Barrie Craig – The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Barrie Craig was a different kind of detective show and Craig as played by William Gargan was a different type of detective: a big gentle easy going guy who always believed his clients until evidence proved otherwise.

In some ways, it poked fun at the private detective genre by giving Craig police-type powers and duties such as making arrests and filling out paperwork. This played off the wide variety of functions and investigations that other PIs took on that were really police functions.

Another time, Craig began his voice over narration by saying, “Manhattan’s my beat,” a clear reference to CBS’ Broadway’s My Beat. Other episodes took a serious turn such as Craig’s poignant caper with a mentally ill young woman.Gargan’s light and easygoing style make each episode of Barrie Craig is like a visit with an old friend talking about his detective adventures. Listeners were more than happy to visit for four years.

Host Adam Graham brings you all surviving episodes of this classic series. Also in this feed are three episodes of Gargan’s earlier detective series, I Deal in Crime from 1947.

These episodes were presented from 2011-12 as part of The Great Detectives of Old Time Radiopodcast.