Nero Wolfe (radio)
Nero Wolfe, the fictional detective genius created in 1934 by Rex Stout, has been portrayed in four radio drama series on five different networks.
The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (ABC)
1943–1944, 30 minutes
Three actors portrayed Nero Wolfe over the course of the series. J.B. Williams starred in its first incarnation, broadcast Wednesdays on the New England Network (April 7–June 30, 1943). Santos Ortega assumed the role when the suspense drama moved to ABC on Mondays (July 5–September 27, 1943) and Fridays (January 21–July 14, 1944). Luis Van Rooten succeeded Ortega in 1944, Nero Wolfe's last year on ABC.[1]
"Santos Ortega played Wolfe," wrote John McAleer in Rex Stout: A Biography. "John Gibson was Archie. Gibson was breezy and Ortega wheezy — indeed, he opened the program with a wheeze, as his signature... Rex thought the actors were creditable but winced at the plots. He never listened to the broadcasts... Louis Vittes was the chief scriptwriter and wrote most of the scripts. None of Rex's story material was used. All characters beside Wolfe, Archie and Cramer were ABC's own. For the use of Wolfe and Archie, Rex received a weekly royalty.
"Differences between (ABC producer) Hi Brown and Edwin Fadiman, who represented Rex's radio, screen and television interests, as Nero Wolfe Attractions, Inc., prevented its later resumption on ABC," McAleer reported. "This fact Brown regretted. 'Nero Wolfe,' Brown says, 'is one of the strongest and most successful detective characters in all of fiction.'"[2]
- "The Case of the Bloodstained Orchid" (July 5, 1943)
- "The Case of the Vacant Blonde" (July 19, 1943)
- "The Case of the Noisy Ghost" (July 26, 1943)
- "The Case of the Deadly Million" (August 2, 1943)
- "The Case of the Stuttering Records" (August 9, 1943)
- "Death Played a Dummy" (August 16, 1943)
- "The Case of the Departed Guest" (August 23, 1943)
- "The Case of the Murderous Signature" (August 30, 1943)
- "The Case of the Allergic Blonde" (September 6, 1943)
- "The Case of the Plastered Bride" (September 13, 1943)
- "The Case of the Missing Mind" (September 20, 1943)
- "The Case of the Red-Headed Baby" (September 27, 1943)
- "The Case of the Traveling Pajamas" (January 28, 1944)
- "The Case of the Superfluous Husband" (February 11, 1944)
- "The Princess Charming Case" (February 18, 1944)
- "The Case of the Bewildered Brothers" (February 25, 1944)
- "The Case of the Two-Headed Dolls" (March 3, 1944)
- "The Case of the Wandering Wife" (March 17, 1944)
- "The Case of the Passionate Pigeon" (March 24, 1944)
- "The Case of the Tattooed Terror" (April 7, 1944)
- "The Case of the Lonely Corpse" (April 14, 1944)
- "The Case of the Coy Cadaver" (April 21, 1944)
- "The Case of the Dying Portrait" (April 28, 1944)
- "The Case of the Million Dollar Baby" (May 5, 1944)
- "The Case of the Tenth Tornado" (May 12, 1944)
- "The Case of the Burning Book" (May 19, 1944)
- "The Wrong Leg Murder" (May 26, 1944)
- "The Case of the Invisible Murderer" (June 2, 1944)
- No title available (June 9, 1944)
- No title available (June 16, 1944)
- No title available (June 23, 1944)
- No title available (June 30, 1944)
- No title available (July 7, 1944)
- "The Last Laugh Murder Case [finale] (July 14, 1944)[3]
The Amazing Nero Wolfe (MBS)
1946, 30 minutes
"The series next surfaced early in 1946, on Sundays, on the Mutual Network," wrote Stout biographer John McAleer, "with Francis X. Bushman, one-time movie idol, as Wolfe, and Elliott Lewis as Archie. ... The scripts once again were network originals. The humor verged on slapstick."[2] The concluding show in the series, "The Case of the Shakespeare Folio," aired December 15, 1946.[3]
The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe (NBC)
1950–1951, 30 minutes
Sydney Greenstreet starred as Nero Wolfe. "Rex thought Greenstreet a splendid choice for the role and Greenstreet did, in fact, fill every reasonable expectation," wrote Stout biographer John McAleer."The wryness of Wolfe, for which Archie's drollery is a whetsone, was not felt in the Ortega or Bushman interpretations. Greenstreet caught it." A succession of Archies included Gerald Mohr, Herb Ellis, Lawrence Dobkin, Harry Bartell, Lamont Johnson and Wally Maher. William Johnstone was heard semi-regularly as Inspector Cramer.
- "Stamped for Murder" (October 20, 1950)
- "The Case of the Careworn Cuff" (October 27, 1950)
- "The Case of the Dear, Dead Lady" (November 3, 1950)
- "The Case of the Headless Hunter" (November 10, 1950)
- "The Case of the Careless Cleaner" (November 17, 1950)
- "The Case of the Beautiful Archer" (November 24, 1950)
- "The Case of the Brave Rabbit" (December 1, 1950)
- "The Case of the Impolite Corpse" (December 8, 1950)
- "The Case of the Girl Who Cried Wolfe" (December 15, 1950)
- "The Case of the Slaughtered Santas" (December 22, 1950)
- "The Case of the Bashful Body" (December 29, 1950)
- "The Case of the Deadly Sell-Out" (January 5, 1951)
- "The Case of the Killer Cards" (January 12, 1951)
- "The Case of the Calculated Risk" (January 19, 1951)
- "The Case of the Phantom Fingers" (January 26, 1951)
- "The Case of the Vanishing Shells" (February 2, 1951)
- "The Case of the Party for Death" (February 16, 1951)
- "The Case of the Malevolent Medic" (February 23, 1951)
- "The Case of the Hasty Will" (March 2, 1951)
- "The Case of the Disappearing Diamonds" (March 9, 1951)
- "The Case of the Midnight Ride" (March 16, 1951)
- "The Case of the Final Page" (March 23, 1951)
- "The Case of the Tell-Tale Ribbon" (March 30, 1951)
- "The Case of the Shot in the Dark" or "A Slight Case of Perjury" (April 6, 1951)
- "The Case of the Lost Heir" (April 20, 1951)
- "The Case of Room 304" [finale] (April 27, 1951)[3][4]
"Radio found three outstanding Nero Wolfes," wrote John McAleer in 1977, "but none of the scripts was perfect." He reports that after hearing five minutes of one of Greenstreet's shows, Stout said he could take no more. "He liked Greenstreet. The script he found impossible."[2]
Nero Wolfe (CBC)
1982, 60 minutes
In 1982, Canadian actor, producer, writer and cultural pioneer Mavor Moore (1919–2006) starred as Nero Wolfe in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's 13-episode radio series Nero Wolfe (a.k.a. Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe). Don Francks portrayed Archie Goodwin, and Cec Linder played Inspector Cramer.
"It took [Toronto actor and producer] Ron Hartmann two years to adapt, direct and produce the 13 episodes for radio," reported the Toronto Globe and Mail. "Ron and I are ardent Nero Wolfe fans, and we're out to convert the listener," Moore said.[5]
The series was released on audiocassette by Durkin Hayes Publishing (DH Audio).
- "Disguise for Murder" (January 16, 1982)
- "Before I Die" (January 23, 1982)
- "Counterfeit for Murder" (January 30, 1982)
- "The Cop Killer" (February 6, 1982)
- "Christmas Party" (February 13, 1982)
- "Cordially Invited to Meet Death" (February 20, 1982)
- "Man Alive" (February 27, 1982)
- "Instead of Evidence" (March 6, 1982)
- "Eeny Meeny Murder Mo" (March 13, 1982)
- "The Squirt and the Monkey" (March 20, 1982)
- "The Next Witness" (March 27, 1982)
- "Death of a Demon" (April 3, 1982)
- "Murder is No Joke" (April 10, 1982)[6]
References
- ^ Hickerson, Jay, The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide to All Circulating Shows, 1992, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514, p. 5; Hood, Steve, Old Time Radio & Nero Wolfe
- ^ a b c McAleer, John, Rex Stout: A Biography (1977, Little, Brown and Company; ISBN 0316553409), p. 324. Reissued as Rex Stout: A Majesty's Life (2002, James A. Rock & Co., Publishers; Hardcover ISBN 0918736439 / Paperback ISBN 0918736447), p. 324, 325 and 487
- ^ a b c Townsend, Guy M., Rex Stout: An Annotated Primary and Secondary Bibliography (1980, Garland Publishing; ISBN 0824094794), pp. 125–126.
- ^ The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe at the Old Time Radio Researchers Group website
- ^ MacNiven, Elina, "Nero Wolfe: Wolfe's verbal coups rendered on radio"; Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada), January 16, 1982.
- ^ Hickerson, Jay, The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide to All Circulating Shows, 1992, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514, p. 6; The Thrilling Detective, Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe
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