Carl Browning Cleaning Shop: Boston Blackie (December 31, 1946)

“Carl Browning Cleaning Shop” is an episode of Boston Blackie, the old-time radio show, first broadcast December 31, 1946. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Carl Browning, owner of a cleaning shop, is visited by extortionist Jerry Buck demanding $100 a week or he'll destroy the business. Carl seeks help from his friend Boston Blackie, who promises to help. That night, Carl goes to the gym and dinner with his friend Randy, then returns home early the next morning to find Carl dead in bed with no apparent marks or signs of struggle.

A city with a cleaning shop, gym, and restaurant; Port Smith is mentioned as a nearby location

Characters: Boston Blackie, Carl Browning, Randy, Jerry Buck, Mrs. Brown, The Doctor

Listen for: An extortion scheme and a mysterious death that appears natural but Boston Blackie suspects is murder

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.