America’s leading detective-fiction writer Dashiell Hammett and radio’s outstanding producer-director of mystery and crime drama William Spier had joined forces to present another weekly episode of The Adventures of Sam Spade.
Film star Howard Duff played Sam Spade. Sam’s loyal, dedicated secretary Effie Perrine was played by actress Lurene Tuttle, who’s character was sweetly naive that provided the perfect counterpoint to Howard Duff’s sarcastic Sam Spade. It was obvious Effie was in love with Sam from their exchanges at the beginning and end of each show. John McIntire was Lt. Dundy and later William Conrad played Lt. Dundy
After its 13 weeks on ABC Radio, the show moved to CBS on September 29, 1946. It was very popular. It was a Sunday night smash for three years. It switched over to NBC at the beginning of the 1949-50 season. Dashiell Hammett became a target of the House Committee on Un-American Activties, and actor Howard Duff found himself listed in Red Channels (a pamphlet listing the names of 151 writers, directors and performers who they claimed had been members of subversive organizations before the Second World War but had not so far been blacklisted). The show’s sponsor said they would not continue with the series unless Dashiell Hammett’s name was removed from the credits. And they had problems with Howard Duff, also.
NBC yanked the show, but after receiving nearly 250,000 letters of protest continued the series a month or two later, replacing Howard Duff with actor Steve Dunne. Steve Dunne was a good actor but he was certainly no Sam Spade. The show came to a halt April 27, 1951 |
