The Relic Radio Show – Episode: The Saint and Night Beat

Date: September 9, 2025
Host: RelicRadio.com

Episode Overview

This week’s Relic Radio Show features two classic radio dramas from the golden age:

• The Saint in "The Case of the Previewed Crime" (original airdate: July 30, 1950)
• Night Beat in "Big John McMasters" (original airdate: March 4, 1951)

The purpose of this episode is to showcase masterful storytelling and the distinctive voices of vintage radio. "The Saint" delivers a suspenseful murder mystery with wit and intrigue, while "Night Beat" presents a gritty and poignant tale about crime, redemption, and human nature from a journalist’s perspective.

Segment 1: The Saint – "The Case of the Previewed Crime"

Timestamps: 01:16–27:08

Main Theme

Simon Templar, a.k.a. The Saint, is visited by a mysterious writer seeking confirmation on whether a fictional murder he’s concocted could be the perfect crime. The meeting sets off a chain of suspicion, deception, and murder among a cast of dubious characters.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Highlights

• Mysterious Midnight Visitor (01:47–04:46):
  Simon Templar is awakened by Desmond, who outlines the plot of his "book": killing a financier with a weak heart through lethal substitution in his medicine.

  “The only advice I can give all writers is you don’t.” — Simon Templar (02:51)

• Real Crime Mirrors Fiction (05:30–06:09):
  The next morning, Templar learns from newspaper headlines that a crooked financier, Frank A. Clark, has died suddenly—a scenario eerily similar to Desmond's story.

• Visiting the Clark Residence (07:23–12:30):
  Templar questions Clark’s niece, Inez Francis, and Clark’s lawyer, Hartzell, and his secretary, Charlie Melvin. All seem suspicious; none admit to a deep voice like his visitor.

• Pursuit of Clues (13:00–16:01):
  Desmond, an old actor, confirms that a voice can be disguised but not naturally replicated. Templar realizes none of the suspects’ voices match that of his mysterious visitor.

• Second Death and a Suicide Note (16:21–18:44):
  Charlie Melvin is found dead, apparently by suicide, with a note confessing to Clark's murder. Templar doubts the authenticity, noting the police never suspected Clark was murdered.

• The Confrontation at a Secluded House (19:08–24:02):
  Hartzell lures Templar away under false pretenses, hoping to kill him and conceal his own crimes. Templar disarms him and deduces Hartzell killed Charlie to cover up theft, but not Clark.

• The Final Twist (24:08–26:41):
  Templar realizes Clark himself was the mysterious visitor. Facing imminent arrest and a fatal heart condition, Clark orchestrated a revenge from beyond the grave, ensuring suspicion would fall on his associates.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the notion of a 'perfect crime':

  “Poisoning without poison… Very ingenious.” — Simon Templar (04:09)

• Comic relief through Templar’s banter with Inez:

  “Are your voice ever been deeper?” — Simon Templar
  “Heavens no. That’s all.” — Inez Francis (11:22–11:33)

• Summing up the case’s resolution:

  “Your uncle must have been an old man with heart disease... but before he died, he wanted revenge on the lawyer who cheated him and on the secretary who deserted him.” — Simon Templar (25:44–26:17)

• Closing moral from Vincent Price:

  “Poison doesn’t always come in bottles... Poison can take the form of words and acts—the venom of racial and religious hatred.” (27:15)

Segment 2: Night Beat – "Big John McMasters"

Timestamps: 30:08–57:41

Main Theme

Randy Stone, a late-night newspaper reporter, stumbles into the turbulent reentry of Big John McMasters, a former Prohibition-era figure newly released from prison, as violence and redemption intertwine on the night of McMasters’ daughter’s wedding.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Highlights

• Randy Stone Meets McMasters (30:08–34:21):
  In a Chicago nightclub, Stone encounters McMasters, who is recently out after serving 19 years in prison, intent on living clean—but burdened by the past.

  "All I ask is that you just let me alone in the papers." — John McMasters (33:50)

• A Shooting at the Hotel (34:59–36:39):
  Stone and Lt. Curly White head to a hotel where McMasters has been shot. McMasters gives little information, showing stoic resilience.

• Escape from the Hospital (41:44–42:25):
  After being taken for surgery, McMasters escapes, desperately running from death despite his mortal wounds.

• A Tangle of Motives and Blackmail (47:36–51:52):
  Stone tracks down those connected to McMasters: Julian Glass, his old lawyer (broken by years and booze); Marty Engel, a younger associate; and Constance Gardner, a woman whose adopted daughter, Constance, is McMasters’ biological child—a secret used for blackmail.

• Violent Climax (52:07–53:21):
  In a shootout at Glass’s home, Engel is killed by McMasters, while Glass dies defending his old friend.

• Poignant Wedding Finale (54:10–56:22):
  Stone finds McMasters at his daughter’s wedding. Fatally wounded, McMasters participates in her happiness without revealing his identity, dying quietly in a taxi cab afterward.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Prison and Resilience:

  "I paid back ten days for every one I took." — John McMasters (33:50)

• Randy’s empathy for McMasters:

  "If there's any place you need help within the law, just say so." — Randy Stone (38:06)

• Constance’s revelation:

  "That lovely girl... is John McMasters’ daughter." — Mrs. Gardner (51:03)

• Elegiac final lines:

  “It’s all about laws that made criminals and laws that made them not criminals... Maybe Julian Glass was right. They’re all gone now, and the ones who are left are broken and tired.” — Randy Stone (56:22)

Memorable Moments & Comedic Beats

• The Saint’s deadpan sarcasm:

  “You want to go home with me?” “No.”
  “What’s the matter with my home?” — Simon Templar & Louie (06:51–06:54)

• Night Beat’s lyrical narration:

  “Lesson one. The night is for sorrow. The day, regret.” — Randy Stone (30:41)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Murder method described (The Saint): 02:45–04:46
• Clark’s obituary read (The Saint): 05:30–06:09
• Charlie's suicide note and doubts (The Saint): 18:16–18:44
• Saint’s deduction (The Saint): 25:09–26:41
• McMasters in the nightclub (Night Beat): 32:13–34:21
• McMasters shot at hotel (Night Beat): 36:00–36:39
• Mrs. Gardner reveals the family secret (Night Beat): 51:01–51:22
• Climactic shootout (Night Beat): 52:07–53:21
• McMasters' death and Stone’s closing reflection (Night Beat): 56:22–57:16

Tone and Style

• The Saint: Lightly sardonic, witty, and sophisticated, balanced by suspense and sharp observation.
• Night Beat: Melancholic and noir, suffused with the weary compassion and poetry of late-night reporting.

Conclusion

This episode highlights the diversity and depth of old-time radio: the twisty, playful mysteries of “The Saint” and the emotional, character-driven noir of “Night Beat.” Both stories dwell on themes of crime, justice, redemption, and the unintended consequences of our actions—delivered through clever dialogue, vivid soundscapes, and memorable performances.

The episode closes with host RelicRadio inviting listeners to return for more gems from radio’s golden age.