a dangerous formula is at stake ([12:46]).

  • The supposed “victim” was a foreign agent, murdered by someone posing as his contact.
  • The killer, she theorizes, is a rival agent who knew partial passwords.

4. The Web Tightens: The Body, The Missing Formula, and Dead Ends ([15:34]-[22:51])

• Who Is Walker?
  The man Runyon saw is likely the murderer, using an alias, trying to rent 610—but “Walker” suddenly checks out ([17:11]).
• Dead End – or Just Dead?
  Room 610 yields nothing new, but Runyon and the agent uncover the body, disguised in another guest’s bed ([19:16]).
  • Classic hardboiled moment:

    “That’s the man… stiff as a poker. Shot right in the heart.” (B/A at [19:31])

• A Second Body:
  Runyon finds the night clerk (Evans) murdered in his own ransacked room—he too was searching for the formula ([21:18]).
• Danger for the Agent:
  The female agent is briefly captured and tied up ([22:51]), but Runyon rescues her.

5. Final Showdown: The Crooked Horse ([24:02]-[28:13])

• Re-examining the Scene:
  The formula eludes both, though every inch of the room is turned upside down—twice. Runyon deduces an intentional misdirection.

  “The easiest way in the world to fool people is by what you might call misplaced attention…” (B at [24:34])

• The Crooked Horse:
  The breakthrough: an off-kilter image on the wallpaper—a poorly aligned horse—hides the secret. The formula is scrawled on the back of the wallpaper itself, not on a separate piece of paper ([25:10]).
• Walker’s Return and Deadly Standoff:
  “Walker” bursts in, brandishing a gun. Runyon is forced to drop the wallpaper-formula. At the last moment, he drop-kicks Walker as he bends over, and a fatal gunshot ends the confrontation ([27:12]).

  “Life is made up of chances, sweetheart. Besides, I used to dropkick for my college football team.” (B at [27:17])

6. Resolution, Trust, and a Nation at Stake ([28:13]-[29:00])

• Trust Issues:
  Runyon won’t hand over the formula to the agent, uncertain of her true allegiance, but promises to see it “gets to Washington.” ([27:54])

  “…if you’re on the level, you’ll be okay. You can keep on working. Nobody will ever know who you are. If you’re not, well—it’s the chance I take for liking your face.” (B at [28:24])

• The Aftermath:
  The agent escapes via the fire escape as police close in. Runyon calls his police contact, Sergeant O'Hara, to report “a dead man. What, again? There are three.” ([28:54])

• Closing:
  Runyon leaves to ensure the formula makes it safely to Washington, hinting at national consequences.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The girl wasn’t beautiful, but there was a straightforwardness about her that spelled brains.”
  – Fat Man (B) [01:40]

• On Espionage:
  “I'm a United States secret agent.”—Agent (A) [12:46]
  “Swell story.”—Runyon [13:15]

• On Misdirection:
  “The easiest way in the world to fool people is by what you might call misplaced attention.” —Runyon [24:34]

• Revealing the Hidden Formula:
  “Here. Look here at this strip of paper behind the bed. See this figure of a horse? The horse is split in two where the paper joins…” —Runyon [25:11]

• Action Finale:
  “This life's made up of chances... I used to drop kick for my college football team.” —Runyon [27:17]

• Bittersweet Goodbye:
  “See that the formula gets to Washington. Now here's an address. Just take it there, that's all. Do you understand?” —Agent (A) [28:33]

• “I think I’ll just hang onto this piece of wallpaper… If you’re on the level, you’ll be okay…”—Runyon [27:54/28:24]

Important Timestamps

• [02:28] — The female agent recounts the mysterious murder-contact.
• [07:51] — Hotel clerk denies seeing the client or leaving his post.
• [11:22] — “Cocktail glass Dictaphone” eavesdropping method revealed.
• [12:46] — The woman reveals she’s a secret agent.
• [19:16] — The disguised dead man is discovered.
• [21:18] — The night clerk is found murdered.
• [24:34] — Runyon explains “misplaced attention.”
• [25:10] — The formula’s hiding spot is revealed: behind the “crooked horse” wallpaper.
• [27:12] — Final confrontation and action sequence.
• [27:54/28:24] — Runyon refuses to give up the formula, leaves for Washington.

Tone and Style

The dialogue is classic hardboiled: clever, quick-witted, and direct, blending noir cynicism with fleeting warmth. The world is ambiguous, trust is hard-won, and even victory is shadowed by doubt.

Conclusion

The Crooked Horse is a taut, suspenseful story of deception layered upon deception, where a vanished body leads to a deeper web of international espionage. With classic radio atmosphere, hardboiled repartee, and a twist-laden plot, it stands as a compelling reminder of why The Fat Man became one of radio’s most enduring detectives.