Synopsis

From July 8, 1950 until September 14, 1952, Tails of the Texas Rangers was a Western radio drama which ran on the NBC radio network. The show was modeled after the very successful dragnet program of the time.

Although set up as a Western, the show was actually a police drama which used sophisticated scientific techniques to track down and apprehend the guilty party. Also, instead of setting the time frame in the 1800s, which was common for westerns at the time, the show dealt with modern crimes which occurred in Texas between 1928 and 1948.

Now a little bit about the Texas Rangers. The Rangers originally started in 1823 by Stephen Austin to protect colonists living in the Spanish province of the time. Now called the Texas Rangers Division, and it's a part of the Texas Department of Public safety, the Rangers have maintained the same operating structure since 1935. Although today,

there are 150 commissioned officers and other employees that make up that division. Now about the show. The series was produced and directed by Stacey Keach Sr. He would work with real-life Texas Ranger, Captain Manuel lone wolf Gonzales. And as the show's advisor, Gonzales was able to provide realism and accuracy to the stories.

95 radio episodes, and one audition episode were created. The audition episode would star Frank Martin, but the run would have the very popular actor Joel McCray starring as Texas Ranger, Jace Pearson. Each show followed the same format, and an announcer would describe the situation.

When the problem was discovered, the Texas Rangers were called in, and Jace Pearson was assigned. He would take over the story until its resolution, when the announcer would give the disposition of the case following close to the Dragnet formula.