The Adventures of DICK TRACY

Dick Tracy had a long run on radio, from 1934 weekdays on NBC's New England stations to the ABC network in 1948. Bob Burlen was the first radio Tracy in 1934, and others heard in the role during the 1930s and 1940s were Barry Thomson, Ned Wever [photo] and Matt Crowley. The early shows all had 15-minute episodes, with Bill McClintock doing the sound effects. NBC's weekday afternoon run from January 3, 1938 to April 28, 1939 had sound effects by Keene Crockett and was sponsored by Quaker Oats, which brought Dick Tracy into primetime (Saturdays at 7 pm and, briefly, Mondays at 8 pm) with 30-minute episodes from April 29, 1939 to September 30, 1939. The series returned to 15-minute episodes on the ABC Blue Network from March 15, 1943 to July 16, 1948, sponsored by Tootsie Roll, which used the music theme of "Toot Toot, Tootsie" for its 30-minute Saturday ABC series from October 6, 1945 to June 1, 1946. Sound effects on ABC were supplied by Walt McDonough and Al Finelli. Directors of the series included Mitchell Grayson, Charles Powers and Bob White. Cast members at various times included Walter Kinsella as Pat Patton, Helen Lewis as Tess Trueheart and Andy Donnelly and Jackie Kelk as Junior Tracy. Announcers were Ed Herlihy and Dan Seymour. On July 8, 1945, during a New York newspaper deliverers' strike, New York mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia read a complete Dick Tracy strip over the radio. Jim Ameche portrayed Tracy in a two-record set recorded by Mercury Records in 1947. The record sleeves were illustrated with Sunday strips reprinted in black-and-white for children to color. WIKIPEDIA


 VIDEO: This is a collection of 14 Dick Tracy Radio shows aired between 2/8/1938 and 2/25/1938, containing the story of the Black Pearl of Osirus. The commercials from the normal 15 minute broadcasts have been eliminated along with recaps and voice overs to create one long 2 hour radio broadcast. In 1938, Dick Tracy starred Ned Wever as Dick Tracy and Walter Kinsella as Pat Patton with Keene Crockett on sound effects. Voice actors playing the parts of Driden Small, the High Mogul and Hoomi Bateek have been lost to the years.