The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode Summary: The Saint – "Greed Causes Murder" (EP4941)

Release Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Adam Graham
Featured Drama Original Airdate: August 14, 1949
Starring: Vincent Price as "The Saint" (Simon Templar)

Episode Overview

In this classic radio mystery, Simon Templar—better known as The Saint—finds himself embroiled in a deadly treasure hunt. When the attempted theft of a jalopy leads to murder, The Saint must unravel a tangled web of greed, secrets, and betrayal. At the core: a long-lost $400,000 heist, the coded clue hidden in an old car, and a series of increasingly desperate criminals. This episode is a showcase for Vincent Price’s mix of wit, charm, and righteous outrage, balancing humor and tension as Templar seeks justice among the ungodly.

Key Plot Points and Discussions

1. A Simple Theft Turns Deadly

• [02:51] The episode opens with The Saint intervening when a crook named Mac tries to steal old man Collins's broken-down car, raising Templar’s suspicions.

  • Notable Quote:
    Mac: “I always wondered how you’d look dead.” (03:35) The Saint (Templar): “Good night, Mac. Be seeing you.”

• Collins reveals several people have tried to buy the car, but he’s been holding out, suspecting there’s more to the interest than meets the eye.

2. Underworld Maneuvering

• [05:00–07:55] The Saint follows leads to a pool hall, confronting Mac, Smitty, and Fancy Dan Turner—criminals circling Collins's car for some unknown prize.

  • Notable Exchange:
    The Saint: “It must be a pretty big pot to change a small-time con artist like you into a fire-breathing gunman. Big potatoes, huh?” (07:06)
    Turner: “Yeah, plenty big, Saint. So big I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot at the slightest move. Am I clear?”

• Templar is “invited” to remain as Turner and his thugs try to pressure Collins into giving up the car.

3. Murders Multiply

• [10:45–12:05] Collins is murdered. O’Brien, a fellow “treasure hunter”, arrives—he specializes in finding stolen goods after the main criminals are caught.

  • O'Brien discloses the true motive: years before, $400,000 was stolen and never recovered, with hints now pointing to Collins's car.

  • Memorable Deathbed Dialogue:
    O’Brien: “He’ll get you next. You’re gonna die, mister... Bran—Bran... the old man’s car...” (12:05)

• O'Brien is fatally shot before divulging more, leaving The Saint with new clues and more suspects.

4. The Rich Man’s Secret

• [13:40–16:30] The Saint wakes wealthy Mr. Ritchie, the original victim of the $400,000 theft, to probe for insight into the car’s importance.

  • Key Exchange:
    The Saint: “Not even the subject of $400,000, Mr. Ritchie?” (14:52)
    Ritchie: “Quealy... never revealed where the money was hidden... until the day he died. Died? Yes, two weeks ago, in prison.”

• The Saint theorizes that Quealy, the thief, may have smuggled clues out to his wife, Mrs. Quealy, before dying.

5. Mrs. Quealy and the Coded Car

• [17:45–19:50] The Saint confronts Mrs. Quealy, discovering she has bought Collins’s car at great cost, seemingly as an act of desperation.

  • The car’s license plates—produced in prison where the thief worked—are the key. They bear a concealed message leading to the hidden fortune.

  • The Saint deduces Quealy used his license plate job to encode the loot’s location and alert his wife through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

  • Notable Quote:
    The Saint: “I know Collins’s car is... worth in the neighborhood of $400,000. And you know, that’s an awfully nice neighborhood.” (18:40)

• Mrs. Quealy is soon murdered, further raising the stakes.

6. The Final Confrontation—Elevator Shaft Showdown

• [23:40–26:50] The climactic scene: The Saint discovers Ritchie himself is the murderer and secret puppet-master. The loot is hidden in the wall of a building elevator shaft—Ritchie tries to retrieve it using an acetylene torch, forcing The Saint to join him at gunpoint.
  • Dramatic Moment:
    Ritchie: “I see $400,000 buried in the siding of this elevator shaft. And with the help of this acetylene torch, it’ll be all mine.” (25:10)
  • As the elevator activates, Ritchie refuses to abandon the cash and is crushed—victim to his own contrivance, echoing the “just law” The Saint recites as moral coda.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• Vincent Price's signature delivery:

  • “There’s nothing like a .32 in the pocket of a known thug for winning an argument.” – The Saint (04:04)
  • “You know how I feel about people who push other people around, Turner—especially when the guy getting the shoving is a friend.” (08:55)
  • “Nor is there any juster law than that the contrivers of death should perish by their own contrivances.” – Quoting Ovid, as the episode closes (27:24)

• Host Adam Graham’s Commentary [27:40]:

  • Highlights the “mixture of humor and righteous indignation” in The Saint.
  • Critiques the implausibility of two killings happening with The Saint in the room yet not catching the murderer.
  • Notes the “unfair clue” regarding Ritchie's perfectly combed hair.
  • Shares background on The Saint comic books and their availability in the public domain.

Important Timestamps

• [02:51] – The Saint intervenes in the car theft; mystery setup
• [05:00] – Pool hall confrontation; links to underworld
• [10:45] – Discovery of first murder, entry of O'Brien
• [12:02] – O'Brien is shot, tells Saint about the car and hidden money
• [13:40] – The Saint confronts Ritchie, sets up the historic theft
• [17:45] – The Saint meets Mrs. Quealy and uncovers the license plate clue
• [23:40] – Final act: Elevator shaft, Ritchie's confession, fatal end
• [27:24] – Closing justice theme, Price quotes Ovid

Adam Graham’s Listener Feedback & Analysis

• Discusses the blend of humor and moral force in The Saint’s character, as well as the episode’s plot mechanics.
• Responds to a listener comparing the Vincent Price and Roger Moore versions of The Saint, highlighting differences in tone and faithfulness to Leslie Charteris’s original character arc.
• Offers insight into The Saint's character evolution, both in novels and in the different media adaptations.
• Notes the existence and public domain status of The Saint comic books, available at digitalcomicmuseum.com.

Summary

This lively episode—anchored by Vincent Price’s charismatic Saint—delivers clever banter, classic detective twists, and a sharp moral conclusion. Simon Templar, with a mix of humor, empathy, and cunning, navigates a maze of suspects, red herrings, and double-crosses to reveal a tale of greed that leads only to murder and ruin. The Saint ultimately ensures that justice, both poetic and practical, is served—reminding listeners that the wages of sin are never worth the price.

For listeners seeking classic detective drama, charismatic heroes, and a touch of nostalgia, this episode stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of old-time radio and its golden-age stars.