Podcast Summary:

Podcast: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio—Broadway's My Beat
Episode: The Frank Dunn Murder Case (EP4858)
Host: Adam Graham
Original Airdate: December 3, 2025
Featured Drama Airdate: June 16, 1951
Series: Broadway’s My Beat—Starring Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover

Episode Overview

This episode of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio features a classic mystery drama from Broadway's My Beat: "The Frank Dunn Murder Case." Detective Danny Clover investigates the murder of bartender Frank Dunn, whose colorful connections and complicated personal life lead Clover through the dazzling but dangerous world of mid-century New York nightlife. Adam Graham offers brief commentary after the story, highlighting the unique settings of the episode and discussing listener feedback.

Main Story Breakdown

Setting the Scene (04:31)

• Narration: Broadway is portrayed as both vibrant and perilous, "the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world"—a tone-setting monologue reflecting the show’s hard-boiled yet poetic style.

The Crime & Introduction of Key Players (05:40–08:40)

• Victim: Frank Dunn, a bartender with a reputation for charm, especially with women.
• Crime Scene: Dunn is found murdered in an upscale apartment hotel.
• Hotel Manager (Mr. Tracy) tries to persuade Detective Clover to handle the case discreetly. He reveals, “I offer it in all modesty, Mr. Clover, a mere suggestion, this can be... Can it be handled discreetly?” (06:10)

The Mystery Call (08:50)

• A suspicious phone call to Dunn’s apartment leads Detective Clover to a drugstore, tracing the call to a booth but arriving too late for clues.

The Trade Winds: Clues & Relationships (09:35–13:14)

• Clover visits the Trade Winds nightclub looking for leads; colorful club owner Milt Barker provides insight into Dunn’s character—popular with female patrons, including Louise Hathaway, the married wife of hardware tycoon Edward Hathaway.
  • Memorable quote: “A guy like him, well, dame would be embarrassed leaving less than a fin or a phone number for a chip.” (11:45; Milt Barker)

Interview with Louise Hathaway (13:30–17:20)

• Clover interviews Louise at her apartment. She is emotionally candid, reflecting on her connection to Frank:
  • Quote: “You just played the only sad note there is. Officer, Frank wasn’t in it. Not anywhere.” (14:41; Louise Hathaway)
  • Louise admits to a flirtation, but claims Frank was “just a clumsy bartender.”

The Husband’s Defense (17:40–19:25)

• Edward Hathaway is defensive but provides new information:
  • He admits Louise and her friend Lily Prokosh, a European poet, sometimes had cocktails together at the Trade Winds.
  • Edward on his wife: “You don’t go to my house, policeman, no more, you understand that?... You want something, you got a ticket to sell.” (17:55)
  • Lily is implicated as a close friend of Louise and recent companion to Frank Dunn.

The Second Murder (20:05–22:02)

• Detective Clover arrives at Lily Prokosh’s apartment; Lily is discovered stabbed to death.
• Neighbor Harry recounts hearing her return home around 6:00 P.M. (21:18)

Police Station Interlude (22:30-24:00)

• Sgt. Tartaglia provides background: Lily was a regular at the Trade Winds and had been cultivating a friendship with Dunn. No useful forensic evidence found beyond a wiped-down knife.

Back at the Trade Winds (24:10–26:05)

• Owner Barker recalls Lily and Louise visiting the club together the day before Dunn’s murder. Lily left alone to see Frank, suggesting opportunity.

Climax at the Apartment (27:00–32:40)

• Clover returns to the Hathaway residence.
• A heated confrontation ensues:
  • Louise taunts her husband, pushing him to confess; she reveals her own motives and emotionally ambiguous attitude—“Jump for the man, Edward. You do everything else I want you to do. Tell the man what you did for me, Edward... About murder.”
  • Edward confesses to following Louise, but insists he only saw Lily after her murder, denying killing her.
  • The scene escalates to an almost noir-like emotional chaos, with Louise manipulating Edward and expressing a complicated if destructive love.

Resolution (32:50–34:00)

• Broadway’s nighttime routine resumes, the murders solved but the underlying loneliness and violence of the city unchanged.
• Final narration: “Broadway’s quiet now. It's the four o'clock in the morning hour—the hour without color... in a while, dawn will dip down and there’ll be fury again, and roar again, and crowd the restless... It’s Broadway, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world.” (34:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Broadway’s character:
  • “From Times Square to Columbus Circle, the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world, Broadway is my beat.” (04:31; Danny Clover)
• The Hawaiian nightclub setting:
  • “Wait till you see the floor show, Danny. Got a dame here does a routine on a bed of hot coals...” (10:20; emphasizing the episode’s colorful New York setting)
• Louise Hathaway’s self-awareness:
  • “If you weren't a stranger, you could rock me back to sleep. I needed so.” (14:10)
• Louise’s manipulation of Edward:
  • “Jump for the man, Edward. ...Tell the man what you did for me, Edward. Crazy. What are you talking about? About murder. About murder, Edward.” (31:12)
• Danny Clover’s poetic closing narration
  • “But where I was going there was no dream. Only the reality of a girl lying there... the lifeless girl, the stabbed to death girl.” (21:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:31 — Signature Broadway’s My Beat opening narration
• 05:40 — Crime scene & introduction of apartment hotel manager
• 09:35 — Detective Clover visits Trade Winds, meets Barker
• 13:30 — Interview with Louise Hathaway
• 17:40 — Edward Hathaway questioned
• 20:05 — Discovery of Lily Prokosh’s body
• 24:10 — Further clues from club owner Milt Barker
• 27:00 — Final confrontation at Hathaway’s apartment
• 34:00 — Closing poetic narration

Host Adam Graham’s Commentary

• 35:20: Adam notes the episode's atmospheric “Hawaiian bar” isn’t a typical New York setting but is grounded in the city’s diversity. He praises the writers for authentic world-building.
• Adam enjoys the playful nod to “closing narration of many films about Hawaii,” noting the show’s blend of the exotic and the gritty, staying “grounded within the world of Broadway’s My Beat.”
• Listener feedback: Readouts from Spotify and YouTube comments, engaging with running jokes about recurring characters (like Gino Tartaglia) and reflections on recurring actors.

Summary

This episode of Broadway’s My Beat presents a smokily atmospheric whodunit centered on jealousy, betrayal, and the perilous glamour of mid-20th-century New York nightlife. Detective Danny Clover’s investigation into Frank Dunn’s murder leads through a tangled web of romantic entanglements and ends in the exposure of a toxic marriage and another tragic killing. The story is driven by sharp dialogue, poetic narration, and strong performances, and is followed by Adam Graham’s characteristic cheerful critique and fan interaction.