Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Stand By for Crime: The Light (Encore) (EP4882)

Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Adam Graham
Main Cast: Chuck Morgan, Carol Curtis, Pappy Mansfield, Dr. Robert Burden, Ivan/Snide/John Sims
Episode Original Air: Stand By for Crime - "The Light" (last of the American run, featuring Howard McNear)

Episode Overview

In this riveting mystery from the "Stand By for Crime" series, Chuck Morgan—a radio newscaster—finds himself investigating a series of suspicious plane crashes, one of which claims the life of his close friend, government scientist Joe Stanley. As Chuck chases a cryptic clue ("the light") uttered by the co-pilot before his death, he and his secretary Carol Curtis become entangled in a high-stakes plot involving a deadly invention, a sinister agent, and the moral fallout of scientific ambition gone awry. The suspenseful narrative unfolds with sharp banter, clever clues, and a dramatic confrontation at a lonely hilltop oil well.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Inciting Incident—The Plane Crash

• [04:08–06:40] Chuck narrates: While seeing Joe Stanley off at the airport, the plane—Flight 182—crashes moments after takeoff. Co-pilot Jenkins' dying words are "The Light."

“This was the biggest news story of the year. The fourth disaster of its type within six weeks, 68 people died as a result of that last crash…”
—Chuck Morgan (06:40)

2. Investigation Begins

• [07:18–08:41] Chuck consults his boss, Pappy Mansfield, connecting the repeated crashes and the co-pilot’s clue to a suspicious, recently-patched oil derrick on a hill near the flight path.

“You’re basing this cockeyed theory…on the co-pilot saying something about a light before he died?”
—Pappy Mansfield (07:18)

• Chuck requests the station’s top engineer, Bill Adams, for technical help; Pappy reluctantly agrees.

3. Following the Trail—The Briefcase

• [09:27–12:29] Chuck and Carol split up—Carol to check the ownership of the oil well (city records), Chuck to investigate the crash site where he meets a shifty workman, “John Sims” (Ivan/Snide), who’s suspiciously possessive of a briefcase suspected to have belonged to Joe Stanley.

• Chuck seizes the briefcase after a tense exchange.

“Suppose you open up the case and show me what’s inside, huh?”
—Chuck Morgan (11:06)

4. A Threatening Turn—Retaliation and Kidnapping

• [13:25–16:45] The antagonist breaks into Chuck’s apartment, threatening him for the briefcase. A tense phone call confirms Carol has been kidnapped, but she cleverly slips Chuck a clue—mentioning her city hall errand—to lead him to her location.

“Listen, Chuck, it’s important that I get away from here so I can give you that information you asked me to get for you. At City Hall this afternoon. You want to know about that, don’t you?”
—Carol Curtis (16:37)

5. The Inventor and His Deadly Device

• [19:35–23:44] Chuck tracks the kidnappers to the oil well, fights off a guard, and finds Carol seemingly unharmed. She introduces him to Dr. Robert Burden, a well-intentioned but naive inventor.
• Dr. Burden unveils his invention: an “electric current interceptor”—essentially, a ray gun capable of disabling plane engines mid-flight. He confesses to testing it on planes at Ivan’s behest, oblivious to the human casualties.

“It took me years to perfect this instrument… I thought the government would be interested in an invention that could put an airplane out of commission merely by projecting a ray toward one of its motors.”
—Dr. Robert Burden (21:27)

6. The Antagonist Unmasked and the Climax

• [24:03–26:11] Ivan and his accomplice burst in, intent on silencing Chuck and Carol.
• Dr. Burden realizes the consequences of his invention and stands up to Ivan, using the ray gun to disable his hearing aid. In the chaotic standoff, both the ray gun and Ivan’s weapon are deployed—with tragic consequences.

“Drop that gun, Ivan. From now on, I’m giving the orders.”
—Dr. Robert Burden (25:29)

7. Resolution & Reflection

• [26:34–28:40] Back at the studio, Chuck explains that the secrets of the ray gun died with Dr. Burden, who was fatally shot as he used his invention to kill Ivan. Chuck and Carol discuss how he realized Ivan was a phony—because Ivan claimed never to have heard of Chuck, a local celebrity.

“Well, he said he’d never heard of me.”
—Chuck Morgan (28:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Carol and Chuck’s Banter at the Airport:
  “Anytime a female can find something sad enough to weep about, she’s in her element.”
  —Chuck Morgan (05:34)
  (Classic 1940s-style banter establishing their relationship.)

• On Relentlessness and Instinct:
  “For once in your life, why not get with me? I’ve never let you down.”
  —Chuck Morgan to Pappy (07:42)

• Carol’s Intelligence as a Sidekick:
  Carol’s subtle clue during her forced phone call:
  “It’s important that I get away from here so that I can give you that information you asked me to get for you. At City hall this afternoon.”
  —Carol Curtis (16:37)
  (Signals to Chuck her location under captors’ noses.)

• The Inventor’s Tragic Blindness:
  “Worried? The passengers? Well, that’s funny. I never thought of that.”
  —Dr. Robert Burden (23:05)
  (A chilling moment of scientific detachment.)

• Showdown at the Oil Derrick:
  “You are quite right. It would be stupid of me to shoot you. But there are other ways.”
  —Ivan (15:28)

  “From now on, I’m giving the orders.”
  —Dr. Robert Burden, turning his own invention against Ivan (25:29)

• Chuck’s Modest “Tell”:
  “Well, he said he’d never heard of me.”
  —Chuck (28:24)
  (His tip-off that Ivan was no legitimate workman.)

Host Commentary & Insights

• [29:01] Adam Graham shares thoughts on why Chuck is suspicious of Ivan, noting the trope that everyone in Chuck’s world would know him as a famous newscaster, so not being recognized was a red flag.

• Adam also calls out Carol's intelligence and resourcefulness, highlighting her clever clue and vital partnership, stating,
  “It’s still pretty clear that he cares about her and that she is a very intelligent, smart character...She communicated the clue quite cleverly.”

• Adam reflects on the plausibility of the "ray gun" and its role in the story, noting that while it strains credulity, it fits the era’s pulp tone.

Important Timestamps

• Opening & Setup – [01:43–04:08]
• Crash & Clue Established (“The Light”) – [06:23–06:40]
• Chuck confronts Ivan/Sims at the crash site – [10:22–12:29]
• Carol's kidnapping phone clue – [16:19–16:45]
• Dr. Burden reveals the ray gun – [21:04–23:00]
• Final showdown & invention's secret lost – [24:03–26:34]
• Chuck’s and Carol’s epilogue conversation – [27:37–28:40]
• Adam Graham commentary – [29:01+]

Final Thoughts

“Stand By for Crime: The Light” is a quintessential piece of golden-age detective radio, blending noir mystery with speculative technology and wry humor. The writing leans into snappy dialogue and high stakes, and Carol comes across as resourceful and sharp, not just a damsel to be rescued. The inventive “ray gun” plot provides suspense and a touch of science fiction, while the final moral reckoning (“I must do something about those passengers. I simply must.” —Dr. Burden) adds gravitas to the pulp action.

Adam Graham’s commentary at the close summarizes the series’ strengths—its character dynamics and clever narrative twists—while giving fans a behind-the-scenes appreciation for the show's enduring appeal.

For Old Time Radio aficionados or mystery newcomers, this episode combines action, deduction, and postwar anxieties in a brisk, entertaining package.