NightTransmissions show 129

Murder Clinic:

“A Scrap of Lace”

(9/22/42).

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The Price Of Fear:

William And Mary

(09/08/73).

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Vanishing point:

(The Stories Of J .G. Ballard)

Low Flying Aircraft

(12/05/88).

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Sleep No More:

Thus I Refute Beelzy – The Bookshop.

(03/06/57)

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Murder Clinic – “A Scrap of Lace” aired originally on September 22 of 1942

Murder Clinic which was produced by WOR in New York aired from 1942 to 1943 on the Mutual Network.

An anthology of stories derived from the works of then popular mystery authors the show adapted the likes of Agatha Christie, G.K. Chesterton, John Dickson Carr and many others to excellent effect.

All of this said, there isn’t much historical documentation for the series. The program has evaded the attention of John Dunning and his excellent book, On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, and Jim Cox’s Radio Crime Fighters.

What information exists is scattered here and there across the web. Like a lot of Mutual programs Murder Clinic had no stable day or time throughout its existence which almost certainly contributed to its premature demise.

This week’s selection is the adaptation of a adventure as written by William Hulbert Footner (1879-1944) and published in the book Madam Rosika Storey in 1926 (Link is to e-book seller. I have a link to a free download is at the bottom of this section) It looks very much like the story itself must have first seen publication two or three years earlier. Probably in some magazine or another. I haven’t been able to find anything very certain on this matter.

In this story, a charming and prominent young woman is murdered. This is where Rosika comes into the picture. She is called in to find out who done it and save the family from scandal.

William Hulbert Footner (1879-1944) was born in Hamilton, Canada, and emigrated to New York when he was nineteen. He wanted to be an actor, and his first work was a play in which he was given a small part. Several bit parts followed, and a few unflattering notices from critics. This promoted a change of plans, he decided to become a writer instead. This proved an excellent idea as very early in his career he wrote a handful of adventure stories based on personal experiences including the book, The Huntress which was adapted into a successful movie.

In the early 1920s Footner turned his talents to detective stories. It was in this genre that he built a following in America, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.

Today it is not uncommon for the protagonists in detective fiction to be female, however, in the early 1920s when Madame Storey, Private Investigator was born. Well, this was a bit of a departure but not exactly unheard of....