This radio drama stars Frank Lovejoy in twelve half-hour episodes that aired in 1950, during the golden age of radio.
Among several newspaper-based dramas during radio’s golden age, Night Beat was a cut above the others. It was the story of Randy Stone, a hard-nosed Chicago Star newsman, and his quest for the human-interest story behind the headlines.
Frank Lovejoy starred as Randy Stone, who came to vivid life thanks to expert scripts by Russell Hughes, Larry Marcus, E. Jack Neuman, and John Michael Hayes, who would later write the Hitchcock film classics To Catch a Thief and Rear Window. Lovejoy’s distinctive voice and approach to the role, combined with top performances by veteran radio actors, gave Night Beat a noir style that listeners loved. The stories ran the gamut from lighthearted to tragic, and through it all, Randy Stone, in a hard-boiled yet sensitive portrayal, would narrate the story and comment on it from beginning to end—often with a hard-edged cynicism.
Night Beat aired on NBC radio from 1950 to 1952. This collection includes the following episodes:
The Devil’s Bible (24 Jul 50)
A City at Your Fingertips (31 Jul 50)
Old Blind Pop (7 Aug 50)
Gunner’s Last Fight (14 Aug 50)
Doctor’s Secret (21 Aug 50)
Old Home Week (4 Sep 50)
The Hunter Becomes the Hunted (11 Sep 50)
Wanna Buy a Story? (18 Sep 50)
A Case of Butter (25 Sep 50)
The Kenny Day Amnesia Case (6 Oct 50)
Einar Pierce and Family (13 Oct 50)
Judge Arnold’s Daughter (20 Oct 50)
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“Night Beat…starred Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a tough and streetwise reporter…It is generally regarded as a ‘quality’ show, and it stands up extremely well. Frank Lovejoy (1914–1962) isn’t remembered today, but he was a powerful and believable actor with a strong delivery, and his portrayal of Randy Stone as tough guy with humanity was perfect. The scripts were excellent, given that they had to cover much in a short time. There was a good supporting cast, orchestra, and sound effects.”
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Paul Begg, author of Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History