The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Broadway's My Beat: The Harold Clark Murder Case (EP4782)

Podcast Host: Adam Graham
Original Airdate of Drama: October 27, 1950
Podcast Release: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Adam Graham presents and discusses a classic episode of "Broadway's My Beat" entitled "The Harold Clark Murder Case." Detective Danny Clover investigates the shooting of Harold Clark in a typical New York apartment building, unraveling a tangled web of jealousy, mistaken identity, and calculated murder. The plot twists through mistaken assumptions, complicated relationships, and finally hinges on an act of calculated manipulation. Adam Graham wraps up with his signature commentary and listener feedback.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Initial Murder Scene (03:12–06:27)

• Setting: Detective Danny Clover arrives at the El Royale apartments to investigate a shooting.

• Victim: Harold Clark, married, no children, shot in the chest.

• Suspect: Lloyd Ramey, a tenant, reportedly fired two shots through his door and fled via the fire escape.

  “Name is Harold Clark. Lives apartment 2C. Married, no children. Dead from 238 slugs in his chest. That's who he is.”
  — Mugavan (04:02)

• Clark’s Wife: Mrs. Clark reacts with cynicism, referencing her frequent reading of detective magazines. She claims she was in Ramey's apartment borrowing tea bags for her husband when the shooting occurred. Her account is tinged with bitterness, hinting at underlying marital discord.

  “I must have stayed more than 10 seconds because my husband got panicky and came after me. He knocked on the door. Mr. Ramey didn't even answer. He pulled out a gun and shot.”
  — Mrs. Clark (05:47)

2. Following the Suspect – Identity and Motive (06:27–11:05)

• Trail to Ramey: Mugavan uncovers that Ramey rented his apartment through the Wilkins Rental Agency, under suspicious circumstances—paying for a year in advance and using a borrowed letterhead from a tattoo parlor (08:14–09:45).

• Tattoo Parlor Lead: Clover encounters Berky Siegmuller, owner of the tattoo shop, who recalls Ramey only as a fleeting customer asking for stationery.

  “That's a new one. Did an admiral once, but never a murderer. Okay, button up your shirt, sailor boy.”
  — Berky Siegmuller (10:41)

3. Second Murder by Poison (13:44–18:24)

• Mrs. Clark's Tip: She spots a man who frequently visited Ramey's apartment and leads Clover to him at a hotel restaurant. Clover sits with the man—Henry Gaynor—who suddenly dies at the table, apparently drunk but actually poisoned.

  “[Gaynor] just lumped to the floor. I knelt over him, felt for a pulse. There wasn't any. He was dead.”
  — Danny Clover (14:31)

• Autopsy: The medical examiner confirms a cliché poison was used and administered via drink. (17:03)

• Victim’s Identity: Gaynor is found to be a fairly affluent man with a “package of orange lifesavers” in his pocket. No immediate other clues are found.

4. Investigating the Victim’s World (18:53–22:11)

• Roommate Interview: Tommy Lawrence, Gaynor’s roommate, reveals disliking him, and offers up Frank Muir (Gaynor’s friend) as a lead. Clover questions Muir, who shares that he once passed Mrs. Clark (the victim's widow) along to Gaynor as a potential love interest and relays a violent encounter with Clark.

  “You see that plaster cast up there on the mantelpiece? That's courtesy of irate husband, Mr. Clark. He found me once with his missus... He clobbered me, broke my arm. Care to autograph it, Mr. Clover?”
  — Frank Muir (22:11)

5. The Suspect’s True Identity Revealed (22:44–24:24)

• Twist: Mugavan uncovers that ‘Lloyd Ramey’ is actually “George Harvey,” a wanted killer linked to several out-of-state murders by ballistics evidence.

  “So we sent [the bullets] to Washington. FBI checked, sent a wire back... One out of a murdered bank clerk of Vincennes, Indiana. The other from a woman shot during a liquor store robbery in St. Louis. Both shootings done by George Harvey.”
  — Mugavan (23:09)

6. Tracking and Arrest (24:51–26:49)

• Tip-off: A man seeking reward money reports Harvey’s location at the Hotel Hobart.

• Confrontation: Police locate and confront Harvey. He’s mortally wounded, but confesses to shooting Harold Clark—not to poisoning Gaynor—and refutes Mrs. Clark’s claim that she was in his apartment.

  “Poison? Never in my life. Henry Gaynor? Never in my life.”
  — George Harvey, a.k.a. Lloyd Ramey (26:29)

7. Exposing the Real Culprit (27:14–29:39)

• Clover’s Revelation: Clover confronts Mrs. Clark, deducing she manipulated her jealous husband into a confrontation with Harvey, fully aware Harvey was dangerous thanks to detective magazines featuring his photo.

• Her Motive: Mrs. Clark is also connected to Gaynor’s poisoning, which she denies until faced with circumstantial evidence and interrogation.

  “You goaded and made him believe you were carrying on with a neighbor across the hall…You sent him over there knowing that trigger happy killer would shoot him as soon as he knocked on the door.”
  — Danny Clover (28:32)

  “You’ve got to understand. My husband was jealous. He spoiled everything. Every man I ever looked at. You know how it was. He ruined everything…”
  — Mrs. Clark (29:02)

8. Closing Thoughts & Adam Graham’s Commentary (31:56–32:48)

• Adam Graham’s Take: Adam critiques the plot’s plausibility, points out the ambiguous legal status of Mrs. Clark’s manipulation, and notes that the poisoning-to-cover-up device feels forced. He finds fault in the lack of direct evidence or a real confession from Mrs. Clark, but enjoys the color of the “Mike Schreck” detective-with-a-forehead-tattoo subplot.

  “This might be one of the more nonsensical plots on this series… It's like we ran out of time and needed a dramatic arrest, whether it made sense or not.”
  — Adam Graham (31:56)

• Listener Feedback: A brief listener comment is read, praising a previous episode.

• Patreon Shout-out: Thanks to Jack, a Patreon supporter at the Detective Sergeant level.

Notable Quotes

• Mrs. Clark’s Cynicism:
  “If you're going to ask me did I shoot my husband, I'm going to say no, sir, I did not.” (05:34)

• Clover on Broadway:
  “It's the journey to the end. Of all the other streets in the world, this Broadway, you turn a corner and you're there. You walk slowly, you lean your heart against it. Then something explodes in your face…” (03:12)

• Dr. Gordon’s Poisons:
  “This is it, Danny. This is what did it to him. The cliché of poison.” (17:03)

• Danny Clover Confronting Mrs. Clark:
  “You knew your husband was bitterly jealous. You goaded and made him believe you were carrying on with a neighbor across the hall...” (28:32)

Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main Story/Drama Begins: 02:41
• Murder Scene & Initial Suspects: 03:12–06:27
• Tattoo Parlor Inquiry: 09:45–11:05
• Poisoning in Restaurant: 13:44–15:12
• Medical Examiner's Report: 17:03–18:24
• Gaynor’s Roommate & Frank Muir: 18:53–22:11
• Identity Reveal of Killer: 22:44–24:24
• Confronting Harvey: 24:51–26:49
• Clover Confronts Mrs. Clark: 27:14–29:39
• Host Commentary: 31:56–32:48

Tone and Language

• The episode is marked by hard-boiled, poetic New York street narration (“You shop for the kicks, the bargains, and the heartbreak”), acerbic character dialogue, and a running undercurrent of cynicism about relationships and violence.
• Adam Graham maintains his familiar, critical-yet-affectionate tone, mixing analysis with humor and listener engagement.

Summary

“Broadway’s My Beat: The Harold Clark Murder Case” stands as a classic example of Golden Age radio detective drama: a tale of jealousy, deception, and manipulation, set against the backdrop of a gritty Manhattan. Through a series of interviews, revelations, and confrontations, Detective Danny Clover pieces together not just a murder, but a coldly executed plot by Mrs. Clark, who choreographs her husband's death and attempts to cover her tracks with a subsequent poisoning.

Adam Graham’s host segment points out the plot’s logical gaps, but also delights in the atmospheric writing and quirky characters, encapsulating the charm—and occasional absurdity—of vintage radio drama.

Listeners are left with an engaging, twisted story and a reminder of why these noir artifacts still intrigue generations of mystery fans.