Each guide is written from the episode itself, sets up the story and 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.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 466 episode guides
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into the death of wealthy Broadway producer Lamont Scofield, who died supposedly of natural causes. The insurance company suspects his nurse and current beneficiary, Mary T. Smith, may have hastened his death with an overdose of medication to collect the $750,000 policy.
Hartford, Connecticut and Cranford, New Jersey · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Waldo R. Westbury, Dr. Lamont Scofield, Mary T. Smith, Doctor
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether the nurse caused the death of her wealthy employer to collect insurance money; the doctor's revelation that he has ordered an autopsy.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 002 The Slow Boat from China (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Singapore to determine why the SS Shanghai Wayfarer remains delayed at dock, costing his bonding company $2,500 a day. He discovers that the company's expediter, William Harrison, has vanished from his hotel room, and the ship's chief engineer Frank Moore has been found murdered in the harbor, stabbed to death.
Singapore, 1949. The action takes place at the Crown Colony Hotel, the Collier Key Bar, the Tanjung Pagar Docks where the SS Shanghai Wayfarer is moored, the police morgue, and the Wardlow Bar on Melee Street. · Johnny Dollar, Fundy, William Harrison, Frank Moore, Chandra, British Chief Inspector, Bartender at Collier Key Bar, Gangway watch
Listen for: Dollar's clever detective work as he pieces together clues from a hotel room, a bartender's gossip, and personal effects. The growing mystery of Harrison's disappearance and Moore's murder, with a woman named Chandra connected to the dead engineer.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 004 Murder Is a Merry-Go-Round (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Funfair and Weatherly Carnival to investigate a series of suspicious accidents that keep injuring townspeople and draining the insurance company's funds. When Dollar learns that carnival manager Shanty Brennan's nemesis, Carter Lacey, was imprisoned for attempting to kill Brennan's niece Myrtle, he begins to suspect the jailed man may have escaped and be orchestrating the accidents as revenge.
A traveling carnival midway in a small Alabama town, including the carnival grounds, Brennan's trailer, and a hotel coffee shop. · Johnny Dollar, Shanty Brennan, Louise (Pepper), Myrtle, Carter Lacey, Various carnival workers
Listen for: Dollar's witty observations about carnival life and danger; his expense account tallies; confrontations with evasive carnival workers; the revelation of Carter Lacey's vendetta and suspected escape from prison.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 005 Milford Brooks III Matter (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to protect the life of Milford Brooks III, a wealthy but troubled policy holder with a $2 million life insurance policy. Brooks has recently changed his beneficiary to notorious gambler Harold Hatcher and is threatening suicide to extort $500,000 from the insurance company. Dollar takes Brooks to New York and enlists the help of his acquaintance Butter to give the desperate man a reason to live.
Hartford, Connecticut and New York City · Johnny Dollar, Austin Farnsworth, Milford Brooks III, Harold Hatcher, Butter
Listen for: A suicide threat used as blackmail, a mystery surrounding why Brooks owes money to a dangerous gambler, and Johnny Dollar's unconventional methods of keeping his charge alive
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 006 The Stolen Portrait of The Duke of Massen (1949)
Johnny Dollar arrives in London to investigate the theft of a valuable painting by the Old Masters that was part of an international art-sharing program. The portrait of the Duke of Massen, loaned from Paris, vanished from the Corbinbury Art Gallery the night after its arrival, and the theft has already cost the insurance company a quarter-million dollars. Dollar teams up with the museum's assistant, Miss Harding, to examine the scene and begin his investigation.
London, England; the Corbinbury Art Gallery; a ship en route to London · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Morely, Miss Harding, Inspector Coward
Listen for: The details of the theft and Johnny Dollar's investigation into who stole the portrait; mentions of the international masterpieces program and the painting's value.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 008 The Case of the Hundred Thousand Dollar Legs (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Hollywood to bodyguard movie star Marilyn Major for 48 hours under a publicity policy insuring her legs for $100,000. He finds her already murdered in her apartment, and discovers the case involves letters from two men—one signed Barren and another signed Lawrence—connected to a woman's death and a man's suicide.
Hollywood, California; Marilyn Major's penthouse apartment at the Horizon View Apartments on the Sunset Strip; Los Angeles · Johnny Dollar, Harvey Anthony, Marilyn Major, Lieutenant, Miller
Listen for: The murder mystery unfolds as Johnny Dollar investigates the identity of the mysterious men behind the letters and their connection to the dead movie star.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 009 The Case of Barton Drake (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to find Barton Drake, a man who disappeared seven years ago after being suspected of grand larceny and shooting at a police officer. Drake's car went off a bridge into a river with no body recovered, but the police recently spotted someone resembling him at a television broadcast. Now, with Drake about to be declared legally dead and his wife ready to collect his $30,000 life insurance policy, Johnny must determine if Drake is truly alive.
New York City and surrounding areas in 1949 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Green, Mrs. Barton Drake, Barton Drake, Police officer, Gardener, Maid
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's clever investigative techniques, including tapping into a phone call by duplicating the dialed number in an adjacent phone booth to discover where Mrs. Drake is calling.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 011 Who Took the Taxis for a Ride (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar looks into the theft of twelve Apex taxi cabs in New York. When a cab driver is murdered during one of the robberies, Johnny discovers a pattern involving a small dark man with an accent and a large accomplice in a seersucker suit, and must determine whether the taxi company owner's criminal past makes him a suspect or a victim.
New York City, the Apex Taxi Company garage and surrounding areas, 1949 · Johnny Dollar, Gordon McKissick, George Brandon, Vinnie, Marita Guastela
Listen for: The clever use of expense account items to frame the investigation, the humorous characterization of Johnny Dollar's practical thinking, and the introduction of the mysterious Marita Guastela with her lost purse as a potential key to solving the cab thefts.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 013 Murder Ain't Minor (The Case of Bonnie Goodwin) (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by a man named King Hart to locate a girl named Bonnie Goodwin, who is a beneficiary on Hart's insurance policy. Dollar travels to Chicago to track down the elusive young woman, following a trail through various lodgings and encounters with people who know her.
Hartford, Connecticut and Chicago, Illinois · Johnny Dollar, King Hart, Emma, Danny Cade
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's expense account narration as he pursues leads across Chicago; his encounters at various boarding houses and hotels; a mysterious warning about being followed.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 015 Out of the Fire into the Frying Pan (The Prize Hog Bodygua
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, arrives at the Carver County Fair in Iowa as a bodyguard for Rolo, a prize-winning spotted Poland China pig insured for $25,000 by the Blue Ribbon Prime Packing Company. When a woman's diamond brooch is stolen in a staged commotion near the fairgrounds entrance, Johnny becomes a suspect and must clear his name while protecting the valuable swine from potential theft.
Carver County Fair in Carver County, Iowa, during a hot summer day at the fairgrounds and livestock building. · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff Harry, Mrs. Tiller, Worthington Tiller, Alva Anderson, Rolo (Rosie Barron of Iowa)
Listen for: The clever banter between Johnny Dollar and the suspicious sheriff, Johnny's witty commentary about guarding a pig, and his flirtation with Alva Anderson as he learns about pig husbandry.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 017 The Expiring Nickels and the Egyptian Jackpot (1949)
Johnny Dollar is summoned to Calcutta by Chaplain Joe Blessings to help save an innocent man facing execution in Cairo. A witness named William Brix possesses evidence that can prove the man's innocence, but Brix is gravely ill. Johnny must transport the dying man and a loaded Luger—the murder weapon—to Cairo before dawn, racing against time and unexpected complications.
Calcutta, India and en route to Cairo, Egypt by cargo plane, 1949 · Johnny Dollar, Chaplain Joe Blessings, Lionel Brooks Nichols, Miles, William Brix, Frankie, A woman stowaway
Listen for: The setup of a race against time to save an innocent man from execution, a mysterious stowaway who boards the cargo plane over the Red Sea, and the murder weapon that becomes central to the case.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 018 The Search for Michelle Marsh (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to find Michelle Marsh, a missing woman whose sister holds a $25,000 policy on her. When Johnny arrives at Michelle's Boston apartment, he finds a private detective shot dead outside the building, and a book of matches from a local bar is the only clue in her empty rooms.
Boston, Massachusetts - an apartment house on Longwood and Huntington Avenue and a local bar called Flannery's · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Darling, Mrs. Macy, Blackie, The Bartender
Listen for: Johnny's sharp narration as he pieces together the connection between the dead detective and the missing Michelle Marsh, and the mysterious employer who left town with her.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 019 The Fishing Boat Affair (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to San Pedro, California to investigate a $400,000 claim for two fishing boats, the Frank Walton and Nancy Walton, which allegedly sank in calm weather with the loss of two crew members. When Johnny discovers evidence of violent explosions that may indicate insurance fraud through scuttling, he begins tracking down Captain George Carpo, the fleet manager, and learns of suspicious activity involving money and a mysterious woman named Anita Vargas.
San Pedro, California in 1949, including a restaurant and bar called the Cormorant, the docks, and Captain Carpo's residence on Parade Street. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Roscoe Walton, Captain George Carpo, Anita Vargas, Lieutenant Senior Grade Miles P. Endicott Jr.
Listen for: Johnny's witty observations about his investigation, his interactions with the suspicious Captain Carpo, and the growing evidence pointing toward insurance fraud involving explosives planted on the fishing boats.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 020 The Racehorse Piledriver Matter (1949)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, is hired by Little Nettie Montana to protect the racehorse Pile Driver, who is heavily insured and no longer winning races. Nettie fears that the horse's owner, Colonel Faraday Bushnell, plans to have the horse killed to collect the insurance. Johnny travels to Hayawatha track near Chicago to investigate and meet the Colonel's daughter Lila, who shows him the horse and reveals her close attachment to him.
Hartford and Hayawatha racing track near Chicago, Michigan, in 1949 · Johnny Dollar, Little Nettie Montana, Colonel Faraday Bushnell, Lila Bushnell, Leo, Mac
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into whether the racehorse Pile Driver is in genuine danger from his owner, and the complications arising from his attraction to Lila Bushnell and interference from the jealous Leo.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 021 Dr Otto Schmedlich (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Los Angeles to investigate Dr. Otto Schmedlich, a physician with a malpractice insurance policy. The insurance company suspects criminal malpractice rather than accidental, which would allow them to cancel his coverage. Dollar befriends the doctor's nurse Doreen to gather information about Schmedlich's patients and practices.
Los Angeles, California, primarily the Sun Tower Medical Center on Wilshire Boulevard and surrounding locations · Johnny Dollar, Homer (insurance company official), Dr. Otto Schmedlich, Doreen (the doctor's nurse)
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's characteristic witty banter and flirtation with the nurse, his expense account narration, and his initial investigation into the doctor's suspicious medical practices
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 022 Witness, Witness, Who's Got the Witness (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by bail bondsman Max Krause to find two missing prosecution witnesses in a case against Leo Porcina before trial begins in a week. Dollar's search for one witness, Nippy Cochran, leads him to Nippy's sister Mona Doyle, a Broadway performer who introduces him to the dangerous criminal Porcina himself.
New York City, including Dollar's Hartford apartment and an 81st Street brownstone apartment where Mona Doyle lives · Johnny Dollar, Max Krause, Nippy Cochran, Mona Doyle, Leo Porcina, Dan Patterson
Listen for: The clever banter between Dollar and Mona as their initial confrontation turns flirtatious, and the tense confrontation when Leo Porcina arrives at the apartment.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 023 The Little Man Who Wasn't All There (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives an assignment to track down James Yarboe, whose wife's insurance policy was canceled one day before her death. Since then, Yarboe has been sending cryptic letters to the insurance company while seemingly engineering the deaths of multiple people connected to the company, leaving no evidence for police to act on. Johnny begins investigating the victims' families and trailing Yarboe to his house on Lombard Street, where he discovers a macabre collection of criminal artifacts and booby traps.
San Francisco and surrounding areas, including Yarboe's house on Lombard Street filled with crime museum artifacts and booby traps · Johnny Dollar, Bradford L. Coates, James Yarboe, Mrs. Janelli, Mr. Dykes, Mrs. Weatherly
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's clever narration of his expense account investigation, his dangerous confrontation with the mysterious Yarboe in a house rigged with explosives, and the mounting evidence of Yarboe's vengeful scheme against the insurance company
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 024 The Island of Tin-Yutan (The South Sea Adventure) (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to the remote island of Tin-Yutan in the South Seas to investigate a $50,000 life insurance claim involving the Grand East Development Corporation. Upon arriving at the island by chartered schooner, he discovers a dead body hanging from a shipwrecked vessel and encounters a mysterious fellow passenger who emerges with guns drawn, creating a tense and dangerous situation.
The island of Tin-Yutan off the coast of New Guinea in the South Seas, aboard the chartered schooner Kitty-Wake, and the surrounding waters. · Johnny Dollar, Captain Steve Granger, Mr. Nockie, The mysterious fellow passenger
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's dry narration about his insurance investigation work and growing suspicion of the mysterious passenger; the atmospheric descriptions of sea travel and arrival at the island; the tense confrontation at the end when the armed passenger makes his appearance.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 025 The Melanie Carter Matter (Who'd Like To Rock The Old Doll
Wealthy elderly Melanie Carter, fearing her greedy niece and nephew might murder her for her insurance money as happened to her late husband, hires insurance investigator Johnny Dollar to look into whether they pose a genuine threat. Dollar moves quickly through Boston, investigating both relatives' financial situations and discovering them very interested in a mysterious California oil investment opportunity.
Boston, Massachusetts—primarily Beacon Hill and Cambridge, with visits to Harvard Square and the Vassure Trotting Club, spanning the Charles River · Johnny Dollar, Melanie Carter, Crystal Carter (niece's wife), Chalmers Carter (nephew), Sophia Carter (niece)
Listen for: Dollar's running commentary on his expenses and investigative moves, the contrast between Melanie's elegant nineteenth-century home and her modern wheelchair, and the suspicious speed with which the relatives respond to news of available money
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 026 The Skull Canyon Mine (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to the Skull Canyon mine to investigate suspected fraud. After a harrowing jeep ride through the desert with Jackie, an efficiency expert, he meets the mine manager Doyle and tours the operation, which appears to be working only one mining face despite claims of recent productivity.
Skull Canyon mine in the Arizona desert, 23 miles from the town of Twin Buttes · Johnny Dollar, Jackie, Doyle, Larry Hodges
Listen for: Johnny's colorful commentary on the rough desert terrain and cramped mine conditions; the mystery of the missing former manager Larry Hodges who abandoned Jackie at the altar
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 027 Bodyguard to Anne Connelly (1949)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Milwaukee as a bodyguard for Anne Connolly, a woman terrified of Neil Grafter, a man she once knew who is being released from prison on parole today and has threatened to kill her if she looks at another man. Dollar finds the situation puzzling when he discovers that despite claiming she couldn't afford protection, Connolly lives in an elegant house with a personal maid and spends her evenings out with other men.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin; an elegant house on the right side of town · Johnny Dollar, Franklin Haley, Anne Connolly, Neil Grafter, Ray Merrick, Cora
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's witty observations about his assignment and growing confusion about why a supposedly desperate woman lives such a comfortable life
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 028 The Circus Animal Show Matter (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at Maximilian Sandro's animal show winter quarters in Georgia to look into threats against a valuable black leopard named Ashanti. Someone attempted to steal the leopard from her cage, and Sandro fears she'll be taken before the show opens. Dollar meets the tough animal handler Tex Franble, who captured Ashanti in Africa, and Sandro's daughter Angela, while trying to determine who wants the leopard and why.
Maximilian Sandro's animal show winter quarters on a vacant lot outside Brunswick, Georgia · Johnny Dollar, Maximilian Sandro, Tex Franble, Angela, An elephant
Listen for: The discovery of who's behind the theft attempts and whether Ashanti can be kept safe until the show opens
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 029 Haiti Adventure Matter (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to investigate a claim on Ralph Gordon's life insurance policy. Ralph is reportedly dying from a voodoo curse, but Dollar suspects there may be more to the story than supernatural explanations. He boards Gordon's yacht to get answers from Ralph himself and his mysterious wife.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti; aboard Ralph Gordon's yacht in the harbor · Johnny Dollar, Ralph Gordon, Thomas Gordon, Ralph's wife, Kev Reagan
Listen for: The mystery of what is really causing Ralph Gordon's illness and why his wife and brother may have conflicting motives regarding his condition.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 030 The Department Store Swindle Matter (How I Played Santa Cl
A smooth-operating con man has been hitting New York department stores during the Christmas rush, posing as a salesman to make fraudulent sales and pocket cash. When insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in to stop the swindles, the case takes a dark turn at the Miller store when the crook shoots a store detective and kidnaps a young girl who photographed him.
New York City department stores during Christmas week, particularly the Miller store and its various departments including the toy section. · Johnny Dollar, Judy Whitehall, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Sandler, Store Manager, Store Detective, Little Bobby, Bobby's Mother
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's clever scheme to get information from a traumatized child by bringing her to meet Santa Claus in the toy department; the escalation from petty swindling to violent crime when the con man shoots a store detective.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 034 Death Takes a Working Day (The Loyal B Martin Matter) (195
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Connecticut estate of murdered policyholder Loyo B. Martin to determine whether the insurance company must pay out. Martin was shot twice in the back in his library, and Lieutenant Markwood has identified four suspects, all living in the household: Martin's young wife Joy Ann, his jealous housekeeper Mrs. Tompkins, his broke younger brother Marty, and the bodyguard Nick Bellotti. Each has motive and opportunity, and all seem reluctant to talk.
The Martin estate in Fairfield County, Connecticut, particularly the Victorian mansion with its library where the murder occurred. · Johnny Dollar, Edmund Dobrion, Mrs. Martin (Joy Ann), Lieutenant Markwood, Mrs. Tompkins (housekeeper), Marty (Martin's younger brother), Nick Bellotti (bodyguard)
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation as he interviews the suspects and uncovers their connections to the victim and to each other, especially the romantic entanglements involving the young widow and the housekeeper's jealousy.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 035 The S.S. Malay Trader Ship (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar signs on as an ordinary seaman aboard the S.S. Malay Trader to investigate suspected arson involving a shipment of crude rubber. The cargo, insured before the British pound devalued, is worth more destroyed than delivered, and it's being loaded aboard ship again after sitting in a warehouse. Dollar must uncover whether the ship's owners plan to deliberately destroy the cargo to collect insurance money.
Savannah, Georgia and aboard the S.S. Malay Trader, a rusty Liberty ship preparing to sail for Corpus Christi and Veracruz · Johnny Dollar, Al Rota, Chief Holf, Ami, Mr. Pila
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into the suspicious rubber cargo and growing evidence that something is wrong aboard the ship
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 036 The Gravedigger's Spades (Mr & Mrs Arbuthnel Trump) (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to North Dakota to investigate Mr. and Mrs. Trump, who have calmly written to their insurance company stating they intend to commit suicide. Upon arrival at their remote house, Johnny finds the couple seemingly happy and content, insisting they have made up their minds and have even been examined by psychiatrists who declared them mentally sound. They claim they plan to dispose of themselves as payment to the world for the beautiful life they've enjoyed.
High Bridge, North Dakota, during winter; the remote Trump house and surrounding town · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Trump, Mrs. Trump, Station Master, Taxi Driver
Listen for: A mysterious insurance case involving a couple's announced suicide plans, strange packages marked 'deadly' arriving at the house, and Johnny's attempts to understand why seemingly happy people would want to end their lives
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 037 The Archeologist (The Disappearance of Bruce Lambert) (195
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by Miss Lambert to find her missing archaeologist brother, Bruce, who vanished from a ship in New York harbor four days ago. Bruce had smuggled ancient Egyptian relics out of Egypt, including valuable statuary and a royal seal, and was injured in an accident before leaving—all circumstances that may explain his mysterious disappearance.
New York City, with backstory set in Egypt; primary scenes at Brighton Arms Hotel and a red brick hotel near 39th Street · Johnny Dollar, Miss Lambert, Bruce Lambert, Cab Driver 782, Hotel Room Clerk
Listen for: The mystery deepens when Johnny discovers the stolen Egyptian statue in Bruce's hotel room and confronts an unexpected visitor—someone who knows Johnny found the hiding place.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 038 Bodyguard to the Late Robert W Perry (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to bodyguard policy holder Robert W. Perry, who fears for his life. Before Dollar can even meet with him, a booby trap rigged to Perry's desk buzzer kills him instantly. Now Dollar must investigate who wanted Perry dead and why, with a $100,000 life insurance policy hanging in the balance.
New York City, Lower Manhattan; offices of Perry and Van Bruten, importers · Johnny Dollar, Robert W. Perry, Susan Gates, Mr. Van Bruten, Christine Perry
Listen for: The shocking death scene when Johnny Dollar arrives; the revelation that Perry's wife Christine was about to be removed from his will; the suspicious appearance of business partner Van Bruten from Holland.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 039 Alec Jefferson, The Youthful Millionaire (Rebel Wildcatter
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to California to find Alec Jefferson, a young millionaire who financed an oil drilling operation and vanished a week ago while driving from the oil rig to his Hollywood apartment. Johnny begins his search by interviewing the operation's manager, discovers Jefferson's wife living in his apartment, and encounters a mysterious private detective named Philip Wilkins who claims to recognize him as an old school friend.
California oil fields and Hollywood, 1950s · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Flaherty, Mrs. Alec Jefferson, Morris Plattie, Philip Wilkins
Listen for: The mystery deepens as Johnny investigates the disappearance of the wealthy young man and learns of his complicated personal life involving multiple women and questionable associates.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 040 The Eighty-Five Little Minks (1950)
When 85 mink coats worth $300,000 are stolen from the Elwood Faber Department Store in Boston, night watchman Cronin is shot and left in the cold storage vault. Johnny Dollar arrives to investigate a professional job—the vault door was opened with expert safecracking, picked clean without a trace of tools or damage.
Elwood Faber Department Store, Boston, Massachusetts; third floor fur vault and surrounding offices · Johnny Dollar, Ed Bonner, Lieutenant Delaney, Cronin, Al Reedy, Emetree Stroganoff
Listen for: The details of how the thief opened the vault without forcing it, why the night watchman on duty heard nothing, and the identity of a safecracker skilled enough to pull off such a neat job.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 041 The Man Who Wrote Himself to Death (Stuart Palmer, Writer)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Chicago to investigate Stuart Palmer, a struggling playwright who recently purchased a $100,000 life insurance policy and is now in jail on suspicion of murder. Dollar interviews Palmer's wife and discovers Palmer has been conducting research for his crime play by associating with criminals, and learns that Palmer's friend Neil Beasley may have significant influence over him.
Chicago, Cook County Jail, West Madison district, the Palmer home, and the Atomic Tavern · Johnny Dollar, Stuart Palmer, Mrs. Palmer, Neil Beasley, George Michaelcough, Lieutenant Markowitz, Roscoe
Listen for: The emerging picture of a struggling writer who may have taken out insurance under suspicious circumstances, with his mysterious criminal associate Neil Beasley playing an undefined role in his life
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 042 The Village Scene Matter (The Missing Masterpiece) (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Boston to investigate the theft of a valuable painting called "The Village Scene," which was stolen from the Mordan Art Gallery. The painting, valued at $250,000 and owned by Caesar Riddo, was on loan to the gallery when it disappeared through what appears to be a straightforward window job. As Dollar begins his investigation, he uncovers tensions between the gallery owner André Mordan and Riddo, and discovers that Riddo himself may have questionable financial dealings.
Boston, including the Mordan Art Gallery on a modest brownstone, the police station, and Caesar Riddo's residence on Beacon Hill. · Johnny Dollar, André Mordan, his daughter, Caesar Riddo, Sergeant Heinz, Lily Swanson
Listen for: The theft of an expensive masterpiece and Dollar's interviews with the gallery owner, police, and the painting's owner as he pieces together the circumstances of the burglary.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 043 The Story of the Big Red Schoolhouse (1950)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Manhattan, Nebraska to investigate a fire that destroyed a newly constructed schoolhouse, killing Joe Stankovich who lived in the basement. The building collapsed despite being brand new, and architect Bill Garrett suggests the structure was poorly built. Dollar begins to uncover suspicious details about the construction, the building contractor Jim Madden, and local building inspector Mike Figuero.
Manhattan, Nebraska, a small town where a new high school building has caught fire and collapsed; the Cheyenne Hotel and surrounding locations in town. · Johnny Dollar, Paco Gonzalez, Joe Stankovich, Bill Garrett, Jim Madden, Mike Figuero, Vivian DeGaron
Listen for: The mystery of why a brand new building burned down and collapsed so quickly, and whether there was negligence or fraud in its construction.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 044 The Dead First-Helpers (1950)
Johnny Dollar goes undercover as a cinder snap at Cornell Steel in Pittsburgh to investigate a series of deaths among experienced first helpers at the open-hearth furnaces. The company reports them as accidents, but Johnny suspects murder and begins to uncover tension and fear among the workers that may connect to planned layoffs.
Cornell Steel mill in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; steel workers' homes and cafeteria · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Barrett, Andre, Joe Poland, Fred, Kirk Brody's widow, Edmund O'Brien
Listen for: The details of industrial hazards in steel mills, the conversations between Johnny and the workers he befriends, and the revelation about layoff notices posted in the locker room.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 045 The Story of the Ten-O-Eight (Unedited Drama Portions) (19
A freight car on the Atlantic Central Railway is broken into and half its cargo stolen between Buffalo and Batavia. Johnny Dollar investigates the theft, discovering tire marks and an abandoned shack, then finds a wrecked yellow truck with a dying driver named Blakey who implicates someone named Jake before expiring.
Buffalo and upstate New York along the Atlantic Central Railway line, including Batavia, the junction, a rural shack, a wrecked truck site, and the Horseshoe Bar and Grill · Johnny Dollar, Harry Pullen, Mr. Grims, Andy Mattson, Skeeter Minkowski, Ruth Smith, Eaf Grams, Bogotus
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's quick deduction about how the theft was committed, the mysterious Ruth Smith asking questions about trains, the discovery of the yellow truck and Blakey's dying accusation of Jake
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 046 Pearl Carrasa (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar tracks down the beneficiary of a $5,000 life insurance policy for the deceased Pearl Carrasa, a lonely young woman who was murdered in New York. Dollar's investigation leads him from a death row interview with the convicted murderer to the girl's former apartment building, then to Las Vegas following a trail of forwarded mail to the Rambo Club.
New York City and Las Vegas, 1950 · Johnny Dollar, Marty Pruitt, Lieutenant Bernard Goldberg, Pearl Carrasa, the building manager
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's methodical expense-account narration as he pieces together clues about a mysterious young woman and searches for her beneficiary
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 047 The Able Tackitt Matter (Unedited Drama Portions) (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to British North Borneo to locate Abel Tackett, a man who disappeared five years ago and whose wife stands to receive over $700,000 if he is confirmed dead. Dollar travels by ship to the remote island, where he begins gathering information about the mysterious and dangerous Tackett from locals who speak of him in fearful, contradictory terms.
An apartment in America; aboard a ship bound for the Philippines; the island of British North Borneo, including the port town of Sandakan and the interior settlement of Kwamut. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Tackett, Captain, Crew members, Local inhabitants of Borneo
Listen for: Dollar's investigation into the enigmatic Abel Tackett unfolds through conversations with ship captains and local people who hint at Tackett's violent nature and troubled past, while Dollar navigates the oppressive tropical environment.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 048 The Harold Trandem Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Bel Air estate of wealthy Harold Trandam after an attempted murder on the man's life. When Trandam is shot and killed right before Johnny's eyes on the terrace, the investigation deepens as Johnny discovers the last word Trandam uttered was 'Lila'—a mysterious woman connected to the case.
Los Angeles and North Hollywood, including Harold Trandam's Bel Air estate and the Village High Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Harold Trandam, Mrs. Mabel Trandam, Lyla (also called Miss Wenig), Jack Barton, the bodyguard
Listen for: The mystery of who really killed Trandam and what role the enigmatic Lyla plays in his death; the revelation that Trandam was universally hated and the police's suspicion of Mrs. Trandam.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 049 The Sidney Rykoff Matter (Unedited Drama Portions) (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar races against time to deliver a $25,000 ransom for kidnapped boxer Sidney Reichhoff, who has seven hours to live. After navigating a dangerous storm to reach Kansas City by midnight and leaving the money at a cemetery mausoleum, Johnny begins investigating Reichhoff's background the next morning, discovering the boxer may not be what he seems.
Kansas City, Missouri and its surroundings; an athletic club; a cemetery; Reichhoff's home · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Dallai, Sidney Reichhoff, Gary Medill, Reichhoff's wife, plane pilot, cemetery contact
Listen for: The tense countdown to the ransom deadline; Johnny's dangerous charter flight through a storm; revelations about Reichhoff's character, his wife's demanding nature, and his boxing career; the mystery of whether the kidnapping is genuine.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 050 The Earl Chadwick Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Bermuda after a witness claims to have spotted Earl Chadwick, a man declared dead four years earlier who disappeared with $30,000 from his employer. Chadwick's widow collected an $80,000 life insurance claim, but Dollar suspects the man may still be alive under an assumed name. Dollar tracks down a man calling himself George Brewster and confronts him at a nightclub to determine if he is truly the missing Chadwick.
Bermuda, primarily Hamilton and the Port of Castile nightclub, with opening scenes in Hartford, Connecticut · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Marshall, Earl Chadwick / George Brewster, Chief Constable, Hotel keeper, Joe
Listen for: The classic hard-boiled insurance investigator at work, confronting a suspicious character in a tropical setting; Johnny Dollar's methodical approach to verifying identity through physical evidence and direct questioning.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 051 The Port-au-Prince Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Port-au-Prince, Haiti to investigate a $150,000 policy on Ralph Gordon, a wealthy man's dissolute son who is reportedly dying from a voodoo curse. Dollar travels to the island to debunk the curse claim and discover what is actually wrong with Gordon, meeting the mysterious boatman Cap Riggen, Gordon's sharp-tongued wife Edwina, and Gordon's brother Dr. Thomas Gordon who first reported the curse.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Ralph Gordon's yacht anchored in the harbor · Johnny Dollar, Cap Riggen, Ralph Gordon, Edwina Gordon, Dr. Thomas Gordon, Papa L'Oyle
Listen for: The colorful boatman Cap Riggen's warnings about the island and Gordon's drinking; Edwina's hostile reception of Dollar and her biting remarks; the mystery of why Dr. Thomas Gordon reported the voodoo curse to the insurance company.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 052 The Caligio Diamond Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate the theft of the Caligio Diamond, a valuable stone worth $200,000 that was kept in a wall safe in the home of George Benson. Benson is found shot dead in his study with the safe open and the diamond missing. Dollar begins interviewing those close to Benson, including his daughter and the family lawyer, to determine who had access to the safe's combination.
A town called Hoffman, primarily in Benson's home and Mr. Carrigan's law office on Main Street · Johnny Dollar, Miss Benson, Benson's daughter, Mrs. Benson, Bob, Mr. Carrigan, George Benson
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's wry observations as he investigates the crime, and a crucial conversation he overhears that reveals a motive involving an affair and a planned divorce
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 053 The Arrowcraft Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Newport Beach to investigate a series of Arrowcraft pleasure boat sinkings that have claimed eleven lives. When a chartered search vessel discovers a sunken Arrowcraft in the fog, Dollar boards the derelict and finds the body of a young woman in the cabin, bearing a suspicious bruise behind her ear that suggests she may have been struck before the ship went down.
Newport Beach, California and offshore waters, 1950. The investigation centers on a series of sinking Arrowcraft boats in fog-shrouded waters thirty miles from the coast. · Johnny Dollar, Millard Snell, Robert, Fred Crocker, Myers, Dr. Sainte, Antonio Caruso, Chester McNeil
Listen for: Dollar's discovery of Antonio Caruso's body aboard the derelict vessel and his suspicion that the bruising behind her ear indicates foul play rather than accidental drowning. The mystery of why she was alone on the boat and whether her death is connected to the other sinkings.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 054 The London Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to England to track narcotics that may have been packed in the trunks of film director Broderick Green and actress Dorothy Rivers. Dollar boards a ship to monitor Lorraine Miller, the couple's confidential secretary traveling with the trunks, and discovers her brother is also aboard. As the voyage progresses, Johnny finds Miller behaving mysteriously and learns from the ship's detective that a passenger named Miles Fanning—wanted by federal agents—is also on the crossing.
Aboard the SS Maristown traveling from New York to Southampton, England in 1950, and briefly in Los Angeles and New York. · Johnny Dollar, Lorraine Miller, Broderick Green, Dorothy Rivers, Team Anne Nelson, Clarence Dawn, Miles Fanning, Lorraine Miller's brother
Listen for: The mystery of what Lorraine Miller knows about the narcotics operation, the identity and intentions of Miles Fanning, and whether Miller's brother is involved in smuggling.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 055 The Barbara James Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Denver to investigate the disappearance of Barbara James, a young woman who vanished six weeks ago. Her wealthy husband, a man twice her age, insists she wouldn't have left without contacting him, but the police suspect she ran away. Dollar begins interviewing those close to Barbara, including a nightclub owner named Bennett who had pursued her.
Denver, Colorado - including police headquarters, the James mansion, and the Yellow Bird Cafe nightclub · Johnny Dollar, Detective Lieutenant Harrison, Martin James, Bennett, Fred Vogel, Barbara James
Listen for: Bennett's shifting story about his relationship with Barbara James, and the revelation that Barbara's first husband is in town
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 056 The Belo-Horizonte Railroad (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Rio de Janeiro to investigate a series of railroad crashes on the Belo-Horizonte line. Railroad president Benjamin Halli suspects sabotage and blames foreman Henry Myers, but Myers claims the accidents were caused by broken pins that someone deliberately failed to report before the engines left the yard.
Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, Brazil; a hospital room, the railroad executive offices, a taxi, and Myers' home · Johnny Dollar, Benjamin J. Halli, Henry Myers, Mrs. Myers, The taxi driver
Listen for: The mystery of who knew about the broken pins and deliberately allowed the damaged engines to leave the yard, setting the stage for further investigation into potential sabotage.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 057 The Calgary Matter (1950)
Johnny Dollar is summoned to Alliance Bonding Company to investigate a mysterious phone call about an armored car robbery. A young woman arranges a secret meeting in a cabin to put him in touch with someone involved in the heist who wants to turn state's witness, but only if he can be taken directly to the New Jersey district attorney's office where the crime occurred.
Hartford and New York City in 1950, including a cabin near Long Island Sound. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Matthews, Miss Mills, John Doe, A young woman
Listen for: The details of what the mysterious informant demands in exchange for his testimony, and whether Johnny can safely deliver him to New Jersey.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 058 The Henry J Unger Matter (1950)
Johnny Dollar is framed when someone sends a wire in his name to his old flame Eileen, luring her to his apartment. Henry J. Unger and his associate Ferdy arrive and, after forcing Johnny to watch them work on Eileen, inject something into Johnny's arm before he loses consciousness. He wakes to find himself holding a gun, his arm punctured, and no memory of what happened.
Johnny Dollar's apartment in the city, and later Dr. Norwich's home · Johnny Dollar, Eileen, Henry J. Unger, Ferdy, Dr. Norwich
Listen for: A mysterious injection, a framing scheme involving a forged wire, and Johnny's determination to uncover who set him up and why
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 060 The Blood River Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Blood River to investigate the shooting of Max Coburn, a wealthy rancher who had taken out $50,000 in life insurance. Coburn is shot by an unknown assailant at his home and dies in the hospital. Dollar arrives in the remote mountain town to look into the circumstances of the shooting and find the gunman.
Blood River, a small village of about 300 people in a mountain valley, and St. Paul's Hospital; present day (1950s) · Johnny Dollar, Deputy Sheriff Tom Grey, Max Coburn, Frank Coburn, Mary Coburn, Dr. Fulton, Millie
Listen for: The details of Millie's eyewitness account of the shooting at Coburn's home, and the investigation into who shot the rancher and why.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 061 The Hartford Alliance Matter (1950)
A mysterious young man is arrested for setting a fire at the Lions building, a property owned by financially troubled businessman Clarence Pickett. Johnny Dollar investigates while the suspect refuses to reveal his identity, claims Pickett hired him to commit arson, and insists on taking the fall—but a psychiatrist finds him deeply troubled and secretive about something beyond the fire itself.
A city fire scene at the Lions building and police headquarters. · Johnny Dollar, Bart, Sergeant Broderick, Martin, The young suspect, Clarence Pickett, Dr. Herbert, An off-duty policeman
Listen for: The tense interrogation of the defiant young arsonist, Johnny Dollar's sharp questioning of the building's owner, and Dr. Herbert's psychiatric assessment that hints at hidden motives beyond what anyone is saying.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 062 The Mickey Mc Queen Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives a late-night visit from his old friend Mickey McQueen, a police sergeant, who seems deeply troubled and hints at murders being planned and committed. When Johnny later visits Mickey's apartment, he discovers the sergeant hanging dead in his closet, and must unravel the mystery behind his friend's cryptic warnings and sudden death.
Hertford, Connecticut and Mickey McQueen's apartment · Johnny Dollar, Mickey McQueen, Tom (Mickey's wife), Martin
Listen for: The tension in Mickey's midnight phone call and visit, his cryptic references to murder and corruption, and the shock of discovering his body in the closet.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 063 The Trans-Pacific Import Export Company, South China Branc
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Hong Kong to investigate a $200,000 fire claim from the Trans-Pacific Import-Export Company's South China branch. The fire has been blamed on vandalism, but the insurance company suspects fraud, especially since a similar fire at the company's Shanghai branch resulted in a suspicious death of the previous investigator. Dollar arrives in Hong Kong to find himself under surveillance and begins interviewing witnesses and the company's owner, William Meadows.
Hong Kong in the aftermath of World War II, a crowded city overwhelmed by refugees from the Chinese interior; also references the company's Shanghai branch. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Grover, William Meadows, Miss Vadres, Franklin Abbott
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether the fire was accidental vandalism or deliberate insurance fraud; the mysterious surveillance following him around Hong Kong; the connection between this fire and a previous suspicious fire and death in Shanghai.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 064 The Virginia Beach Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to protect Janice Browning, whose imprisoned fiancé George Robeson has threatened to kill her upon his release. Dollar travels to Virginia Beach and settles into the cottage to guard Janice through the night as Robeson is expected to arrive at any moment. As tension mounts and midnight passes, unexpected visitors begin moving through the darkened house.
Virginia Beach, Virginia, a cottage south of the village near Norfolk, and the surrounding area · Johnny Dollar, Carl Brewster, Janice Browning, Betty Light, George Masters, George Robeson
Listen for: The growing menace as the night progresses, mysterious movements in the darkened cottage, and the revelation of Janice's complicated relationships
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 065 The Howard Caldwell Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to find Howard Caldwell, a 23-year-old who left home a year ago for San Francisco claiming to study art. His devoted mother believes he is in trouble after receiving cryptic letters telling her not to contact the police and that he has gone to another life. Johnny travels to San Francisco to investigate Howard's disappearance and uncover the mystery surrounding his sudden departure.
San Francisco and Connecticut; 1950. The investigation spans Mrs. Caldwell's country estate in Connecticut and Howard's apartment in a brownstone on Taylor Street in San Francisco, as well as the Orlando School of Art and various bars and restaurants. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Caldwell, Howard Caldwell, apartment house manager, Miss Orlando, bartender
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's detailed expense account reporting as he pieces together clues from Howard's mailbox, sketches, matchbook collections, and interviews with those who may have known the missing young man.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 066 The Richard Splain Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate a mysterious crime scene in a tenement apartment where all the signs point to murder—blood stains, broken furniture, evidence of a violent struggle—but no body is found. The apartment is rented by Richard Splain, who holds a life insurance policy with his estranged wife Clara as beneficiary. Johnny must piece together what happened to Splain, a ship's carpenter who works on vessels traveling between New York and North African ports.
New York City, 1950—including a tenement apartment on the East Side, a police precinct, Mrs. Splain's apartment on Second Avenue, and the offices of the Corinthian Life and Liability insurance company. · Johnny Dollar, Bruce Hardwick, Sergeant (homicide), Mrs. Clara Splain, Mark Bond, Shorty
Listen for: The discovery of a mysterious crime scene with no victim, Johnny's interviews with the estranged Mrs. Splain and her new companion Mark Bond, clues about Splain's work as a ship's carpenter, and a late-night phone call from Clara with urgent news.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 067 The Yankee Pride Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Singapore to investigate the delayed cargo ship Yankee Pride, which is losing money for tri-state insurance at 2% per day. He discovers that the insurance company's local adjuster, a young Chinese man named Kufo Sun, has been mysteriously killed while investigating the ship, and now Dollar must uncover whether the death and the ship's mechanical troubles are connected or merely coincidence.
Singapore, 1950; the tri-state insurance office, the East Docks where the Yankee Pride is berthed, and Ben Coolant Street in the native quarters · Johnny Dollar, Carl Bush, Mr. L's, Kufo Sun, Kufo Sun's brother, the Chief Engineer, the Rickshaw driver
Listen for: The developing mystery surrounding the dead adjuster's connection to a Malayan woman and the threatening stranger who visited Kufo Sun's brother before the police; the ship's unexplained mechanical troubles with bearings and generators
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 068 The Jack Madigan Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by a man named Strole to find two missing witnesses—Nippy Bruno and Max Krause—who are scheduled to testify against the mysterious and powerful Jack Madigan in federal court. Dollar's search leads him to Nippy's sister Angel Brown, but before he can question her fully, he finds himself face-to-face with Madigan himself at her apartment.
New York City, primarily in apartments and offices · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Strole, Nippy Bruno, Max Krause, Angel Brown, Vivian, Jack Madigan, Herald American reporter
Listen for: The introduction of the mysterious criminal figure Jack Madigan and the tense confrontation between Dollar and the powerful man he's been hired to track down.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 069 The Joan Sebastian Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into the death of Joan Sebastian, a 21-year-old woman found dead near a bridge outside Boston. Police initially suspect suicide, but Lieutenant D'Rosa and Johnny both have doubts. Johnny begins digging into Joan's background, discovering she led an active social life and was given expensive gifts, including a mysterious heart-shaped key.
Boston and Hartford area; a bridge over a stream; the Sebastian home; Edward Hollis's residence · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant D'Rosa, Harold Corry, Joan Sebastian's friend, Edward Hollis, Beatrice
Listen for: The mystery of Joan Sebastian's death and the significance of the heart-shaped key; the identity of the men in Joan's life; what happened between Joan and Harold Corry while he was away
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 070 The Queen Anne Pistols Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is assigned to deliver a pair of valuable antique pistols worth $20,000 to a collector named Bride. The pistols, 18th-century flintlocks from a Boston gun shop, have a dark history tied to murder. When Dollar delivers them, the Brides react with fear and confusion, and the gun shop mysteriously closes. Then Dollar receives a blackmail demand involving photographs of the pistols.
Boston and Hartford, Connecticut; includes a gun shop, apartment, and the Bride residence. · Johnny Dollar, Bill Cartman, Bonnie, Arthur Worthing, Mrs. Bride, Jack Bride
Listen for: The mystery of why the Brides fear the pistols and who is attempting blackmail; the significance of the engraved names on the historic weapons.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 071 The Adam Kegg Matter (1950)
When jewels are stolen from Mrs. Kegg's New York apartment, an unusual ransom demand arrives—a cryptic message created from newspaper advertising text that requests $98,000 for their return. Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate and must decide whether to pursue the supposed thief's offer to meet at a phone booth in Montclair, New Jersey.
New York City and Montclair, New Jersey, 1950 · Johnny Dollar, Al Begnee, Mrs. Kegg, Adam Kegg, Danny Stevens, The supposed thief
Listen for: The clever ransom message constructed from cut-up newspaper advertisements, the suspicious involvement of hotel staff, and Johnny's tense encounter at the phone booth in Montclair
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 072 The Nora Falkner Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into a suspicious $200,000 life insurance policy application by Nora Faulkner, who plans to pay only six months of premiums upfront. His investigation leads him through Los Angeles, where he discovers Nora is estranged from her husband Andrew, influenced by a mysterious psychic named Madam Starr, and currently hiding out in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles and Las Vegas, 1950 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Snider, Nora Faulkner, Andrew Faulkner, Mrs. Faulkner (Andrew's mother), Madam Starr
Listen for: The mounting tension as Johnny uncovers the fractured Faulkner marriage and Nora's strange behavior, plus the cryptic warnings from both the mother-in-law and the psychic about Nora's mysterious intentions.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 073 The Woodward, Manila, Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Manila to investigate a $75,000 burglary at the Woodward hardware store. The local police have arrested Miguel Nousaleda, a petty thief caught robbing another store, but evidence against him is weak. Meanwhile, clerk Dan Blake has disappeared, and suspicion falls on him, though store manager Floyd McDonald insists Blake couldn't be guilty despite the circumstances pointing his way.
Manila, Philippines; the Woodward hardware store and police station · Johnny Dollar, Floyd McDonald, Irving Morgan, Dan Blake, Miguel Nousaleda, Sergeant Malvos, Charlotte Page
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's skepticism about the police's easy solution and his growing suspicion that the real thief may not be who everyone assumes; Charlotte Page's defense of Dan Blake despite the evidence against him.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 074 The Leland Blackburn Matter (1950)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar takes over a murder case after his colleague Gene Rhymer dies. Leland Blackburn, a wealthy Charleston businessman, has been bludgeoned to death in his home, and his wallet was found empty. Johnny must investigate the case while navigating the proud Blackburn family and a complex past with Gene's widow, Barbara.
Charleston, South Carolina; the Blackburn estate and surrounding areas · Johnny Dollar, Bob Loe, Gene Rhymer, Barbara Rhymer, Leland Blackburn, Ralen Blackburn, Mrs. Blackburn, Lieutenant
Listen for: The tension between Johnny's professional duty and his past relationship with Barbara Rhymer; the mystery of who killed Leland Blackburn and whether it was connected to a separate shooting on Magazine Street
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 078 The Port-O-Call Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in San Francisco to investigate a series of four coordinated robberies at loan company branches that netted $47,000. When a taxi driver goes missing the same day as the heists, Dollar becomes convinced the cabbie may be connected to the crimes, leading him to question the driver's wife and search for clues among other cab company employees.
San Francisco, California in the 1950s, including police headquarters, a taxi company office, and an apartment building on Turk Street. · Johnny Dollar, Bob Ratton, Lieutenant Clark, Mrs. Joe Gyer, Joe Gyer, Paul Landini, Bruce
Listen for: The description of the coordinated robbery spree across San Francisco and Johnny Dollar's deduction that a taxi driver might have been the getaway driver for the thieves.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 079 The David Rockey Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to San Juan, Del Sur to locate David Rocky, who has unexpectedly inherited a million and a half dollars from his adoptive father Titus Morgan. When Dollar arrives, he discovers Rocky has been arrested and is being held on a murder charge in connection with the death of a man named Sagasa, a longshoreman. Rocky claims he was drunk and cannot remember what happened that night.
San Juan, Del Sur, Nicaragua; Hartford, Connecticut; New York City · Johnny Dollar, David Rocky, Mr. Richter, Clayton Wall, Sergeant, Sagasa
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into Rocky's whereabouts and his clash with the local Guardians police force who refuse to cooperate; Rocky's confused account of a night he cannot remember.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 084 The Jarvis Wilder Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Farmington, New Mexico to investigate the death of Jarvis Wilder, whose widow Alma has confessed to shooting him. The county grand jury is about to indict her for murder, but as Dollar gathers information from the ranch hands and authorities, he begins to question whether the confession tells the whole story.
Farmington, New Mexico; the Wilder ranch; a small town jail · Johnny Dollar, Alma Wilder, Mr. Kendall, defense lawyer, Jarvis Wilder, Russell Wilder, Rosemary Wilder, Shram, ranch hand
Listen for: Dollar's investigation into the circumstances of Jarvis Wilder's death and hints that Alma's confession may not be truthful.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 085 The Celia Woodstock Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in to look into the disappearance of Celia Woodstock, a young woman who vanished a week earlier. Her husband, Captain Woodstock, initially hired a private detective who lost track of her, and now fears she may have come to harm. Dollar begins gathering details about Celia's activities and relationships to uncover what happened to her.
Bridgeport, Connecticut and Long Island Sound area, including the Woodstock home on the shore and offices in the town of Bridgeport · Johnny Dollar, Captain Lyle Woodstock, Celia Woodstock, David Slater, Dr. Charles Masters, Janet Square, Spray
Listen for: The revelation of Celia's secret meetings with a doctor, her withdrawal of two thousand dollars from the bank, a mysterious phone call arranging a meeting with someone named Spray, and the violent confrontation that leaves Dollar locked in a room
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 086 The Stanley Springs Matter (1951)
Johnny Dollar arrives in the dusty desert town of Stanley Springs to investigate allegations that the Stanley Springs Company, a cotton-processing outfit, is engaged in illegal smuggling across the Mexican border. The company's management claims to have no knowledge of any illegal activity, but when Johnny meets with the chief clerk Phillips, the man's nervous reaction suggests he may be hiding something.
Stanley Springs, a company town in the desert valley of the American Southwest, with offices and warehouses of the Stanley Springs Company; also a small hotel in town. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Best, Bruce Hardwick, Anne Salava, Norman Stager, Phillips, Child
Listen for: Johnny's investigation of the unsigned letter accusing the company of smuggling; his meeting with the mysterious Anne Salava at the hotel; his visits to the company office and his growing suspicion of the chief clerk Phillips.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 088 The Byron Hayes Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to New York to investigate the murder of Byron Hayes. A mysterious man named Roy Corona contacts him with information suggesting that Hayes was being blackmailed by a woman named Rita Cobb, offering an alternative to the police theory that Roy himself committed the crime out of jealousy over his ex-girlfriend.
New York City, present day · Johnny Dollar, Roy Corona, Rita Cobb, Mrs. Hayes, Arnold Smith, Earl Fisher
Listen for: The investigation into Byron Hayes' murder takes an unexpected turn when a man with a criminal past provides a lead about blackmail, forcing Johnny to question the police's leading suspect and uncover hidden connections to the victim.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 089 The Jackie Cleaver Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by adjuster Carl Mason to locate Jackie Cleaver, who is the beneficiary of a $40,000 insurance policy left by her ex-husband Schumacher. Despite receiving regular alimony checks from California, Jackie has mysteriously disappeared from her last known location in Middletown, leaving only a trail of forwarding addresses and cryptic clues about her whereabouts.
Hartford and Middletown, with references to California and other towns in the region · Johnny Dollar, Carl Mason, Jackie Cleaver, Forslund, Schumacher
Listen for: Johnny's pursuit of the elusive Jackie Cleaver as she leaves one location after another, and the mysterious appearance of a dangerous visitor at Johnny's apartment who demands to know Jackie's whereabouts
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 090 The Edward French Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to British Malaya to investigate the disappearance of Edward French, a plantation manager whose car vanished while he was on a business trip to Singapore. Constable Whitlow's mysterious death by ambush and the recovery of a torn piece of French's clothing suggest the case may be more complicated than a simple bandit attack.
British Malaya, including Singapore, the city of Raub, and an isolated plantation estate during a period of bandit activity and emergency martial conditions. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. French, Constable Whitlow, Constable Downs, Mr. Leaps, Keith Stewart
Listen for: The mounting tension as Johnny discovers that Mrs. French and neighboring estate manager Keith Stewart share a suspicious connection, and hints that Edward French's disappearance may not be what it seems.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 091 The Mickey Mc Queen Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar's friend Mickey McQueen, a Hartford policeman, calls him late at night with cryptic warnings about murders being planned and done. When Johnny arrives at Mickey's home the next morning, he finds him dead, apparently by suicide, hanging in a closet. But Johnny suspects murder and begins investigating Mickey's final hours and the secrets surrounding his recent marriage.
Hartford, Connecticut; Mickey McQueen's apartment; the Cedric Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Mickey McQueen, Velma, Ned Martin, house detective
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into Mickey's mysterious death and the revelation of his wife's criminal past; hints about crimes Mickey knew about but felt powerless to stop
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 092 The Willard South Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the Virgin Islands to investigate the disappearance of policyholder Willard South and his wife Georgina. Their boat is found empty with evidence of gunfire and struggle, but no bodies—and a tied-up dinghy has been cut loose and vanished. Dollar must piece together what happened during a mysterious evening boat trip that went terribly wrong.
The Virgin Islands, primarily Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, and the waters surrounding the island group · Johnny Dollar, Luke Crager, Officer Shaw, Willard South's brother, Mrs. South, Celeste Robertson
Listen for: The discovery of the empty boat with bullet holes and bloodstains; Officer Shaw's explanation of the evidence; the revelation that the dinghy was cut loose; Willard South's troubled reputation and the multiple people who disliked him; Celeste Robertson's evasive testimony about her recent time with Willard.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 093 The Month-End Raid Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Kansas City after an armored truck carrying department store receipts is robbed and two men are shot dead. The driver, Carl Biller, dies in the hospital, but before he can identify his killers, Johnny discovers that Biller may have known the robbers personally through an association with another woman, suggesting an inside connection to the crime.
Kansas City, Missouri; a hospital and police headquarters where an armored truck robbery investigation unfolds · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Arneson, Carl Biller, Mrs. Biller, Emil Ordov (the Count), Sergeant Co
Listen for: The mystery of why the guard and driver were shot in cold blood, and whether Biller's acquaintance with a mysterious woman connects him to the robbers who knew exactly where the armored truck would be
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 094 The Virginia Towne Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by Plymouth Insurance Company to recover jewelry stolen from Roy Underwood. When Dollar tracks down Virginia Town, the alleged thief, he discovers she claims Underwood gave her the pieces as gifts. As Dollar investigates further, a romantic complication emerges and a crucial piece of evidence surfaces that threatens to destroy Virginia's defense.
New York City, including Roy Underwood's apartment, Virginia Town's apartment on Lexington Avenue, and various city locations · Johnny Dollar, Roy Underwood, Virginia Town, Frances Adams, Phil Kelly
Listen for: The conflict between what the evidence shows and Virginia's claims of innocence; the development of Johnny Dollar's personal involvement in the case; the revelation about the damaged diamond bracelet that changes everything
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 097 The Lillis Bond Matter (Unedited Drama Portions) (recorded
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives to investigate a missing messenger who disappeared while carrying $80,000 in cash through downtown Chicago. Working alongside private detective Pat Shade, Dollar interviews the messenger's mother and friends to determine whether the young man was kidnapped or responsible for the theft himself.
Chicago, present day · Johnny Dollar, Pat Shade, Henry Lillis, Mrs. Lillis, Raymond Lockhart, Lily Shae
Listen for: The revelation of Henry Lillis's secret girlfriend Lily Shae and her connection to the case through her father
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 098 The Soderbury, Maine Matter (Unedited Drama Portions) (rec
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Soderbury, Maine to investigate the murder of Gordon Soderberry, a factory owner shot in his car. Constable Reman points to the roof of Goodwood's store as the shooting location and suspects Ben Sutherland, a local man whose son was killed when the factory operated before and who has been making threats about the factory's reopening.
Soderbury, Maine, a small New England town near Portland, centered on a business street with a factory, Goodwood's store, and surrounding homes. · Johnny Dollar, Edward Whiteman, Constable Fred Reman, Gordon Soderberry, Ben Sutherland, Mrs. Sutherland, Beth Soderberry, Lawrence Taffy
Listen for: The investigation into Soderberry's assassination unfolds as Johnny Dollar gathers information about local opposition to the factory's reopening and learns about Ben Sutherland's grievances and mysterious disappearance.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 099 The George Farmer Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate a death claim when a man named George Farmer burns to death at a vacation retreat, with his wife entitled to $100,000 in double indemnity. When Dollar arrives in New York to look into the matter, the doctor who examined Farmer for his policy suddenly dies by jumping from a building, and the insurance salesman who sold the policy is killed in a hit-and-run accident—leaving Dollar to uncover the connection between these deaths.
New York City and surrounding areas, including the Equitable Building, a hospital, and Mrs. Farmer's apartment; the story begins with a call about a fire at a vacation resort called the Sportsmen's Retreat in the Catskills. · Johnny Dollar, Mitchell, Dr. William Evans, Lieutenant William Briggs, Mrs. George Farmer, Martin Ames, Mrs. Ames, Dr. Gerson
Listen for: The tangled web of three deaths—a fire, a suicide or murder, and a hit-and-run accident—and how they connect to an insurance policy; Mrs. Farmer's evasive answers and her claim to the $100,000 payout.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 100 The Arthur Boldrick Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives to interview Arthur Boldrick, who has been shot during an apparent carjacking attempt in his backyard. As Johnny gathers statements from Boldrick and neighborhood witnesses, a troubling picture emerges: while Boldrick claims a stranger in work clothes shot him while demanding his car keys, witnesses report seeing a car drive away from the scene but no man running through the alley, casting doubt on Boldrick's account of events.
A rundown neighborhood in an older part of town, centered around Boldrick's single-story house with a garage facing an alley, and a local police station. · Johnny Dollar, Arthur Boldrick, Dr. Stone, Sergeant Wright, Mrs. Boldrick, Mr. Wheeler, Mrs. Cole
Listen for: The discrepancies between Boldrick's story and the witnesses' observations, and Johnny's growing suspicion about what really happened during the shooting.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 101 The Malcolm Wish, M.D. Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to San Francisco to look into the disappearance of Dr. Malcolm Wish, a physician who left his home two nights ago to answer an emergency call and never returned. As Dollar interviews the doctor's wife and his office partner, he discovers that Wish had been unhappy for months, and someone begins following him through the city.
San Francisco, including the Wish home on Knob Hill, Dr. Wish's office in the Tide Building, and various locations downtown including the Cleveland Hotel coffee shop. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Wish, Cecil Wish, Dr. Huber, Lieutenant Hughes
Listen for: The mysterious phone call that drew Dr. Wish away from his home; the identity of the blonde-haired man who is following Johnny Dollar; why Cecil Wish canceled her lunch meeting.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 102 The Hatchet House Theft Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to London to investigate the theft of jewelry belonging to wealthy American widow Marcella Scott at her rented estate, Hatchet House. With the help of local police Inspector Sailors, Johnny begins interviewing servants and gathering information about the theft that occurred during a party, trying to determine whether it was an inside job or the work of an outsider.
London, England and Hatchet House, a historic estate near Seven Oaks, Surrey, 20 miles south of London, 1951 · Johnny Dollar, Inspector Sailors, Inspector Finch, Mrs. Marcella Scott, Norman King, Garrett the butler, Millie Hanky the maid, Mr. Minnes the gardener
Listen for: Johnny's investigation of whether the theft was committed by someone at the party, an outsider who knew the party was happening, or someone who simply found an unlocked door; hints about Norman King's suspicious relationship with the widow and Millie's disapproval of their friendship; details about Mrs. Scott's financial situation and why she might need money
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 103 The Alonzo Chapman Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to investigate the murder of Alonzo Chapman, a traveling man shot in an alley outside a hotel. Chapman was last seen leaving the hotel bar with Norma Sales, a young woman he had just met, but when they turned down the alley toward the parking lot, a gunman shot him three times. Dollar interviews the key witnesses to understand who had reason to kill Chapman and whether the murder was connected to the mysterious girl.
Los Angeles, California; the Quincy Hotel and surrounding areas including an alley and parking lot; also Hartford, Connecticut. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Jim Shock, Norma Sales, Alonzo Chapman, Howard the bartender, Grace Cursio
Listen for: A tense interrogation of Norma Sales about her chance meeting with Chapman, the bartender's observations about Chapman's behavior and interest in the girl, and the growing mystery of why someone was waiting in the alley to kill Chapman.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 104 The Fair-Way Matter (1951)
A bomb destroys a Fairway Airlines plane shortly after takeoff near Springfield, killing 13 people and destroying two houses below. Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to help determine which passenger was the intended target. A ground crew member named Wilbur Wheeler becomes a person of interest after it's revealed he was obsessed with a stewardess who died in the crash and was engaged to the co-pilot.
Springfield Hartford airport and surrounding area, the day after a plane crash · Johnny Dollar, Sam Harris, Mr. Reed, Mrs. Goodhue, Captain Jim Lenhart, Wilbur Wheeler, Shirley, Bill Strand
Listen for: The investigation into the bombing and the questioning of Wilbur Wheeler, who had motive through jealousy over the stewardess Shirley and her engagement to co-pilot Bill Strand.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 105 The Neal Breer Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to a small town to investigate the death of Neil Breer, a 26-year-old man who died suddenly at a service station. A local doctor has written to the insurance company expressing doubts about the official heart attack diagnosis, suggesting the possibility of poisoning. Dollar begins interviewing the doctor, the coroner, and the victim's widow to determine whether the death was truly from natural causes.
A small town (name withheld per company request), including a doctor's office, coroner's office, service station, and the Breer home. · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Henry Richards, Guy Hamill, Wesley Bertrand, Paula Wilson, Mrs. Neil Breer
Listen for: The investigation into whether Neil Breer died from a heart attack or was poisoned; Johnny Dollar's tense confrontations with the resistant coroner over ordering an autopsy; the widow's emotional reaction to the investigation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 107 The Horace Lockhart Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Santa Barbara to investigate the deaths of Horace and Mrs. Lockhart, who were killed when their car went over a cliff on the coastal highway. The crucial question is which of them died first, since it determines which of their two children—a son from Mrs. Lockhart's previous marriage or a daughter from her marriage to Horace—will inherit a substantial amount of life insurance money. Dollar must locate the mysterious young woman who witnessed the accident and reported it to a garage operator, as her account of who was still alive at the scene holds the key to solving the matter.
Santa Barbara area, California, including a coastal highway, an all-night garage, and the Lockhart mansion in an elite subdivision · Johnny Dollar, insurance investigator, Bruce Ewell, attorney for the Lockhart estate, Patrick Gallagher, all-night garage operator, Michael Adams, Mrs. Lockhart's adult son from a previous marriage, Gail Oka, the Lockharts' adult daughter
Listen for: The description of the mysterious blonde woman witness with heavy makeup and white shoes; the details about which Lockhart was still alive when the witness found the wrecked car; the two different life insurance beneficiaries and how the order of death determines who collects.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 109 The Lucky Costa Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives a worrying call from Louise Costa about her husband Lucky, a private detective who has been missing for a week and acting strangely for the past month. Johnny begins investigating and learns that Lucky may be entangled with Hazel Mackie, a woman from his past who has hired him for a mysterious case involving someone recently released from prison.
New York City, including Broad Street and Hazel's apartment on the East Side; also references to San Francisco and Brooklyn. · Johnny Dollar, Louise Costa, Lucky Costa, Joe Costa, Hazel Mackie
Listen for: The revelation of Lucky's mysterious past marriage and prison connection; Johnny's growing concern about what case Lucky is actually working on and why he's lying to his wife.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 111 The Leland Case Matter (Unedited Drama Portions) (recorded
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to investigate the disappearance of wealthy policyholder Leland Case, who vanished five days ago after kissing his young wife goodbye in the morning and failing to meet her for dinner that evening. As Johnny interviews Mrs. Case and her husband's associates, conflicting accounts emerge about whether Leland is truly missing or has deliberately disappeared, and darker details surface about his troubled past marriage.
Hartford, Connecticut area; police Missing Persons Bureau, the Case home, and Paul Freighter's office · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Leland Case, Sergeant Dulko, Paul Freighter, Leland Case, Herbert Bennett
Listen for: The growing tension between Johnny's investigation and the conflicting stories from those around Leland Case; Mrs. Case's emotional vulnerability contrasted with Paul Freighter's cold dismissal of her concerns; hints about Leland's first wife and accusations of attempted murder.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 113 The Cuban Jewel Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Cuba to locate stolen jewels worth $800,000 before a suspect named William Carnes—currently in jail awaiting extradition—can be questioned by police. Dollar must find where Carnes hid the jewels before the suspect is taken into custody for a federal crime and refuses to talk.
Cuba, primarily Havana; also a jail and a cantina called Cantina Elgio · Johnny Dollar, Roger Stern, William Carnes, Maria, The fat man with the knife, The bartender
Listen for: A tense confrontation as Dollar tracks down Carnes and discovers the stolen jewels hidden in a bed post, only to have the tables turned when an armed assailant appears.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 114 The Protection Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to investigate a warehouse fire that killed an old man. Benny Waxman, the store owner, is under suspicion, but his behavior is puzzling—he refuses the insurance money and acts terrified of something beyond the police investigation. Lieutenant Parkinson believes a protection racket is behind the fire, and Dollar begins to suspect there is far more to the case than a simple arson.
New York City, 1951—a tenement building where Waxman's store burned, the 15th precinct police station, and the streets of the city during a rainstorm. · Johnny Dollar, Benny Waxman, Lieutenant Parkinson, Angelino Giuseppe
Listen for: The tense interrogation of Waxman in his apartment, Dollar's growing suspicion that a protection racket controls the area, and the mystery of Waxman's missing daughter and the five thousand dollars he gave her.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 115 The Douglas Taylor Matter (1951)
Johnny Dollar, a freelance insurance investigator, is hired to look into an insurance fraud case involving two suspects. When one of his operatives, Douglas Taylor, is found dead near the freight yards, Lieutenant Reese pressures Dollar for information. Dollar refuses to reveal details of his case, fearing it will compromise a potentially half-million-dollar investigation into suspected arson.
Hollywood, including police headquarters homicide division, Johnny Dollar's apartment, the freight yards, and the Hotel Mallard · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Reese, Douglas Taylor, Mrs. Taylor, Mr. Nibley, Henry Foner
Listen for: The tension between Dollar's professional obligations and police investigation; Mrs. Taylor's long-standing fears about her husband's dangerous work; the revelation of Douglas Taylor's mysterious past and possible secrets.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 116 The Millard Ward Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New Orleans to investigate the death of Millard Ward, found stabbed aboard a ship. A crew member named Louis Radnick is the prime suspect, as the two men openly hated each other and had quarreled over Ward's wife. Radnick refuses to talk except to police, claiming he is innocent and left Ward alive when he went back on deck with the other crew members.
New Orleans and aboard a ship, where Millard Ward was found dead · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Tracy, Louis Radnick, Mrs. Ward, Millard Ward, Dr. Radnick
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into the murder aboard the ship, questioning the accused man and Ward's wife about their relationships and the circumstances surrounding the death
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 118 The Tolhurst Theft Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate the Tolhurst fur shop theft, where three masked men stole nearly $50,000 at gunpoint. When a mysterious woman calls claiming to know where one of the thieves is hiding, Johnny pursues the lead to Boston, but discovers that tensions among the robbers may run deeper than a simple heist.
A tri-state area including Boston and Hartford, involving a fur shop, hotels, and insurance offices. · Johnny Dollar, Jim Madison, The Woman Informant, Walter Taft, Mr. Tolhurst
Listen for: The mysterious woman's motivations for helping Johnny instead of calling the police; the revelation about tensions and possible double-crossing among the three robbers; details about why a furrier would keep such a large sum of cash on hand.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 119 The Hannibal Murphy Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Kingston, Jamaica to investigate the death of Hannibal Murphy, a wealthy American whose body was found at the base of a cliff. Inspector Traeber reveals the death is murder, not an accident—Murphy was shot in the head. Dollar interviews the Murphy family and household, including the widow, stepdaughter Phyllis, and Murphy's brother Paul who lives nearby, seeking to understand who might have wanted Murphy dead.
Kingston, Jamaica, at the Myrtle Bank Hotel and the Murphy cottage near a clifftop overlooking the sea · Johnny Dollar, Inspector Traeber, Hannibal Murphy, Paul Murphy, Mrs. Murphy, Phyllis Murphy
Listen for: The mystery of who shot Hannibal Murphy and why his body was placed near his family's home; Phyllis's explosive outburst revealing deep resentment toward her stepfather; Mrs. Murphy's evasiveness about certain details of the night he died.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 120 The Birdy Baskerville Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to look into Carl Baskerville's request to change his insurance beneficiary. Baskerville wants to remove his brother William, recently released from prison after serving time for embezzlement, fearing William may try to kill him for the half-million-dollar policy. Baskerville plans to give William a chance at redemption, but Johnny discovers a shocking turn of events at the Baskerville home.
Carl Baskerville's home on Long Island, New York, and surrounding areas · Johnny Dollar, Carl Baskerville, William Baskerville, Virginia Carter, The big man
Listen for: The gentle irony of Baskerville's philosophy about feeding birds and redemption; the ominous ending that transforms the investigation entirely.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 121 The Merrill Kent Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Fort Scott, New Mexico to investigate the death of Merrill Kent, supposedly killed when dragged by his horse. A mysterious phone call during Kent's funeral suggests the death may have been murder, not accident. Dollar questions the local doctor who signed the death certificate and finds troubling gaps in the medical examination.
Fort Scott, New Mexico, a small village with a local sheriff's office, a doctor's home office on Elm Street, and surrounding ranch country. · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff York, Dr. Hugo Snyder, Mrs. Snyder, Merrill Kent, Harris
Listen for: The mysterious anonymous caller who phoned during Kent's funeral with hints of murder; details about Kent's injuries and whether his foot was actually caught in the stirrup.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 122 The Youngstown Credit Group Matter (1951)
Johnny Dollar investigates a $48,000 robbery from the Youngstown Credit Group, a payroll service at Federal Mills. Two employees making their regular weekly cash delivery are ambushed by four armed men in white bandages, with driver George Enfield fatally injured when thrown from his car. Johnny must determine who had inside knowledge of their routine and where the stolen money has gone.
Youngstown, Ohio and surrounding areas including Federal Mills and a farm where an abandoned Plymouth is discovered · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Pickett, Chief Edward J. Allen, Watson, George Enfield, Mrs. Enfield, Mr. Long
Listen for: Watson's detailed account of the robbery with four armed men in white bandages; the investigation into who had inside knowledge of the payroll operation; the discovery of the abandoned blue Plymouth sedan on Mr. Long's property
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 125 The Alma Scott Matter (1951)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to San Francisco to investigate the death of Alma Scott. A man named Alan Swain contacts him secretly, claiming he didn't kill the woman despite evidence placing him at the scene. Swain reveals he and Alma planned to flee to Mexico together, and he fled in panic after hearing shots in her apartment, but insists he wasn't inside when she was killed.
San Francisco and surrounding areas, including Alma Scott's apartment building and a cafe on the coast highway · Johnny Dollar, Alan Swain, Helen (Swain's sister), Mrs. Swinehart, Walter Helm, Mr. Robinson
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into who was actually in Alma Scott's apartment when she was shot, and whether suspect Alan Swain is being framed
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 128 The Amelia Harwell Matter (1952)
Johnny Dollar investigates the poisoning death of Amelia Harwell, a wealthy seventy-year-old textile business owner who ruled her family and company with an iron hand. The widow Thomas and their two adult children stand to inherit a substantial fortune, along with significant insurance payouts. Dollar must determine who poisoned Mrs. Harwell and why, despite the family's apparent lack of motive.
The Harwell estate on the eastern shore near Southwell Fleet, Connecticut, and the surrounding village · Johnny Dollar, George Parker, Thomas Harwell, Amelia Harwell, Maxine Harwell, Dexter Harwell, Gretchen Nielsen, Dr. Stevens
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's initial interviews with the widower and family members, clues about Mrs. Harwell's mysterious illness, and the revelation that she was dying of natural causes
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 139 The James Clayton Matter (1952)
Dr. James Clayton contacts Johnny Dollar's insurance office in New York, claiming his life has been threatened by Benjamin Harmon, a violent man whose wife he advised to divorce for her health. When Johnny investigates, he finds Harmon armed and dangerous, and the situation escalates when the doctor receives an emergency call to a mysterious address in the warehouse district. Johnny and a police sergeant must now track down Dr. Clayton before Harmon finds him.
New York City, including an insurance office in Rockefeller Center, a medical office in the Pelroy building, the Harmon residence in Westchester, and the warehouse district · Johnny Dollar, Chet Graham, Miss Tebens, Dr. James Clayton, Benjamin Harmon, Mrs. Harmon, Sergeant Tom Bassman, Miss Stephens
Listen for: The mystery of Dr. Clayton's emergency call and whether Benjamin Harmon will reach him first
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 140 The Elliott Champion Matter (1952)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to California to investigate a fire at an office building owned by Elliott Champion. Champion immediately suggests that Joseph Harrison, a man he once prosecuted for theft who recently left prison, is responsible for the arson. As Dollar and the police begin their investigation, they must determine whether Harrison is genuinely seeking revenge or if Champion himself set the fire to collect the insurance.
California, including an office building fire scene in a city (likely Los Angeles area based on Glendale reference), police station, and Champion's real estate office · Johnny Dollar, Don Vickers, Elliott Champion, Norman Ives, Mildred, Joseph Harrison
Listen for: The early investigative techniques used to track the arsonist, including witness descriptions and the discovery that gasoline was moved into the building between specific times; Champion's quick accusation of Harrison and his suggestions about financial trouble
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 142 The Walter Patterson Matter (1952)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate a curious claim: a man named William Euler has been spotted alive in Tucson, Arizona, bearing a striking resemblance to Walter Patterson, who supposedly died in a plane crash in 1947 and whose $40,000 insurance claim was already paid. A reliable former judge who knew Patterson claims she saw and spoke with Euler, noting he even has Patterson's distinctive limp from wartime injuries, yet Euler denies knowing her and provides a different background story.
Wilmington, Delaware and Tucson, Arizona in 1952 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Elgin, Virginia Collier, William Euler, Boyann Patterson, Sergeant Pylar, Lieutenant James Crakeson
Listen for: The mystery of whether William Euler is truly the supposedly-dead Walter Patterson or merely a remarkable coincidence; the details of Euler's background and his reaction to being confronted with his resemblance to the deceased pilot.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 143 The Baltimore Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, is contacted by Orrin Vance, a man recently released from prison, who offers information about two men involved in a major theft case in Baltimore. Vance provides a stolen bill as evidence and identifies Leonard Torpy and Harold King as two of the six men responsible for the crime. Dollar must verify this information and track down the suspects before they disappear.
New York City, with connections to Baltimore, Reno Nevada, and Hartford. The investigation spans insurance offices, bars, police stations, and bus terminals. · Johnny Dollar, Orrin Vance, Don Free, Leonard Torpy, Harold King, Lieutenant Randall, Pete Florian
Listen for: The tension between Johnny's promise to protect Vance's identity and the police's need for reliable sources. The details of the stolen currency that could connect the suspects to the Baltimore theft case.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 144 The Thelma Ibsen Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to locate the beneficiary of a $1,000 life insurance policy. The policyholder was an elderly newspaper vendor who took out the insurance specifically to benefit a young girl named Thelma Ibsen, whom he met just once when she was ten years old. Dollar traces Thelma's movements through Hartford and discovers she disappeared on Christmas Eve 1950 from a filling station on Long Island while with a man named Floyd Turnbull who claims they were about to be married.
Hartford and New York City, 1953, investigating events from 1950-1951 · Johnny Dollar, DeFranco, Milton de Franco, John Linden, Thelma Ibsen, Mary Sealy, Floyd Turnbull, Edna
Listen for: The mystery of why Thelma abandoned Floyd Turnbull at the filling station on Christmas Eve, and whether Dollar can locate her to deliver the unexpected insurance inheritance.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 146 The Marigold Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives an urgent letter from Joe Hickey, an old acquaintance now running a loan business in the small town of Marigold, Connecticut, asking for help with mysterious happenings. Before Dollar can respond, Hickey is found shot to death in his car on a remote road. Dollar arrives in Marigold to help local police investigate the murder and uncover what troubled Hickey enough to seek his assistance.
Marigold, Connecticut, a small quiet village in a sloping valley during winter, and the surrounding countryside · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Walt Younger, Sergeant Cherry, Pat Hickey, Joe Hickey
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into Joe Hickey's murder; clues about the loan business troubles Hickey hinted at; the mystery of who killed Hickey and why
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 147 The Kay Bellamy Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar looks into theatrical agent Lou Waltham's application for two million dollars in coverage on singer Kay Bellamy. Waltham claims she's valuable talent, but the application details don't add up—and Kay seems determined to keep secrets about her private life and whereabouts.
New York theatrical district and Boston burlesque theater, 1945 · Johnny Dollar, Lou Waltham, Kay Bellamy, Don LaVaya, Cole, Luzzi Lizzario, Valerie, Lorraine
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's dry narration as he uncovers the mystery behind Kay Bellamy's double life and discovers there's someone dangerous pulling strings behind the scenes.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 148 The Chicago Fraud Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Chicago to investigate a suspicious $50,000 life insurance claim. Christopher Lane died on the street from malnutrition, yet he passed a complete physical exam just days before, with no sign of the chronic conditions the coroner found. Dollar begins questioning the doctor who signed off on the exam to determine whether the body is actually Lane's or if fraud is at work.
Chicago, Illinois in 1953, including Dr. Unger's office, the city morgue, and Christopher Lane's apartment building. · Johnny Dollar, Miles Hartley, Lydia Staley, Dr. Wolder Unger, Miss Shutty
Listen for: The mystery of how a man could pass a clean physical exam only days before dying of severe malnutrition and undetected chronic illness; questions about whether the body in the morgue is actually Christopher Lane.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 150 The Latourette Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Denver to take over a case from fellow investigator Tommy Thompson, who has been killed in what appears to be a hit-and-run accident. Thompson had been working on a matter involving Frank Latourette, whose wife died in a bookstore fire ruled accidental by authorities. Dollar must determine whether these deaths are genuine accidents or connected to something Thompson discovered.
Denver, Colorado in 1953, including a hotel, police station, and Latourette's home in Park Hill. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Mapes, Bessie Thompson, Frank Latourette
Listen for: The contradictions between the official accident rulings and Bessie Thompson's conviction that her husband was murdered for what he uncovered about Latourette; Johnny Dollar's methodical investigation as he reviews police reports and seeks the truth.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 151 The Underwood Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Rexford to investigate the death of policyholder Ray Underwood, who fell from a fourth-story hotel window. The coroner's jury rules it an accident, but Johnny learns that Underwood and his young wife Alice were in the midst of divorce proceedings and that Underwood had recently attempted to change his insurance beneficiary.
Rexford (location of the Pioneer Hotel and city hall) and Hartford, Connecticut (insurance company office) · Johnny Dollar, Red Egan, Alice Underwood, Ray Underwood, Sergeant Hanen, desk clerk, bellhop, chamberman
Listen for: The coroner's inquest testimony about Underwood's fall from the hotel window, Alice Underwood's account of her final meeting with her husband, and details about the divorce proceedings and attempted beneficiary change.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 152 The Jeanne Maxwell Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Boston to investigate the death of Jeanne Maxwell, a young woman found in a river. While police are undecided between suicide and murder, Dollar's examination of the evidence and the circumstances surrounding her death begins to point toward foul play rather than self-destruction.
Boston and Hartford, Connecticut, 1953 · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant De Rosa, Jeanne Maxwell's roommate Marionelle, Harold Corey, Jeanne Maxwell's mother, Edward Maxwell, Beatrice Maxwell
Listen for: The details about Jeanne Maxwell's lifestyle, the mysterious gold key with a heart-shaped bow found in her dresser, and Harold Corey the truck driver who had been seeing her
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 154 The King's Necklace Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives on a tropical island off Cuba to look into King Rawlings' claim that someone attempted to steal his quarter-million-dollar necklace. Rawlings suspects his secretary Harley or his protege, but Dollar discovers the necklace in the safe has been replaced with paste, suggesting a switch may have occurred.
A private island called Las Parnas off the coast of Cuba, where retired financier King Rawlings lives in an imported Moorish castle surrounded by staff and guests. · Johnny Dollar, Marty Fenton, King Rawlings, Nita Valdez, Timothy B. Harley
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's sharp detective work as he uncovers the real facts behind Rawlings' insurance claim and questions who actually switched the genuine necklace for a fake one.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 155 The Syndicate Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar arrives in the oil boom town of Tupelo to investigate four murders of oil field workers, all beaten to death and insured under a company group policy. The victims are newcomers who had been unemployed for months before arriving, and each received injuries a week before being killed. Dollar goes undercover as a laborer to infiltrate the operation and uncover the pattern behind the murders.
The De Pella oil field near Tupelo, Texas, during an oil boom; also Dallas offices of the Cooperative Group Insurance Company · Johnny Dollar, Wilbur Runyon, Mrs. Gonzales, Bullferal, Frankie Robling
Listen for: The revelation of why the four murdered men were targeted, and whether the loan shark Frankie Robling is connected to the killings or the syndicate Johnny suspects
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 156 The Lester James Matter (no ending) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to investigate a shortage at Wallace Cotton's and Company. He visits Lester James, who has confessed to stealing $4,185 from the company and is now in custody, but James refuses to reveal what he did with the money or explain his actions.
New York City, including a police station, Lester James's apartment building on 59th Street, a neighborhood restaurant called the 59er, and a courthouse · Johnny Dollar, Ned Talbot, Lester James, Mrs. Anastasia Denovitch, Public Defender, District Attorney's Office representative
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into the mysterious disappearance of $4,185 stolen by Lester James, a college-educated businessman who refuses to explain where the money went, despite being caught and confessing to the theft
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 157 The Enoch Arden Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate a suspicious claim involving Frank Loring, an actor declared legally dead seven years ago after disappearing, whose ex-wife stands to collect a quarter million dollars. A young nurse thinks she saw Loring recently in Boston under an assumed name, applying for an international vaccination certificate, and evidence suggests he may have boarded a ship heading toward the Panama Canal.
New York, Boston, and the Panama Canal Zone in the 1950s · Johnny Dollar, Henry Grant, Ruth Boulogne, Frank Loring, Dr. Filton, Mrs. Frank Loring
Listen for: The investigation begins to unfold as Johnny pursues the lead to the Panama Canal, where the ship carrying the mysterious Michael Walsh is headed, while Mrs. Loring's party in Greenwich Village reveals her readiness to claim the insurance money.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 158 The Madison Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar investigates an insurance claim when a woman claiming to be the legally dead Mrs. Frank Madison appears alive. She tells a shocking story: years ago, her husband Dr. Frank Madison used the body of a patient who died in his office to fraudulently claim her life insurance policy, collecting $10,000 while she disappeared to New York under her maiden name.
New York City and Los Angeles, 1953 · Johnny Dollar, Paul Dupree, Mrs. Walker (Thelma Madison), Dr. Frank Madison, Dr. Willis Reed, Wanda Thompson, Mr. Platt
Listen for: A classic insurance fraud scheme unraveling as Johnny follows the trail of a woman supposedly dead since 1951, interviewing her former landlord and tracing her work history in New York.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 160 The San Antonio Matter (Network) (1953)
Johnny Dollar is called to St. Petersburg, Florida to investigate the murder of Mark San Antonio, a former bootlegger shot twice in his home. Dollar teams up with Lieutenant Benjamin to uncover who killed the man, while also meeting San Antonio's estranged daughter Edith, who has inherited a substantial trust fund now that her father is dead.
St. Petersburg, Florida; San Antonio's house on the south end of town · Johnny Dollar, Ed, Lieutenant Benjamin, Mark San Antonio, Cook Mrs. Olsen, Edith Randall
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into San Antonio's murder, his interviews with the police and household staff, and his initial meeting with the mysterious daughter who stands to inherit a large sum from her father's death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 161 The Blackmail Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at Dale Martin's gym to find a man named Fred Royal dead with a broken neck. Martin insists it's murder, not an accident, and Dollar begins questioning the gym's staff and clients to uncover what happened. A key to a safety deposit box found among Royal's effects suggests there may be more to the story than a simple gym accident.
Dale Martin's gym at 1084 Sixth Avenue in downtown, and later Fred Royal's apartment. · Johnny Dollar, Dale Martin, Fred Royal, Lieutenant Nathan, Bernie Carroll, Jack Olson, Johnny Morgan, Michael Darling
Listen for: The details of Fred Royal's death and what the safety deposit box might contain; clues about Royal's background and why someone would want him dead.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 162 The Rochester Theft Matter (Network) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to New York to help recover items stolen in a Rochester burglary six months earlier. A woman wearing the stolen mink coat is found shot and dumped from a car near an apartment building, and a mysterious well-dressed man named Bill who drove a black Cadillac had been seeing her before the shooting.
New York City, including an apartment building where the victim was found and the police station. · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Papey, Eileen Madden, Mrs. Ethel Stromberg, Bill, Sergeant Walter
Listen for: The investigation into the mysterious shooting victim and the connection to the stolen jewelry; the description of the well-dressed man named Bill and his black Cadillac; Eileen Madden's dying condition at the hospital.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 163 The Emily Braddock Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Santa Barbara to look into Emily Braddock, a charming woman who has been passing bad checks at resort hotels along the California coast. As Dollar traces her movements from Santa Barbara to Malibu, he discovers she has befriended hotel guests and locals alike while living lavishly under assumed names, and her trail leads him toward Los Angeles where she claims to have business with a lawyer.
Santa Barbara, Malibu Beach, and Los Angeles, California in the 1950s. Resort hotels, beach homes, and downtown Los Angeles locations. · Johnny Dollar, Glenn Sheridan, Sergeant Lopez, Sergeant Pelz, Garland, Emily Braddock (also registered as Mrs. Robert Payne and Ellen Bradley)
Listen for: The smooth charm and con artist skills of the mysterious Emily Braddock as she moves between coastal towns; Dollar's methodical investigation following her trail of bad checks and aliases.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 164 The Brisbane Fraud Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Detroit to look into the disappearance of Richard Brisbane, a missing businessman whose firm is bonded by Dollar's company. Brisbane vanished Tuesday morning without telling his wife where he was going, and hasn't been seen since, leaving behind all his belongings and following none of his usual habits.
Detroit, Michigan; the Brisbane home and office · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Fantellar, Mrs. Brisbane, Richard Brisbane, Dr. Wiena
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's expense account narration and his questioning of Mrs. Brisbane about her husband's disappearance; details about Brisbane's habits and lifestyle that might explain his sudden absence.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 165 The Costain Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Toledo to look into a series of shoplifting claims totaling thousands of dollars. Working with Lieutenant Sturgis and Sergeant Bightler, Johnny discovers the thefts aren't random—all stolen items are women's clothing in size 10, restricted to specific colors, and purchased only in small, specialized sizes. The police believe they're hunting a red-headed woman with green eyes who is systematically building a complete wardrobe at the insurance companies' expense.
Toledo, Ohio; police station and various retail shops including dress shops, department stores, and cosmetic stores · Johnny Dollar, Shelley Thomas, Lieutenant Sturgis, Sergeant Bightler, Sergeant Kelly, Mrs. Bankroft
Listen for: The clever deduction that connects seemingly random thefts into a pattern revealing the thief's physical appearance and personal characteristics.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 167 The Emil Carter Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to investigate the murder of Emil Carter, a policy holder. A young woman named Janice Laidt, seen fleeing the scene, contacts Johnny and agrees to meet him, claiming she did not kill Carter despite all evidence suggesting her guilt.
Los Angeles and the harbor area of San Pito, California, 1953 · Johnny Dollar, Janice Laidt, Frank, Emil Carter, Mrs. Carter
Listen for: The mystery deepens as Johnny uncovers that Emil Carter was married to someone else while involved with Janice, and that her brother Frank may have orchestrated events to protect her.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 168 The Jonathan Bellows Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into an attempted shooting at the home of wealthy industrialist Jonathan Bellows, who refuses police protection and seems unconcerned about the attack. Dollar arrives at Bellows' Manhattan apartment to find a tense family situation and a cantankerous old man unwilling to cooperate with the investigation.
Manhattan apartment at Park Avenue, New York City; a garden where the shooting attempt occurred · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Stern, Jonathan Bellows, Mrs. Edith Bellows, Professor Wilk, Ralph
Listen for: The clash between Dollar's professional determination and Bellows' stubborn refusal to accept help; family tensions and secrets that may relate to the shooting; Bellows' sudden change of heart when left alone with Dollar.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 171 The Shayne Bombing Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to investigate the death of David Shane, who was killed by a bomb sent in a package. The police suspect Charles Shane, David's brother, but the evidence is circumstantial. As Dollar interviews Charles, their mother, and their sister Mary, he begins to uncover hints that the bombing may be connected to David's activities against the Workers' Protective Association rather than being an act of fratricide.
New York City: police precinct station, city jail, and hospital · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Will Stevens, Charles Shane, David Shane, Mrs. Shane, Mary Shane
Listen for: The developing mystery of who really sent the bomb and why David Shane's speeches against the Workers' Protective Association might be the motive.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 172 The Black Doll Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Judy Thompson, a young singer killed in her Los Angeles apartment. The investigation leads him to William Cahn, a test pilot at Timken Aircraft who had been seeing the victim for about two weeks, forcing Dollar to determine whether Cahn's alibi of staying home the night of the murder holds up.
Los Angeles, California, including the victim's apartment, Timken Aircraft testing facility, and police headquarters. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Breakfast, William Cahn, Judy Thompson, Mr. Rudolph Timken
Listen for: The dramatic jet aircraft test flight sequence and Johnny Dollar's interrogation of the pilot suspect as he works to solve the murder.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 173 The James Forbes Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into the death of wealthy James Forbes, who fell from a 110-foot cliff during his nightly walk along the ocean shore. The police believe it was an accident, but Dollar begins to uncover suspicious details about Mrs. Forbes's activities and mysterious telephone calls that suggest the circumstances of his death may not be as straightforward as they appear.
A Forbes mansion on the northeastern shore, the Fifth Precinct Police Station, and the cliffs along the ocean in what appears to be the New York area. · Johnny Dollar, Roger Stern, Lieutenant Arthur Parkhill, Mrs. Forbes, The butler
Listen for: The developing investigation into Mrs. Forbes's potential affair and secret activities, which may provide a motive for the death; the butler's reluctant revelations about suspicious phone calls and false trips to town.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 175 The Nancy Shaw Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Santa Monica to investigate a jewel robbery at the home of movie star Nancy Shaw. After learning from police that this is the latest in a series of similar robberies targeting Malibu homes, Johnny travels to Shaw's beachfront property to begin his inquiry. He finds himself drawn to the charming actress even as he works the case.
Santa Monica and Malibu, California in the 1950s; the investigation centers on Nancy Shaw's beachfront home in the exclusive Malibu Colony. · Johnny Dollar, Nancy Shaw, Sergeant James Dodd, Bernice, Dave Asher
Listen for: The banter between Johnny and Nancy Shaw as they discuss their personal lives while sitting on the beach, and the arrival of Dave Asher, identified as Nancy's fiancé.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 176 The Isabel James Matter (The Kimball Matter) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Tulsa, Oklahoma to investigate the murder of Isabelle James, a young woman whose throat was cut. She is the fourth victim of what appears to be a serial killer operating in the area over the past three weeks. Dollar interviews the victim's uncle, her beneficiary, and learns that police have arrested a man named Alvin Storey who was found carrying a razor.
Tulsa, Oklahoma; a hotel, a police station, and a farmhouse · Johnny Dollar, Captain Clifford Kissing, Isabelle James's uncle, Alvin Storey
Listen for: The details of the four murders, Johnny Dollar's investigation techniques, and the interrogation of the suspect Alvin Storey
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 177 The Nelson Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to investigate the death of a small-time criminal known as the Frog, who was insured for $10,000 with beneficiary Maude Gilkerson. Dollar meets with police lieutenant Korchak, learns the Frog had ties to crime boss Ellis Hartchier, and uses an informant named Wilbur Truett to locate the beneficiary, but immediately faces intimidation from two thugs warning him to drop the case.
New York City, primarily at a police precinct, a skid row saloon called Hep's Hilarity, a hotel, and the streets between locations · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Korchak, Ellis Hartchier, The Frog (Nelson), Maude Gilkerson, Wilbur Truett
Listen for: The colorful, rambling dialogue of Wilbur Truett, a derelict informant with a gift for flowery speech; the threat delivered by the two thugs at the episode's climax
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 178 The Stanley Price Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in to look into the theft of 100,000 dollars worth of jewels from a home at 956 East 114th Street. A man named Stanley Price called the police to tip them off, but was then shot dead along with another man, Robert Wells. The jewels have been taken out of their settings and recut to avoid identification, and Stanley Price has disappeared.
New York City, including police headquarters, a hotel, a brownstone in the Village, and the waterfront at Schooner Landing · Johnny Dollar, Annalie Conrad, Robert Wells, Stanley Price, Mrs. Wells, Henri Duval
Listen for: Johnny Dollar interviews police detective Conrad about the case, then seeks out his friend Henri Duval at a brownstone in the Village to learn about Stanley Price's whereabouts, following leads that take him to the waterfront.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 179 The Lester Matson Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to investigate a fire at the Matson plastic factory that destroyed the building. The night watchman heard an explosion and found high-octane fuel burning, suggesting arson. The factory owner, Lester Matson, has a solid alibi—he was at a dinner party with his daughter—but Dollar senses something is troubling him, and Matson's behavior suggests he may be hiding something.
New York City and New Jersey, including police headquarters, a hotel, and the Matson family home across the river in Jersey. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Ridgeway, Lester Matson, Christine Matson, Mr. James
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's growing suspicion that Lester Matson knows more about the fire than he's saying, despite Matson's insistence that it was either an accident or the work of a pyromaniac. The interaction between Dollar and Matson's daughter Christine suggests a possible connection worth pursuing.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 181 The William Post Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to look into the murder of Teresa Post, who was stabbed and robbed in her apartment. Lieutenant Roseman suspects her husband William, though he claims an alibi with his girlfriend Jane Yu. Dollar interviews the key figures who discovered the body—private detective Paul Sacks and lawyer George Simon—to determine who killed Mrs. Post and why her expensive mink coat was left behind while only a cloth coat was stolen.
New York City, primarily the 5th Precinct police station, a private detective's office on 52nd Street, and a lawyer's office suite. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Roseman, William Post, Teresa Post, Paul Sacks, Jane Yu, George Simon
Listen for: The puzzling details of the crime—why the killer took only a cloth coat while leaving valuable furs behind, and whether the husband's alibi with his girlfriend can be trusted.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 182 The Amita Buddha Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar is called to Los Angeles to investigate the death of William McEdwards, a man who died in a house fire the previous night. The police suspect murder rather than accident, and as Johnny questions the widow and her father-in-law, he learns about a rare Chinese Buddha that was brought back from Korea and may hold a clue to what really happened.
Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills Police Department, Encino, Pasadena, International Studios, and Beverly Glen · Johnny Dollar, Chief Anderson, Lieutenant Hankins, Mrs. McEdwards, Mrs. Risenally, John McEdwards, Charles Wilkins
Listen for: The mystery of the Buddha statue from Korea and its connection to McEdwards' death; why the police believe the fire was murder rather than accident
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 183 The Alfred Chambers Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to the exclusive resort islands of Lake Huron to investigate the murder of Alfred Chambers, a man found shot through the chest in a rented cabin. Chambers' estranged wife arrived from Pittsburgh to find him dead, but the circumstances of his death remain unclear—he was shot on the island but found with mud and water on his clothes, suggesting he may have been in the lake.
The Snow Islands, an exclusive resort community on Lake Huron near the Canadian border, and the mainland police station. · Johnny Dollar, Philip Martin, Captain George Lane, Alfred Chambers, Mrs. Chambers, Jane Elkins, Schoenberg
Listen for: Details about how Chambers died—whether he was shot on the dock and fell into the water, or shot elsewhere. The significance of Mrs. Chambers' unexpected arrival and her knowledge of her husband's affair with Jane Elkins.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 184 The Philip Morey Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar investigates insurance claims on Philip Morey, a producer who has suffered a nervous breakdown. When Johnny visits Morey's Park Avenue apartment, he finds the man deep in a drinking binge, claiming he hadn't touched alcohol until the previous night. Johnny must determine whether Morey's condition is a legitimate illness covered by insurance or merely a self-inflicted problem.
New York City, primarily Philip Morey's apartment on Park Avenue and a hotel bar · Johnny Dollar, Philip Morey, Edward (Morey's companion), Dr. Ewing, Mr. Gratke (producer), Bartender
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into whether Morey's breakdown is genuine illness or alcohol abuse, and revelations about Morey's troubled past with women and business associates.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 185 The Allen Saxton Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to examine a painting that Allen Saxton paid $200,000 for, but which several experts claim is a forgery. Dollar meets the wealthy Saxton and his spoiled daughter Barbara, views the painting, and learns that a man named Lippert has been spreading word that Saxton was swindled. While waiting for the museum to complete their examination, Dollar returns to New York only to be visited by Barbara at his hotel.
New Jersey and New York City, 1953. The story begins at Allen Saxton's three-story house across the river in Jersey, then moves to Johnny Dollar's hotel in New York. · Johnny Dollar, Allen Saxton, Barbara Saxton, Mitchell, Lippert, Mr. Farmer
Listen for: The mystery of whether the valuable painting is genuine or a forgery, and what Barbara Saxton's unexpected visit to Johnny Dollar's hotel means for the case.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 186 The Howard Arnold Matter (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by an old friend, Howard Arnold, to protect him from a dangerous criminal outfit led by Castro. Arnold gives Dollar an envelope containing evidence that could send Castro away for a hundred years, but when one of Castro's men attacks Dollar at his hotel and tears the place apart looking for it, Dollar must arrange a clandestine meeting to return the envelope to Arnold.
New York City, including the Ellsworth Hotel, Arnold's office, and a remote meeting spot reached by a 40-minute drive into the countryside. · Johnny Dollar, Howard Arnold, Castro
Listen for: The tense confrontation between Johnny and Castro's enforcer, and the mysterious nature of the evidence Arnold entrusts to him.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 190 The Independent Diamond Traders' Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate why diamond traders in New York are going out of business. When cheap diamonds flood the market at prices far below the normal rate, the independent traders of the Association begin canceling their insurance and closing shop. Dollar visits the Association's headquarters to gather information and begins to track down the source of the cut-rate stones.
New York's Diamond Row and a small hotel, during a late afternoon snowfall in the 1950s · Johnny Dollar, Eric Carlson, Mr. Moss, Susan, Hotel clerk
Listen for: The mystery of where the cheap diamonds are coming from and who is flooding the market with them to drive out the small traders
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 191 The Monopoly Matter (1953)
Johnny Dollar investigates a fire that destroyed the Monopoly Club in Waterbank. Fire Inspector Captain McCready determines the blaze was caused by Molotov cocktails thrown through a window, pointing to arson. Club owner Gerald Hobson reveals that a man visited him a week earlier demanding $100 monthly protection money and threatening to put him out of business, raising the question of whether this extortionist is responsible for the fire.
Waterbank, at the ruins of the Monopoly Club and the owner's home · Johnny Dollar, Captain McCready, Gerald Hobson, Chief Blair, Sergeant Winnick
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether the arson is connected to the extortion threat against the club owner.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 195 The Ben Bryson Matter (AFRTS) (1953)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to San Francisco to investigate the death of Ben Bryson, a company claims adjuster who died in a car accident driving off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean. Before his death, Bryson had embezzled nearly $80,000 from Keystone Mutual Assurance Company, and Dollar must determine what happened to the missing money and uncover the circumstances surrounding Bryson's suspicious death.
San Francisco and Panama City; primarily the Franciscan Arms hotel and its bar in San Francisco, where Bryson lived. · Johnny Dollar, Ed Murphy, Ben Bryson, Mrs. Kern, The hotel manager, The bartender, Coco
Listen for: Dollar's investigation into Bryson's embezzlement and death, his interviews with the hotel staff and Mrs. Kern about Bryson's activities and relationships before his fatal accident, and clues about the missing $80,000.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 196 The Fair-Way Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
A Fairway Airlines plane crashes shortly after takeoff from Springfield Hartford Airport, killing all aboard and destroying two nearby homes. Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to the scene, where authorities determine the crash was caused by nitroglycerin explosives detonated by an electrical timing device. Suspicion falls on Wilbur Wheeler, a ground crew member who had a troubled history with stewardess Shirley and co-pilot Bill Strand.
Springfield Hartford Airport and surrounding area, following a plane crash · Johnny Dollar, Sam Harris, Carl Reed, Captain Jim Lenhart, Wilbur Wheeler, Shirley, Bill Strand
Listen for: The investigation into the deliberate sabotage of the aircraft and the questioning of Wilbur Wheeler, who had motive and access to the plane.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 197 The Celia Woodstock Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into the disappearance of Celia Woodstock, a young woman who vanished a week ago from her wealthy captain husband's home near Bridgeport. Captain Woodstock reveals his wife had been visiting a local doctor frequently and had been seen with him, and a private investigator previously hired had lost her trail when she boarded a train to New York City with $2000 withdrawn from the bank.
Bridgeport, Connecticut and surrounding areas near Long Island Sound, 1954 · Johnny Dollar, Captain Lyle Woodstock, Celia Woodstock, David Slayton, Dr. Charles Masterson, Janet Squash
Listen for: Dollar's investigation into Woodstock's strange behavior and hidden facts about his wife's disappearance, mysterious phone calls to someone named Sprague, and a tense confrontation
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 199 The Beauregard Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Rockport, Illinois to look into the theft of a valuable $30,000 necklace from the Beauregard household. The engagement gift was stolen from an old-fashioned safe while the house was empty, and Dollar begins interviewing the family members to uncover who took it.
Rockport, Illinois; the Beauregard home and surrounding town · Johnny Dollar, Jared Beauregard, Ellen Beauregard, Phil Avery, Benny Stark
Listen for: The mystery of the stolen necklace and Johnny Dollar's investigation into the Beauregard family's involvement in the theft.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 200 The Paul Gorrell Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Phoenix to investigate a hundred-thousand-dollar payroll robbery in which two guards were killed. Insurance adjuster George Post reveals that one of the robbers, Tallavic, contacted him claiming his partner Paul Garell shot the guards against their agreement, and that Garell plans to flee to Los Angeles via a ride-share arrangement. Dollar agrees to pose as a passenger in the getaway car to track the stolen money.
Phoenix, Arizona and en route to Los Angeles · Johnny Dollar, George Post, Paul Garell, Tallavic, Mr. Bovey
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's undercover attempt to catch a murderer and recover stolen money while riding in a car with the criminal
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 201 The Harpooned Angler Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives on the French Riviera to investigate the death of Arnold Bernier, a wealthy retired man found dead underwater with a fishing spear in his back while skin diving. Dollar must determine whether Bernier's widow Magda or someone else is responsible for his suspicious death, despite initial claims that it was a tragic accident.
The French Riviera, specifically a villa overlooking the Gulf of Lyon and the waters off the Cassis coast, circa 1954 · Johnny Dollar, Count L'Ozzlo, Magda Bernier, Inspector Lanyo, David North
Listen for: The unusual circumstances of a man found dead underwater with a spear embedded in his back during a solo skin diving expedition, and Johnny Dollar's skeptical questioning of those who benefit from his death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 202 The Uncut Canary Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to collect a $125,000 claim on an uncut diamond called the Canary, stolen from jewelry shop owner Madam Johannes in Beverly Hills. When a mysterious caller offers to return the stone, Dollar and police Lieutenant Hankins rush to retrieve it, but complications arise regarding the diamond's actual value and condition.
Beverly Hills, California; a jewelry shop and surrounding locations · Johnny Dollar, Madam Johannes, Carter, Eddell Spears, Tont Blussman, Lieutenant Hankins, Chief Anderson
Listen for: The mystery of why the Canary diamond has been held for over a year and whether it can actually be cut and sold for its claimed value
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 203 The Classified Killer Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Chicago to probe the murder of Frank Harvey, a claims adjuster shot three times and found in the snow on Mannheim Road. A classified ad for Harvey's Cadillac convertible leads police to suspect the killer posed as a prospective buyer, but a woman's compact found in the recovered car suggests a woman may be involved in the case.
Chicago during a winter blizzard; police station, garage, Mannheim Road, beer and hamburger joint · Johnny Dollar, Ted Albright, Frank Harvey, Lieutenant (Police), Detective Sergeant, Mechanic
Listen for: Johnny Dollar receives a mysterious phone call with information about the case just as he's questioning Ted Albright about Frank Harvey's personal life and connections.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 204 The Road-Test Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to look into a series of mysterious accidents at an automobile manufacturer's testing facility. Three experimental cars have crashed during road tests, each driven by experienced test drivers, and Dollar must determine whether sabotage, mechanical failure, or something more sinister is behind the disasters.
An automobile testing facility and surrounding town, 1954 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. King, McGregor, Mrs. Grace Johnson, Joe Simmons, Steve Johnson, Kelly
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into the three car crashes, his interviews with the test facility manager and the widow of one of the killed drivers, and his search for a man with possible motive
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 205 The Terrified Taun Matter (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to a rubber plantation in Malaya to investigate a death claim for Harrison Langley. Upon arrival, Langley greets him with a gun, convinced Dollar is part of a conspiracy against him. Langley reveals his wife Meida has disappeared and a shot was fired, while the plantation faces constant terrorist threats and his overseer Crawford appears to harbor secret feelings for Mrs. Langley.
A rubber plantation near Sundown, Malaya, in a region threatened by jungle terrorists · Johnny Dollar, Tom Benz, George Alister, Harrison Langley, Crawford, Meida Langley
Listen for: Langley's panic and accusations of murder plots, the revelation of Crawford's apparent feelings for Mrs. Langley, and the mystery of what happened to Meida
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 207 The Piney Corners Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the small town of Piney Corners to investigate the shooting death of Martha Williams. The local constable, Jake Finley, has few clues about who killed the young woman as she sat by a window in her farmhouse. Johnny discovers that Martha's husband Ben has been spending considerable time with Flora Lane, a waitress at the local restaurant, while Martha has been ill at home.
Piney Corners, a small town of 1200 people, and the Williams farm outside town, 1954. · Johnny Dollar, Bob Creel, Jake Finley, Ben Williams, Martha Williams, Flora Lane, Mrs. Keeler, Mr. Keeler
Listen for: Johnny's expense account narration as he pieces together the circumstances of Martha Williams' death and the suspicious relationship between Ben Williams and the waitress Flora Lane.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 209 The Sulphur and Brimstone Matter (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Venezuela to investigate sabotage at a dam construction site. Upon arrival at the remote project, he discovers that Ace Travis, partner of a deceased robber, has been shot dead, and Captain Borrell has ordered all work on the dam to stop immediately.
A remote dam construction site in the mountains of Venezuela, near the town of Whereville Cusbert, South America. · Johnny Dollar, Daniel Gatorio Matarsa, Captain Borrell, Bill Anthony, Philomena Travis, Pedro de la questo, Ace Travis
Listen for: The mystery of who shot Ace Travis and why someone is sabotaging the dam project; the tension between the construction crew's determination to finish the dam and the forces working against it.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 210 The Magnolia and Honeysuckle Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Charleston, South Carolina to investigate a fire at the Cooper family's paper factory office that occurred early in the morning. A young woman named Felicia Farrow, the secretary, is found dead at the scene, and Norman Cooper, the factory owner's son, mysteriously leaves town on a hunting trip the same night. Dollar must uncover whether the fire was arson and what connection Norman has to the victim's death.
Charleston, South Carolina, primarily at the Cooper family's paper factory and mansion, with scenes at police headquarters and a lunch room. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Hervey, Norman Cooper, Mrs. Alice Cooper, Robert Cooper, Felicia Farrow, Bill Randall
Listen for: The mystery of why Felicia Farrow was at the factory at four in the morning, Norman Cooper's sudden departure on a hunting trip, and clues about whether the fire was professionally set arson.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 211 The Nathan Swing Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to look into the murder of Nathan Swing, a small-time hood. Swing's death coincides suspiciously with Special Investigator Daniel Fletcher's sudden cancellation of a vice investigation into crime boss Jimmy Durando, raising questions about whether the two cases are connected.
Los Angeles, California in 1954, including City Hall, Beverly Hills, and Durando's restaurant · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Matthews, Nathan Swing, Jimmy Durando, Daniel Fletcher, Fletcher's wife
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's expense account details and his initial interviews about the Nathan Swing murder and its connection to the Durando investigation
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 212 The Frustrated Phoenix Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar looks into the death of Martin Vanneburg, a novelist who once showed great promise but spent 20 years drinking himself into obscurity. Johnny interviews those who knew him—a literary critic who tried unsuccessfully to help him recover, and the bohemian friend who discovered his body—to uncover who shot Vanneburg and why.
Chicago, including the Daily Examiner newspaper offices, a studio apartment on Elm Street, Chicago Avenue Police Station, and Newberry Park · Johnny Dollar, Richard Hanley, Lieutenant Borchock, Dalton Tuller
Listen for: Johnny's methodical investigation unfolding through interviews and expense account details, the contrast between Vanneburg the brilliant writer and Vanneburg the broken man, and the mystery of his disappearing wife.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 213 The Dan Frank Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Middleboro to investigate the murder of Dan Frank, the town's former police chief, who was shot in his own home. Mrs. Frank claims an intruder killed her husband while she and houseguest Max Bealy slept upstairs, but Johnny finds the town harbors dark secrets involving organized crime and people with motives to see Frank dead.
Middleboro, a Great Lakes town with a quiet exterior hiding organized crime and corruption · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Laura Frank, Max Bealy, Commissioner Corbett, Pete Parker, Eddie Sales
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into Frank's murder, tension between those with alibis and those with motives, and the revelation of hidden rackets running through the seemingly respectable town
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 215 The Bilked Baroness Matter (1954)
Johnny Dollar investigates a theft of furs and jewels worth $100,000 stolen from the penthouse of Baroness Olga Jarbach. The robbery appears to be an inside job, with suspicion falling on Vasiliy Oodyskoo, a guest at the Baroness's party the night before who has a criminal record. As Dollar questions the people connected to the case, including the Baroness's ex-husband Thomas Bentley, evidence begins to surface that may point to the real culprit.
New York City, including the Baroness's penthouse apartment, a commercial art studio, and police headquarters. · Johnny Dollar, Baroness Olga Jarbach, Lieutenant Lewis, Thomas Bentley, Vasiliy Oodyskoo
Listen for: The clever way the detective pieces together clues from an apparent inside job, and the revelation of who actually took the stolen jewels and furs.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 216 The Punctilious Firebug Matter (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Dallas to investigate a series of fires plaguing the company. Five properties with recently issued policies have burned on Tuesday nights around 11 o'clock, totaling $95,000 in claims. When a sixth fire breaks out at an apartment building on East Westchester, killing a witness, Johnny begins to suspect someone within the insurance organization is involved.
Dallas, Texas; offices of Eastern Indemnity and Fire Company; various fire scenes around the city · Johnny Dollar, Jeff Connors, Lieutenant Len Borchard, Miss Martin, Bellabundema Henderson
Listen for: Johnny's questioning of Miss Martin about her convenient presence at the office just after the latest fire; the details about the slow fuses made with candle drippings found at each fire site; the mounting pressure on Jeff Connors as fires continue to strike newly issued policies.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 218 The Sara Dearing Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the small desert town of Palmer, California to investigate the death of Sarah Dearing, a recluse who died in a bedroom fire and left a $100,000 insurance policy. The local newspaper editor has discovered a bottle containing powerful sedative residue at the scene and believes Dearing was murdered, but the county sheriff has dismissed the evidence as insignificant.
Palmer, a small village in the Santa Rosa Mountains overlooking the Mojave Desert in California, and the surrounding area including Sarah Dearing's Spanish villa · Johnny Dollar, Maggie Lacey, Sheriff Dan Cox, Hilda Brouwer
Listen for: The mystery of the two mysterious men who visited Sarah Dearing every year on the same day and were present on the day of her death; the significance of the prescription sedative found in her bedroom; and why the sheriff refuses to investigate further despite the suspicious circumstances.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 219 The Paterson Transport Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Johnny Dollar investigates a series of armed robberies targeting delivery trucks for the Paterson Transport Company in Kansas City. Six hold-ups in a week have netted over $3,700, with drivers beaten so badly that one is hospitalized. When police set up surveillance on the trucks, the pattern shifts dramatically—the next likely target, driver Milton Spears, is killed in a mysterious truck accident before the robber can strike.
Kansas City, Missouri, with focus on the Paterson Transport Company, police headquarters at 1125 Locust Street, and various delivery routes around the city. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Herman, Sergeant Grayson, Milton Spears, Mrs. Robinson
Listen for: The mysterious death of Milton Spears, the next robbery target, in a truck accident that may not be what it appears. A witness spots a large man limping away from the crash scene.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 221 The Woodward Manila Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Manila to investigate a $75,000 burglary at the Woodward hardware store. The safe was found open on Monday morning by the manager. The police have arrested Miguel Masaleira for stealing from another store, but he denies involvement in the Woodward theft and insists he has no money.
Manila, Philippines, at the Woodward hardware store, police headquarters, and Johnny's hotel near Manila Bay · Johnny Dollar, Floyd McDonald, Irving Morgan, Dan Blake, Sergeant Malvar, Miguel Masaleira
Listen for: Johnny's interview with the detained Miguel Masaleira, who claims he didn't steal the money despite being arrested for robbing another store
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 222 The Jan Brueghel Matter (The Flowering Judas Matter) (AFRT
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to recover a valuable painting that was stolen from an art gallery. A man has approached the gallery owner with the painting and arranged to sell it back, and Dollar must identify both the artwork and the mysterious seller. Dollar tracks down Selena Jeffers, a young woman from the painting's original owning family, hoping she will help him identify the work when the sale takes place.
An art gallery and later a bluff overlooking Lake St. Clair · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Masterson, Hackeron, Selena Jeffers
Listen for: The arrangement for Dollar to meet the painting's seller and complete the recovery of the stolen artwork
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 223 The Carboniferous Dolomite Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Sumatra to investigate sabotage at an oil well owned by Peter Van Usterhal, who is gambling $60,000 on striking oil within three weeks before his drilling permit expires. That evening, after meeting Van Usterhal and his daughter Frederica, Johnny is awakened by Inspector Pajak with shocking news: Van Usterhal has been murdered, and Johnny's own .38 caliber revolver matches the murder weapon.
Sumatra, at an oil field north of Achin and the Buieton Zorg Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Peter Van Usterhal, Frederica Reynolds, Inspector Pajak, Don Reynolds
Listen for: The explanation for the deliberate sabotage at the oil well, whether Johnny's gun was actually used in the murder, and who really killed Van Usterhal
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 224 The Jeanne Maxwell Matter (FEN-AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by Corinthian Life Insurance to look into the death of Jean Maxwell, a young woman found drowned in a Boston-area stream. The police are treating it as a possible suicide, but Dollar's examination of the evidence suggests foul play, and he begins interviewing those close to the victim to uncover the truth.
Boston and Hartford, Connecticut, present day (1954) · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant (Boston police), Marionne (Jean Maxwell's roommate), Harold Corey, Edward Hollis, Mrs. Hollis, Mr. Templin
Listen for: The detective's careful reasoning about the circumstances of Jean Maxwell's death, particularly the details that don't match the typical suicide pattern.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 225 The Radioactive Gold Matter (1954)
A lethal radioactive gold isotope disappears from Washington Research Hospital in South Bend, Indiana. Johnny Dollar is called in to investigate after the gold surfaces at a local pawn shop, sold by a man claiming to have scraped it from his television store windows. With the dangerous material now loose in the city, Dollar must track down the seller before the radiation claims another victim.
South Bend, Indiana, 1954; Washington Research Hospital, police headquarters, and a pawn shop. · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Reed Mackinlock, Miss Lowan, Lieutenant Redos, Goldie, Parker, Steve
Listen for: The race to identify and locate a man dying from radiation exposure; the discovery that a deadly radioactive isotope has been sold to an unsuspecting pawn broker.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 226 The Hampton Line Matter (AFRTS) (1954)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Sault St. Marie, Michigan to look into an explosion aboard the Hampton Queen, a supply boat operated by Carl Richard. Richard was aboard the vessel shortly before the blast occurred in the utility compartment, then vanished before the boat docked. Captain Ferguson and others defend Richard's character, leaving Dollar puzzled about his motive and whereabouts.
Sault St. Marie, Michigan, on the Great Lakes, involving Coast Guard headquarters, a supply boat, and local establishments · Johnny Dollar, Commander Wizard, Carl Richard, Miss Richard, Captain Ferguson, Captain Torgerson
Listen for: Details about the explosion aboard the Hampton Queen, Carl Richard's mysterious disappearance, and Johnny Dollar's investigation into the motive behind the blast
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 231 The Macormack Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives an urgent call from a prison chaplain: dying inmate Michael Cairn wants to see him. When Dollar visits Sing Sing, the dying con man reveals he suspects fellow inmate Joe Penny knows the location of $100,000 in jewels stolen from a rich man named McCormick years ago. Before dying, Cairn urges Dollar to investigate and split any reward with Cairn's widow. Dollar travels to New York to look into the old case and track down Penny.
Sing Sing Prison, New York City, and Long Island, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Father Taggart, Michael Cairn, Joe Penny, Julian McCormick, Ed Barth
Listen for: The dying prisoner's cryptic clues about a fellow inmate and a hidden jewel heist; Dollar's methodical investigation beginning to piece together the mystery.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 232 The Macormack Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar follows up on a tip about a $100,000 jewelry theft from Julian McCormick's home five years earlier. A dying convict named Mike Karen mentioned that ex-con Joe Penny may have been involved in the heist. Dollar visits McCormick's mansion on Long Island, reviews the case details with Allied Casualty's Frank Porter, and begins tracking down Penny, who has recently disappeared from his hotel.
Long Island mansion and New York City, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Frank Porter, Julian McCormick, Mrs. McCormick, Mike Karen, Joe Penny, Doodles Martin
Listen for: Dollar's suspicion that McCormick seems frightened by the investigation; the revelation that no trace of the stolen jewelry has ever surfaced despite five years passing; a mysterious phone call claiming to be from Johnny Dollar that may not be who it seems.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 233 The Macormack Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is investigating a 1951 burglary at McCormick's home on Long Island. A dying convict named Mike Cairn tipped him that Joe Panie, a small-time auto thief, might be responsible. When Johnny checks Panie's hotel room, he finds it ransacked and is nearly shot by a mysterious woman. Working with Lieutenant Martin, Johnny tracks down Iris Carter, Joe Panie's ex-wife from six years ago, hoping she can lead him to Panie.
New York City, including a hotel, police station, apartment building, bookstore, diner, and rehearsal hall · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Dules Martin, Joe Panie, Mike Cairn, Iris Carter, Jack Lang, Mrs. Olds
Listen for: The mysterious woman with the gun and her connection to the case; Jack Lang's surprising admission that he would like to find Iris Carter himself
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 234 The Macormack Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Joe Penny, a small-time auto thief connected to a five-year-old McCormick burglary worth $100,000. Penny is found shot and dumped in the harbor with burnt feet, and suspicion falls on his ex-wife Iris Carter, who carries a gun and wears a mink stole. Johnny must track down Iris and recover the stolen goods while navigating conflicting leads and a mysterious witness.
New York City, including the harbor and police offices · Johnny Dollar, Frank Porter, Joe Penny, Iris Carter, Lieutenant Martin, Edmund Thompson
Listen for: The investigation into Joe Penny's murder and the search for Iris Carter; Edmund Thompson's peculiar account of witnessing the body being dumped; the significance of Penny's burnt feet and the type of gun used.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 235 The Macormack Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is shot at outside a theater in the Bronx and learns that Joe Panie, an ex-convict connected to a years-old case, may be involved. Following the trail to Long Island, Dollar discovers that Joe Panie's ex-wife is now married to wealthy Julian McCormick—and that Panie is dead, killed with a .25 caliber gun. As the case unravels, Dollar uncovers a web of blackmail, robbery, and betrayal that reaches into Allied Insurance's own New York office.
The Bronx and Long Island, New York, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Ed Bart, Joe Panie, Julian McCormick, Mrs. McCormick (Iris), Frank Porter, Mike Karen
Listen for: The shocking revelation of Frank Porter's betrayal and his connection to the murder; the confrontation at the McCormick home and Julian's desperate attempts to silence Dollar.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 236 The Molly K Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to San Francisco to investigate the sinking of the freighter Molly Kay, which went down off the Golden Gate Bridge with a half-million-dollar insurance claim at stake. At a preliminary board of inquiry, Captain Edgar Brawley testifies that the ship struck a submerged derelict and sank in minutes, but Johnny's questions about the captain's suspicious behavior during a previous voyage hint that all may not be what it seems.
San Francisco, 1955. A board of inquiry investigating the loss of the freighter Molly Kay at the foot of Market Street. · Johnny Dollar, Dave Borker, Captain Edgar Brawley, Harbormaster Timo Rourke, Lieutenant Commander Barton Field, Radio Operator GA Beck
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's probing questions about Captain Brawley's earlier voyage and mysterious cancellation of an insurance claim suggest deeper motives behind the ship's sinking.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 237 The Molly K Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is assigned to investigate the sinking of the freighter Molly K in the Pacific. He receives a mysterious phone call from Ellen Brawley, daughter of the ship's captain, who asks him to meet her at Pier 29 on the waterfront at night. When Johnny arrives, he discovers Ellen works at the Broly shipping company office and learns that her father took out a heavy mortgage on the ship seven months before it went down, raising questions about whether the vessel was deliberately sunk for insurance money.
San Francisco waterfront, Pier 29, the offices of the Broly shipping company, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Ellen Brawley, Dean Sutton, Captain Brawley, Lou Tang
Listen for: The mystery of why the Molly K sank and Ellen Brawley's conflicting motives for meeting with Johnny Dollar, plus the revelation that she is engaged to Dean Sutton, the cargo exporter whose goods went down with the ship.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 238 The Molly K Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates the sinking of the freighter Molly K in San Francisco. Crew member Hawkins reveals suspicious circumstances: a fire was discovered before the voyage, Captain Brawley violently silenced crew member Bill Mack's warnings, and an explosion—not a collision—actually sank the ship. Dollar confronts the captain and later meets with Shanghai Lu, a mysterious woman from his past, seeking information about the missing Chinese steward Benny Wong.
San Francisco waterfront and Chinatown, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Josiah Hawkins, Bill Mack, Captain Brawley, Benny Wong, Lu Tang (Shanghai Lu), Dean Sutton
Listen for: The details about the fire aboard the Molly K, Captain Brawley's violent reaction to Bill Mack's suspicions, and the revelation that an explosion rather than a collision sank the ship. Also note Johnny's complex history with Shanghai Lu.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 239 The Molly K Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Johnny Dollar finds himself arrested on assault charges filed by Captain Brawley, seemingly a tactic to keep him out of the way. Working with Harbor Police Dan McKay, Johnny pieces together his theory of the Molly K case: Brawley needed money, hired explosives expert Benny Wong to sink the ship for insurance, and Wong killed crew member Bill Mack when discovered. But when they locate Wong's hideout, they find him already dead—shot three times with a .45 caliber gun.
San Francisco Harbor and Fisherman's Wharf in the present day, with references to the Molly K ship and various dock locations. · Johnny Dollar, Dan McKay, Harbor Police, Captain Brawley, Bill Mack, Benny Wong, Dean Sutton, Tim O'Rourke, Hawkins
Listen for: Johnny's theory of the crime unraveling as new evidence emerges; the discovery of Benny Wong's body and the revelation about the .45 caliber gun that doesn't belong to Dean Sutton.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 240 The Molly K Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar has been tracking the truth behind the sinking of the Molly K. He discovers that Dean Sutton, engaged to Captain Brawley's daughter Ellen, orchestrated the ship's destruction to collect insurance on the cargo after the Tokyo grain market collapsed. But when Johnny confronts Ellen at the Brawley shipping office, she reveals herself as the real mastermind behind the scheme—and she's determined to silence him.
San Francisco waterfront and the Brawley shipping company office, at night near Pier 29 · Johnny Dollar, Lou Tang, Captain Brawley, Dan, Ellen Brawley, Dean Sutton, Benny Wong
Listen for: Johnny's realization that Ellen, not Dean, is the true criminal mind behind the insurance fraud and murder; the dramatic confrontation in the shipping office and the final struggle on the dock.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 241 The Chesapeake Fraud Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Baltimore to investigate a suspicious claim. Five years after John Reardon died in a boating accident on Chesapeake Bay, Eastern Fidelity paid his widow Elizabeth $20,000. Now Paul Combs, chairman of Eastern Fidelity's board, claims he saw Reardon alive in Denver just three days ago, going by the name Frank Bauer. Johnny must determine whether Reardon really survived or if the widow committed fraud.
Baltimore, Maryland and Denver, Colorado, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Pat Keller, Paul Combs, Elizabeth Jane Reardon, Frank Bauer
Listen for: Johnny's skepticism about Combs's story and his reluctance to upset the widow without solid evidence; the details of the original boating accident and the legal declaration of death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 242 The Chesapeake Fraud Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates a claim involving John Reardon, who supposedly died five years ago in a boating accident off the Chesapeake, but is now reported to be alive in Denver under the assumed name Frank Bowers. Johnny befriends Reardon's widow Elizabeth to gather information, but his investigation is complicated when Elizabeth's controlling friend Hugh Bryan arrives and demands Johnny leave her alone.
Baltimore, Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay area, with references to Denver, Colorado · Johnny Dollar, Pat Kelleher, Elizabeth Reardon, Hugh Bryan, George Hanley, Lieutenant Jack Halverson
Listen for: Johnny's telephone calls to his detective friend in Denver and to Elizabeth Reardon; his evening visit to Elizabeth's home where she reveals details about her marriage to John Reardon; the unexpected arrival of Hugh Bryan, Reardon's former attorney; Johnny's later conversation with Coast Guard Lieutenant Halverson about the boat explosion and the missing body.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 243 The Chesapeake Fraud Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates a possible insurance fraud in Denver after an insurance official claims to have spotted a man resembling John Reardon, who supposedly died and whose widow received a $20,000 payout. Dollar travels to Denver and locates Frank Bowers, a consulting engineer who bears a striking resemblance to the deceased Reardon and who met the insurance official at a local tavern.
Baltimore and Denver, Colorado, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Hugh Bryan, Paul Coombs, Elizabeth Reardon, John Reardon, Frank Bowers, George Hanley
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's careful interrogation of Frank Bowers and the growing evidence that Bowers may not be who he claims to be.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 244 The Chesapeake Fraud Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates whether Frank Bowers of Denver is actually John Rodden, who supposedly died in a 1950 boat accident on Chesapeake Bay. Despite fingerprints proving Bowers is not Rodden, Johnny remains suspicious of Bowers's overly cooperative behavior. When Johnny confronts Bowers in a bar and reveals his doubts, Bowers makes a mysterious long-distance call to Baltimore and becomes violent, attacking Johnny before fleeing.
Denver, Colorado, with references to Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore, Maryland in 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Frank Bowers, George Hanley, Pat Kelleher
Listen for: The tension builds as Johnny's instincts war against the fingerprint evidence, culminating in a bar confrontation that turns physical when Johnny accuses Bowers of lying about his identity and his connection to Baltimore.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 245 The Chesapeake Fraud Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Baltimore to wrap up a case involving John Ridden, who supposedly died in a boating accident months ago. Dollar discovers that Ridden faked his death and has been living in Denver under the alias Frank Bowers, but Bowers was recently murdered along with one of Dollar's operatives. When Dollar returns to Baltimore with evidence that Ridden is alive, he finds that Ridden's widow Elizabeth has just married Ridden's attorney Hugh Bryan—and Bryan confesses that Ridden orchestrated his own disappearance.
Denver and Baltimore, 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Pat Kelleher, Lieutenant O'Neill, Hugh Bryan, Elizabeth Ridden, John Ridden, Frank Bowers
Listen for: The mystery of why John Ridden faked his death and who murdered him in Denver; the sudden marriage between Elizabeth and Hugh Bryan and what it means for the insurance case
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 246 The Alvin Summers Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the small Mexican town of Santo Tomás after receiving a cryptic phone call about embezzler Alvin Summers, who fled with $75,000 six months ago. With only vague directions and no name for his contact, Johnny checks into a local hotel and begins asking questions, while trying to figure out how to make himself visible to whoever called while remaining inconspicuous enough to track down Summers if he's nearby.
Santo Tomás, a small town on the west coast of Mexico; a local hotel and cantina · Johnny Dollar, Fred Wilkins, Benito, E.K. Carson, A girl at the cantina, A guitar player
Listen for: Johnny's attempts to navigate a town where he knows almost nothing about who contacted him or where Alvin Summers might be hiding; his interaction with the enigmatic E.K. Carson and a mysterious girl at the cantina bar.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 247 The Alvin Summers Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar has come to Santa Tamas searching for embezzler Alvin Summers. A mysterious woman named Gloria befriends him, though her true intentions remain unclear. When a bellboy offers to lead Johnny to Summers' house at midnight, Johnny finds himself drawn to Gloria and accompanies her to a secluded beach cove—where armed men suddenly appear out of the darkness.
Santa Tamas, Mexico—a beach resort town including the Playa del Mar hotel and a secluded cove along the beach · Johnny Dollar, Gloria, Benito (bellboy), Carson, The strong-arm man, The flamenco singer
Listen for: The tense encounter between Johnny and Gloria on the beach, and the arrival of the armed men from the darkness.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 248 The Alvin Summers Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Santa Tomás investigating a $75,000 embezzlement case involving a man named Alvin Summers. A bellboy named Benito, who promised to help Johnny locate Summers, is found murdered in Johnny's hotel room with his throat cut. Lieutenant Gomez questions Johnny about his whereabouts and motives while Johnny tries to piece together who killed Benito and why.
Santa Tomás, a small and dangerous town; Johnny's hotel room, police headquarters, and the surrounding streets. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Gomez, Sergeant Romero, Benito the Bell Boy, Gloria Harris, Carson, Senor Crouse
Listen for: The mystery of who killed Benito and what connection the various suspicious characters—Carson the zipper salesman, the mysterious Senor Crouse, and the unknown man tailing Johnny—have to the embezzlement case.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 249 The Alvin Summers Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar continues his search for embezzler Alvin Summers in a Central American town. Gloria Harris, a woman stranded without a passport, claims she can help him find Summers in exchange for assistance getting home. As Johnny and Gloria head toward Summers' remote jungle hideout, they discover someone is following them through the dense brush.
A small Central American coastal town called Santa Thomas and the surrounding jungle near the beach, with Summers' hidden hut inland from the water. · Johnny Dollar, Gloria Harris, Fred Wilkins, Lieutenant Gomez, Alvin Summers, Benito Skansa, Klaus
Listen for: The growing sense of danger as Johnny realizes he and Gloria are being tracked through the jungle, and the revelation that at least one person has already died searching for Summers.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 250 The Alvin Summers Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Mexico searching for Alvin Summers, who has embezzled $75,000. After being confronted at gunpoint in the jungle, Johnny is summoned to his hotel room where Summers himself appears, having grown weary of hiding. Summers is ready to turn himself in and return most of the stolen money, but the situation takes a dangerous turn when Gloria Harris, Summers' accomplice, arrives with a gun and refuses to give up her claim on the funds.
Santa Tomas, Mexico - jungles, beaches, and a hotel in town; also references to Mexico City. · Johnny Dollar, Alvin Summers, Gloria Harris, Lieutenant Gomez, Carson
Listen for: The tense confrontation between Johnny and the armed Alvin Summers in the jungle; Summers' explanation of his year-long fugitive life and psychological toll of hiding; Gloria's sudden armed appearance at the hotel and her refusal to surrender the embezzled money.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 251 The Valentine Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, meets Dan Valentine, a former gangster just released from prison after serving time for Prohibition-era crimes. The next morning, before leaving New Orleans, Johnny is called to meet with Inspector Debaka of the police force, who questions whether Johnny has any business dealings with Valentine. Moments later, Valentine is shot and rushed to the hospital.
New Orleans, Louisiana in 1955; a bar on Burgundy Street, police headquarters, and a private hospital · Johnny Dollar, Dan Valentine, Inspector Debaka, Roy
Listen for: Johnny's account of meeting the mysterious Dan Valentine and the inspector's cryptic warnings about the former convict's presence in the city
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 252 The Valentine Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New Orleans to investigate an assassination attempt on Dan Valentine, a man with a criminal past from the Prohibition era who is now trying to live quietly. When Valentine refuses to cooperate with police about the shooting, Dollar must piece together the mystery while also discovering that Valentine's estranged wife has mysteriously appeared at the hospital.
New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1950s; hospital and Roosevelt Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Dan Valentine, Inspector de Baca, Swilly Blakely, Anne Valentine (Mrs. Valentine)
Listen for: The witness account of the shooting from a mysterious car, and the revelation that Dan Valentine's estranged wife has just arrived in town after 13 years of separation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 253 The Valentine Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar searches for Dan Valentine, a man recently released from prison who fled his hospital bed after being shot at. Dollar questions Valentine's estranged wife in New Orleans and learns that an old friend named Conrad Webster may hold clues to Valentine's whereabouts, but Webster denies any contact with the fugitive.
New Orleans, Louisiana; a hospital; Valentine's home; Webster's residence at three in the morning · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Valentine, Dan Valentine, Conrad Webster, Teresa Valentine
Listen for: The tense interrogation of Mrs. Valentine as Johnny Dollar pieces together the connection between Dan Valentine and his mysterious past; the cryptic and drunken conversation with Conrad Webster that reveals the sad history of these broken men.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 254 The Valentine Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the shooting deaths of Danny Valentine and his wife. Inspector de Bucken describes the two gunmen and reveals that Valentine's estranged daughter, Miss Ward, has arrived in New Orleans. Dollar visits Valentine's house in Jefferson Parish to gather information and meets the grieving young woman, learning that she was raised apart from her father and is determined to discover who killed both her parents.
New Orleans, Louisiana; Danny Valentine's house in Jefferson Parish; police station · Johnny Dollar, Inspector Charles de Bucken, Danny Valentine, Miss Ward, Mrs. Yachino, Conrad Webster
Listen for: The description of the two gunmen and the Italian-made pistol used in the murders; the revelation that Valentine's daughter was kept ignorant of her father's identity; Valentine's unexpected life as an artist and lover of music and Italian landscapes.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 255 The Valentine Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Valentine house moments after Terry Valentine is shot and killed. He apprehends one of two gunmen fleeing the scene, but the suspect dies in police custody without revealing who ordered the murders. As the bodies pile up—Terry, her father Dan Valentine, his lawyer Conrad Webster, and others—Johnny struggles to understand the motive behind the seemingly senseless killings.
Hollywood and the Valentine house; also New York police investigations · Johnny Dollar, Inspector DeBaca, Terry Valentine, Dan Valentine, Sister Chianti, Darby Chianti, Pietro Chianti, Mrs. Yetchino
Listen for: The shocking revelation that Pietro Chianti, the father of the gunmen, ordered the murders of his own daughter and granddaughter; Johnny's emotional connection to the victim Terry Valentine.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 256 The Lorko Diamonds Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in El Jie, North Africa to investigate the theft of a valuable diamond briefcase worth $100,000. A courier dies under mysterious circumstances, and a local property agent is found beaten in his office with the briefcase missing. Dollar must determine who orchestrated the theft and recover the stolen diamonds.
El Jie, North Africa (Algeria); the airport, Inspector Marcus's office, and a hospital · Johnny Dollar, Inspector Marcus, André Jourdain, Zendorf, Ben
Listen for: The details of what happened at the airport, the courier's death, and André Jourdain's account of the thief's appearance
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 257 The Lorko Diamonds Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates the theft of diamonds from a murdered courier in Algiers. The Countess de Toulila, who received advance notice of the diamond shipment, becomes a prime suspect when Dollar discovers her financial desperation and a recent attempt to purchase expensive jewelry on credit.
Algiers, North Africa; a luxury hotel and the Countess's apartment in a fashionable residential district · Johnny Dollar, Countess de Toulila, Inspector Marcus, The courier (deceased)
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's tough interrogation of the Countess as he pieces together the details of her financial troubles and her knowledge of the diamond shipment; the mounting tension as the Countess becomes defensive and angry.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 258 The Lorko Diamonds Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Algiers to investigate missing diamonds and finds a man unconscious in the Countess's closet. He discovers the diamonds were sent as an engagement gift from a wealthy American named Charles Barrett to the Countess Maria, but the arrangement seems suspicious. When Johnny is followed and attacked by Barrett himself, a police inspector arrives at the scene.
Algiers, including an apartment and the streets of the Medina District · Johnny Dollar, Countess Maria, Hans Zindorff, Mr. Zindoff, Charles K. Barrett, André Jourdain, Inspector
Listen for: The revelation of the diamond arrangement as an engagement gift, the street fight with Barrett, and the mysterious appearance of the police inspector
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 259 The Lorko Diamonds Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is tracking down the Lorko Diamonds, worth $100,000, which have gone missing. He bribes an employment agent named Abdul for the address of Chatter, a servant who worked for the Countess, suspecting her of attempted murder. After a rough visit from a man named Barrett, Johnny heads to the Casbah late at night to find Chatter, but instead meets a man called Bobo who claims to know where the diamonds are.
North Africa, specifically the Casbah quarter of a major city; Johnny's hotel room and a coffeehouse in the native quarter. · Johnny Dollar, Abdul, Chatter, Charlie Barrett, Bobo, The Countess D'Otaliya
Listen for: The mystery of who stole the diamonds and what role Chatter and Bobo played in the theft and attempted murder; whether Johnny can trust Bobo's claim to know the diamonds' location.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 260 The Lorko Diamonds Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar follows Maria to the Marrakesh Cafe in Algiers after she calls in distress, claiming to be followed. At the cafe, a gunfight erupts between Johnny and an unseen assailant. Johnny pursues the shooter's car in a wild chase along a clifftop road that ends in a fiery crash. Johnny discovers the dead driver is André Jourdain, a customs property agent, and realizes Maria knew exactly who it would be.
Algiers, North Africa - the waterfront district, Marrakesh Cafe, and clifftop roads near the beach · Johnny Dollar, Maria, Inspector Marcus, André Jourdain, Barrett
Listen for: A tense nighttime chase culminating in a car plunging off a cliff and exploding in flames; Johnny's confrontation with Maria when he realizes her knowledge of the driver's identity.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 261 The Broderick Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Johnny Dollar takes on a case for Eastern Trust Insurance to locate Lorraine Broderick, the beneficiary of a $1,500 policy left by John Adams Smith, a newspaper vendor who died in a charity ward. Smith had met Lorraine when she was just eleven years old and took out the policies as a gesture of kindness, never seeing her again. Dollar traces Lorraine from her parents' death in 1948 through her time at St. Charles High School and her work as a dental assistant, but finding her current whereabouts proves difficult.
St. Charles, Connecticut; Eastern Trust Insurance Company office, high school, dental office · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Steele, John Adams Smith, Lorraine Broderick, Sister Mary Regina, Dr. Doctor
Listen for: The touching backstory of how an elderly newspaper vendor came to leave his insurance money to a girl he met only once; Johnny Dollar's investigation methodology as he pieces together Lorraine's life after her parents' death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 262 The Broderick Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar searches for Lorraine Broderick, a missing beneficiary owed $1,500 from a policy. He traces her from Hartford to New York, discovering she mysteriously disappeared on Christmas Eve 1952 from a car belonging to William Dameron, a wealthy businessman who had brought her to the city with marriage plans after knowing her only a week.
Hartford, Connecticut and New York City, 1955 (investigating events from 1952-1953) · Johnny Dollar, Carl Walden, Dr. Pollard, William Dameron, Lorraine Broderick, Pauline
Listen for: Dameron's explanation of why Lorraine disappeared from his car, and what her true circumstances and intentions might be.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 263 The Broderick Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar continues tracking Lorraine Broderick, a woman who disappeared from New York on Christmas Eve 1953 after abandoning an elderly man named William Damarin. Following a trail of bad checks and false names across multiple cities, Johnny discovers she's been working a con game at hotels, most recently checking into a Santa Barbara resort where she charmed guests and wrote fraudulent checks totaling over $800.
New York City, Connecticut, and Santa Barbara, California; includes filling stations, police headquarters, apartment buildings, and a resort hotel. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Steel, William Damarin, Edward Quinlan, Pauline Damarin Woodfield, Mrs. Gaines, Tyler, Mr. Harrington
Listen for: The emerging pattern of Lorraine's con artistry as Johnny pieces together her movements through multiple identities and bad checks; the hotel manager's account of her arrival and charm.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 264 The Broderick Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar searches for Lorraine Broderick to settle a $1,500 inheritance claim from a deceased man. Dollar and Deputy King discover she recently checked into a seaside inn under the name Bradley, where she met actor Joe Tappen. When they show Tappen her photograph, he's reluctant to believe she's the woman he knows, claiming she told him a tragic story about losing a young child and a failed marriage. The investigation reveals Lorraine has abandoned fourteen pieces of luggage at the Beverly Glen Hotel in Hollywood and disappeared after visiting a bar called The Topper.
Hollywood and Los Angeles, California, and the surrounding seaside area; the Malibu Sheriff Station, the Seaside Inn, the Beverly Glen Hotel, and The Topper bar · Johnny Dollar, Deputy King, Sheriff, Joe Tappen, Lorraine Broderick
Listen for: The frustration in Johnny Dollar's voice as he confronts a charming con artist, and Joe Tappen's stubborn insistence on believing Lorraine's fabricated story despite mounting evidence of her deceptions.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 265 The Broderick Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Johnny Dollar tracks down Lorraine Broderick, a deeply troubled woman standing on a hotel ledge threatening to jump. As she teeters on the edge, Johnny tries to connect with her by recalling people from her past who cared about her—including Dr. Pollard, William Damarin who still loves her despite her theft, and an old newspaper vendor named John Smith who showed her kindness years ago.
A hotel room with a ledge overlooking the street, crowds gathering below. · Johnny Dollar, Lorraine Broderick, William Damarin, Dr. Pollard, John Smith, hotel room clerk
Listen for: Johnny's persistent attempts to talk Lorraine down from suicide by reminding her of genuine connections and past moments of human kindness in her life.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 266 The Amy Bradshaw Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in when actress Amy Bradshaw receives a threatening note promising her "sudden death." The note arrives just before a performance of her play The Unguarded Hour, and Amy reports that she was nearly pushed into traffic on the street afterward. Though Amy dismisses the threats as silly, Johnny suspects the danger may be more real than she wants to admit, and questions whether someone close to her might be behind the threats.
New York City: the Criterion Theatre on West 44th Street, Amy's dressing room, and a quiet bar near the theater. · Johnny Dollar, Amy Bradshaw, David Coleman, Mike Pomeroy, Georgie, Sheila Mitchell, Poor McCain
Listen for: The mysterious threatening note, the incident in traffic on 44th Street, and Johnny's suspicion that the threat comes from someone in Amy's inner circle rather than a random crank.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 267 The Amy Bradshaw Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates threats against actress Amy Bradshaw, who has received a death threat and was nearly shoved into traffic in Times Square. Amy's estranged husband Bill York stands to gain from her $25,000 life insurance policy. Johnny begins interviewing those close to Amy, including her unusual admirer Porter Kane and her co-star Mike Pomeroy, who seems protective of her and wants Johnny to drop the case.
New York City, including Times Square, theater district, and a Criterion theater production. · Johnny Dollar, Amy Bradshaw, Al (police contact), Porter Kane, Mike Pomeroy, Dave Coleman (director), Emery Taylor (producer), Dora Taylor
Listen for: The mysterious threatening letter warning Amy of sudden death; Johnny's encounters with Porter Kane, an eccentric collector who plans to add Amy to his collection; Mike Pomeroy's heated confrontation with Amy backstage about her stage performance; and the revelation that Amy's estranged husband Bill York is the beneficiary of her insurance policy.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 268 The Amy Bradshaw Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates a series of attempts on actress Amy Bradshaw's life. She remains frightened despite the dangers, and Johnny suspects someone close to her may be responsible. He tracks down several suspects including Bill York, Amy's estranged writer husband who stands to benefit from her life insurance.
New York City, primarily Greenwich Village and midtown Manhattan in the 1950s · Johnny Dollar, Amy Bradshaw, Sergeant Rogers, Bill York, Mike Pomeroy, Emory Taylor, Dora Taylor, Dave Coleman
Listen for: Johnny's investigation takes him through Greenwich Village and into the lives of those connected to Amy, revealing possible motives and suspects while Amy faces continued danger from unknown attackers.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 269 The Amy Bradshaw Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar questions Bill York, a man with money troubles and a connection to Amy Bradshaw, whom someone recently tried to kill. York admits to lingering outside Amy's apartment, and Detective Lieutenant Elson Teller considers him a suspect. Later, Johnny visits Amy at her apartment and finds himself drawn to her, though she warns him their connection may be a mistake.
A hotel room, police headquarters, and Amy Bradshaw's apartment in Hollywood · Johnny Dollar, Bill York, Detective Lieutenant Elson Teller, Amy Bradshaw, Mike Pomeroy, Porter
Listen for: Johnny's interrogation of Bill York reveals the suspect's financial desperation and lingering feelings for Amy, while a later phone call from Porter hints at another complication in Amy's life. Johnny's visit to Amy's apartment explores the growing attraction between them, though Amy expresses doubt and warns of past relationships that have caused her pain.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 270 The Amy Bradshaw Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar rushes to meet actress Amy Bradshaw at the theater, where she claims to finally know who's been trying to kill her. Instead, he finds Mike Pomeroy shot dead in her dressing room. A mysterious hand with a distinctive signet ring fired the fatal shot, and suspicion falls on Porter Kane, a man with a history of obsessive behavior and a motive rooted in jealousy.
A theater in Hollywood, late at night; Amy Bradshaw's dressing room and apartment. · Johnny Dollar, Amy Bradshaw, Mike Pomeroy, Porter Kane, Lieutenant Sintella, Al Centella
Listen for: The mounting tension as Johnny discovers the body and investigates the murder; Amy's confession about why she faked the attempts on her own life; the revelation of her true motive for the killing.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 271 The Henderson Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Culver, Montana to investigate the death of George Henderson, a prominent rancher and newspaper stockholder who fell four stories from a hotel window. The death is claimed as accidental, but the insurance company needs to determine whether it was accident, suicide, or murder before paying out the $25,000 policy with double indemnity.
Culver, Montana, a small town of 3,500-4,000 people in the northern part of the state near Great Falls, in the winter with heavy snow. · Johnny Dollar, Tim Connors, George Water Henderson, Pauline Henderson, Sheriff Eve Holton
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation begins as he arrives in this isolated, snow-covered town and meets the local sheriff who hints that not everyone in town welcomes detailed inquiries into Henderson's death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 272 The Henderson Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Culver, Montana to look into the death of George Henderson, officially ruled accidental after he fell from a hotel window. Despite pressure from Mayor Newton to drop the matter, Johnny pushes for a coroner's inquest, which begins the following morning. The proceedings reveal testimony from hotel staff and Henderson's estranged wife about the circumstances of his death.
Culver, Montana; a small town with limited resources, featuring the Butte Hotel and City Hall · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff Holt, Mayor Newton, George Henderson, Mrs. Henderson, Dr. Horace Nam, Miss Cubbly, Jackson the Coroner
Listen for: The mystery of how and why George Henderson died; why the Mayor is so eager to avoid an inquest; what Mrs. Henderson reveals about her relationship with her husband and the divorce proceedings
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 273 The Henderson Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of George Henderson, officially ruled an accident, but the sheriff suspects foul play. The insurance company stands to lose $50,000 if the death remains accidental. Johnny is pressured to leave town by the hotel manager, and he discovers that Henderson had recently contacted his insurance broker about changing the beneficiary on his policy, cutting out his young wife Pauline.
The town of Culver and Great Falls, Montana in 1955 · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff Eve Holton, Mr. Porter (hotel manager), Mrs. Pauline Henderson, Noah Baxter, Tim Connors, Mr. Thurber (insurance broker)
Listen for: The mysterious circumstances around Henderson's death and Johnny's growing suspicions about who wanted him out of town; the revelation that Henderson planned to change his will.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 274 The Henderson Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance adjuster Johnny Dollar arrives in snowy Calver, Montana to investigate George Henderson's death—whether it was an accident, suicide, or murder. After learning that Henderson had changed his insurance beneficiary from his wife Pauline to a woman named Matilda Knickerbocker just before his death, Johnny seeks out both women to understand what led to Henderson falling from a hotel window.
Calver, Montana and the Big Horn Lodge, during winter with fresh snow on the ground · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Pauline Henderson, Eve Holton, Matilda Knickerbocker, Mr. Thurber
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into Henderson's mysterious death and what the conflicting insurance beneficiary changes reveal about Henderson's state of mind and relationships
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 275 The Henderson Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar suspects that Pauline Henderson's testimony about her husband George's accidental death from a hotel window fall is false. When he discovers she lied about George drinking the morning he died, Johnny pressures the insurance company to file a murder complaint, prompting Sheriff Holton to investigate her background and uncover mysterious trips and a possible accomplice.
Culver, a ranch town in the American West, including the Henderson Ranch, Sheriff's office, and Baxter Ranch · Johnny Dollar, Tim Connors, Sheriff Holton, Pauline Henderson, Noah Baxter, George Henderson
Listen for: The revelation that George Henderson did not drink the morning of his death, contradicting Mrs. Henderson's sworn testimony; the discovery of her mysterious trips away from town; and Noah Baxter's admission that he wanted Pauline and that George was considering divorce.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 276 The Cronin Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to protect Dolly McLean Cronin and her priceless diamond and emerald necklace, the Circle of Fire, at a lavish week-long party at her summer estate. The guest list includes old friends from Dolly's glamorous past, but some invitations went undelivered and mysterious figures from her history are arriving, including an ex-convict with a criminal past.
New York apartment and an upstate summer house where a party is being held · Johnny Dollar, Joe Parker, Dolly McLean Cronin, Miss Blake, Shorty Weber
Listen for: The arrival of more guests and the revelation of threats to the valuable necklace during the party festivities
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 277 The Cronin Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is assigned to protect a valuable diamond and emerald necklace called the Circle of Fire at a weekend party in the Adirondacks. The necklace belongs to Mrs. Cronin, a retired Broadway dancer from the 1920s who lives in a world of memories and false beliefs about her old friends. As the train carrying Mrs. Cronin and her guests departs, Dollar discovers that one of the party attendees is lying about her identity and connection to Mrs. Cronin.
A chartered railroad coach traveling to the Adirondacks, with scenes at the Daily Times newspaper office and the train station. · Johnny Dollar, Jason Prell, Mrs. Cronin, Laura Dean, Fritsey Morrell
Listen for: Jason Prell's warnings about Mrs. Cronin's fragile mental state and her naive trust in friends who may want to steal the valuable necklace; the revelation that Laura Dean is lying about being Fritsey Morrell's niece; Mrs. Cronin's sudden illness near the end of the episode.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 278 The Cronin Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the isolated Cronin summer estate in Wells Falls, New York to investigate a half-million-dollar necklace. Mrs. Cronin has unexpectedly returned after years away, arriving on the train in poor health with a heart condition. As a storm approaches, Johnny tries to locate the local doctor, Big B, who mysteriously refuses to treat her and insists she leave immediately, hinting at dark secrets from the past.
The Cronin summer estate on the river, five miles from Wells Falls, New York, during an approaching storm · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Cronin, Dr. Big B, Jason Prell, Miss Atherton, Sylvia, Laura Dean, Vigal Deschordi
Listen for: The mystery of why Dr. Big B refuses to treat Mrs. Cronin and what connection exists between her return and her late husband Barnaby's death at the same house years earlier during a similar storm
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 279 The Cronin Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Johnny Dollar confronts Jason Prell, who has been terrorizing the Cronin estate during a violent storm. As Dollar circles to capture Prell, a struggle ensues in the darkness. The next morning, Dollar visits the grieving Mrs. Cronin, who reminisces about her late husband Barnaby and reflects on how life has brought her back to her birthplace.
The Cronin Estate in Wells Falls during and after a violent storm, and the Cronin house the following morning. · Johnny Dollar, Shorty Weaver, Jason Prell, Mrs. Cronin, Olnesis Cronin, Barnaby Cronin, Laura Dean, Miss Athadon
Listen for: A tense gunfight in the darkness during a storm, the outcome of the confrontation with Prell, and Mrs. Cronin's poignant reflections on memory and homecoming.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 280 The Cronin Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates the deaths at the Cronin Estate, where Jason Prell has been shot and Mrs. Dolly Cronin has died under mysterious circumstances. As Johnny pieces together the evidence, he discovers a poisoning connected to a famous necklace—the Circle of Fire—that may not be what it seems, and learns that multiple people at the estate have been harboring dangerous secrets.
The Cronin Estate in Wells Falls, New York, and surrounding locations including a forestry station and Tupper's Lake. · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Bigby, Mrs. Cronin, Dolly Cronin, Jason Prell, Barnaby Cronin, Ms. Atherton, Seanan
Listen for: The revelation about the Circle of Fire necklace and what it means for the case; Dr. Bigby's explanation of past events; Johnny's deduction about the poisoned pills and who administered them.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 281 The Lansing Fraud Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Tucson to investigate a $50,000 life insurance claim on James Lansing, who died on a public street with no identification. The coroner performed an autopsy before authorities even knew who the body was. Johnny must verify that the dead man is actually the James Lansing who took out the policy, especially since the examining physician seems oddly evasive about his work.
Tucson, Arizona in 1955; Johnny travels from Hartford, Connecticut to investigate the insurance claim. · Johnny Dollar, Jim Carter, Sergeant Younger, Dr. Carl Mayhood, Arlene Kennedy
Listen for: Johnny's suspicions about whether the body is actually James Lansing, and Dr. Mayhood's strange reluctance to confirm his own examination and signature.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 282 The Lansing Fraud Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates a suspicious insurance claim on a $50,000 policy issued to James Lansing two years ago. When Lansing dies, Dollar discovers discrepancies in the medical examination and questions whether the man who took out the policy is actually the same man now in the morgue. As Dollar digs deeper, he uncovers a mysterious picture of Lansing's life: a solitary drinker with no job who somehow had enough money to pay rent, buy expensive liquor, and secure substantial insurance coverage.
A city with a Valley National Building, an apartment house, a coroner's office, and Dr. Mayhood's medical office. The investigation takes place two years after Lansing's insurance examination. · Johnny Dollar, Jim Carter, Dr. Mayhood, Anita Regan, James Lansing, Sergeant Younger, Dr. Frank
Listen for: The growing suspicion that someone may have deliberately set up Lansing's death as an insurance fraud scheme, and the revelation that Lansing was a chronic alcoholic with mysterious financial support.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 283 The Lansing Fraud Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates a potentially fraudulent life insurance claim filed by Arlene Kennedy following her brother James Lansing's death. The insurance company suspects someone else may have taken Lansing's physical examination two years earlier, and Dollar must uncover the truth within ten days before the company is forced to act.
Tucson, Arizona and Catalina Vista; present day investigation into events from two years prior · Johnny Dollar, Arlene Kennedy, Jim Carter, Hillary Franks, James Lansing
Listen for: The revelation of who impersonated James Lansing for the insurance physical examination and whether the claim is legitimate or fraudulent
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 284 The Lansing Fraud Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar has been looking into the Lansing fraud case and has concluded that James Lansing's fifty-thousand-dollar insurance policy was procured through deception. Dollar notifies the State Insurance Commission that the policy claim will be withheld pending investigation, and confronts insurance broker Hillary Franks with evidence that someone else must have taken Lansing's physical examination. When Franks panics and attacks Dollar with a paperweight, he flees, and Dollar then visits the beneficiary, Arlene Kennedy, to inform her that charges are being prepared.
San Arizona, primarily at the offices of Hillary Franks and the home of Mrs. Kennedy in Catalina Vista · Johnny Dollar, Hillary Franks, Mrs. Arlene Kennedy, Dr. Mayhood, Jim Carter, Jim Pader
Listen for: The tense confrontations as Johnny Dollar lays out the fraud scheme to both the insurance broker and the beneficiary, and the growing pressure as the investigation closes in on those involved
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 285 The Lansing Fraud Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Johnny Dollar meets with Hillary Franks, an insurance agent who has been helping Arlene Kennedy commit fraud against her brother James Lansing's life insurance policy. Franks reveals how he arranged for someone to take a physical examination in Lansing's name to secure a $50,000 policy, and how Arlene manipulated him into the scheme. Johnny convinces Franks to give a written statement to help prove the attempted fraud.
Tucson, Arizona, primarily at an old missionary church in the desert outside of town, and later back at the hotel. · Johnny Dollar, Jim Carter, Hillary Franks, Arlene Kennedy, James Lansing, Dr. Mayhood
Listen for: Johnny's skillful interrogation of Hillary Franks at the mission, extracting details of how the insurance fraud was arranged and how Arlene Kennedy manipulated Franks into committing the crime. The confession scene reveals the emotional manipulation that led to the scheme.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 286 The Nick Shurn Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into the murder of racketeer Priker, who was shot twice in his office at the Chairs Colet nightclub. Priker's partner Nick Schern stands to gain from the killing, but claims he was at another club when the murder occurred, with his manager Benny Stark vouching for him. A taxi driver claims to have seen a mysterious girl, Kathleen O'Dare, leaving the club minutes after the shots were fired, though she denies being there. Dollar must find O'Dare and convince her to talk before Nick Schern silences her permanently.
New York City, including the Chairs Colet supper club, police precinct, and various other clubs in the city. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Rafferty, Nick Schern, Benny Stark, Kathleen O'Dare, Priker, Ralph Sterner
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's quick wit as he navigates between the police investigation and the dangerous underworld figures; his confrontation with Nick Schern outside the precinct station where Schern threatens O'Dare's life.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 287 The Nick Shurn Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar searches for a frightened young woman named Kathy, who has fled New York and returned to her hometown of Brambury, Michigan. A local deputy sheriff and Kathy's father are protecting her whereabouts, but Dollar believes he must find her before the dangerous men pursuing her do.
Brambury, Michigan during Christmas week; begins in New York with Mrs. Gottliehr, then moves to the small town of Brambury. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Gottliehr, Deputy Sheriff Dan Martin, Kathy, Mike (Kathy's father)
Listen for: The investigation into why Kathy fled New York and what role she plays in a murder case; the tense questioning between Dollar and the protective townspeople.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 288 The Nick Shurn Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar mans a roadblock outside the small town of Brambury to intercept Benny Stark, a hired killer who has been sent to silence Kathy O'Dare. When Stark fails to appear at the roadblock, Johnny and the local sheriff head into town for the Christmas Eve celebrations, where they spot Stark's car parked near the town hall.
The small town of Brambury during Christmas Eve, with snowy roads and a town square decorated with lights. · Johnny Dollar, Kathy O'Dare, Michael Dere, Benny Stark, Dan Martin, Nick Shurn
Listen for: Johnny's observations about Benny Stark's character and tactics, and the mounting tension as they search for the killer in the festive small town.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 289 The Nick Shurn Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar searches for Cathy O'Dear and her daughter in a worsening blizzard after they flee their home. Cathy has taken a car and rifle, and Johnny discovers an abandoned vehicle on Pine Lake Road—along with evidence that killer Benny Stark is also in the area. Johnny sets out alone on foot into the storm to track them down.
A snowy mountain area near Pine Lake, during an approaching blizzard; Johnny searches the Pine Creek trail on foot. · Johnny Dollar, Mike, Deputy Sheriff Dan Martin, Cathy O'Dear, Benny Stark
Listen for: Johnny's determination as he battles through the worsening storm on foot, following faint tracks and fighting exhaustion and cold; the sound of the wind and his internal narration as reality blurs in the blizzard.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 290 The Nick Shurn Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Johnny Dollar convinces Kathy O'Dare, a woman in hiding in a small mountain town, to testify against gangster Nick Schern for the murder of Mel Pryker. Kathy has been protecting herself and her young daughter Jill by keeping silent about witnessing the killing at Schern's club, but Johnny appeals to her sense of duty and her responsibility to raise her daughter with courage rather than fear.
A remote house in Brambury during a blizzard, and flashbacks to Nick Schern's club in the city where a murder occurred. · Johnny Dollar, Kathy O'Dare, Jill, Nick Schern, Mel Pryker, Benny Stark, Dan Martin
Listen for: The emotional confrontation between Johnny and Kathy as he persuades her to overcome her fear and testify, and the tender moment at the end when Jill joins them as Kathy makes her decision.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 291 The Forbes Matter - Ep 1 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to New York to look into an embezzlement claim filed by Century Styles, Inc., a dress manufacturing company. The company's books show a shortage of over four thousand dollars, and the audit trail points to a bookkeeper named Sheldon Thomas Forbes who has been handling the affected account series.
New York City, primarily Century Styles Inc. offices in Manhattan, with scenes at the Western Hotel and insurance company offices; 1955. · Johnny Dollar, Pauline Morris, Robert P. Elliott, Sheldon Thomas Forbes, Mr. Brett
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigative method and the mysterious fact that Forbes, the apparent embezzler, has not attempted to flee his job despite the theft.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 292 The Forbes Matter - Ep 2 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates an insurance theft case involving Sheldon Forbes, who has admitted to stealing $4,285 from his employer, Century Styles. The money has disappeared without a trace, and Forbes refuses to reveal what he did with it despite Dollar's efforts to recover it for the insurance company.
New York City, including Century Styles offices, a law office on 56th Street, police headquarters, and the city jail · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Elliott, Sheldon Thomas Forbes, Edward Gumby, Police officers, Sergeant
Listen for: Dollar's investigation into the missing $4,285 and his frustrating interrogation of the stubborn, tight-lipped Forbes, who insists he spent every dime and won't reveal the details.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 293 The Forbes Matter - Ep 3 (1955)
Johnny Dollar investigates the theft of $4,285 by accountant Sheldon Forbes at Century Styles, Inc. Despite the evidence against him, Forbes refuses to cooperate or help recover the money, and he seems resigned to going to prison. Dollar interviews Forbes's employer, visits his apartment, and speaks with his landlady to understand what could have motivated the quiet, lonely man to steal.
New York City, including the offices of Century Styles Inc., an apartment building on 59th Street, and a neighborhood restaurant called the 79 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Gumbie, Mr. Haven, Sheldon Forbes, Mrs. Anastasia Kanapka, Alexander Douglass
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's methodical investigation as he questions people who knew Forbes and searches for clues about why an apparently modest, solitary man would commit theft; the portrait of Forbes as a quiet, introspective loner with no obvious vices or expensive habits
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 294 The Forbes Matter - Ep 4 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar rescues Sheldon Forbes, an embezzler awaiting sentencing, from a suicide attempt by gas. After Forbes is taken to Bellevue Hospital, Dollar follows him to the Empress Theatre where Forbes met with a stagehander about seeing Betsy Walker, a performer in the show. Dollar tracks down Walker at her apartment late at night to question her about her connection to Forbes.
New York City - Bellevue Hospital area, the Empress Theatre, and Betsy Walker's apartment building · Johnny Dollar, Sheldon Forbes, Betsy Walker, Frank (stagehander), Police interns
Listen for: The dramatic rescue of Forbes from his apartment, Dollar's investigation into Forbes's movements at the theater, and the beginning of his interrogation of Betsy Walker about her relationship to the embezzler.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 295 The Forbes Matter - Ep 5 (1955)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar completes his investigation of the Forbes matter by taking inventory of stolen gifts and tracking down purchases. He visits Sheldon Forbes in the hospital to get his signature on the expense report, and Forbes reveals how he became obsessed with Betsy Walker, a model and performer he saw at his office, and stole nearly $5,000 to impress her through lavish gifts and restaurant reservations. Later, Betsy Walker approaches Johnny in his hotel lobby to discuss Forbes's fate.
New York City, including Betsy Walker's apartment, various restaurants, a hospital, and a hotel bar · Johnny Dollar, Betsy Walker, Sheldon Forbes
Listen for: Forbes's heartfelt explanation of how he fell in love at first sight with Betsy and his misguided attempt to win her affection through stolen money; Johnny Dollar's reflections on whether love at first sight truly exists and his sympathy for Forbes's predicament
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 296 The Caylin Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to investigate the death of Eddie Kalen, a small-time gambler and promoter who died in a car fire in a ravine. A ten-thousand-dollar life insurance policy was recently issued on Kalen at his wife's urging, despite his dismissive attitude toward it. Detective Sergeant Reynosa suspects foul play rather than accident, pointing to suspicious circumstances including signs of struggle in the Kalens' apartment, possible arson, and a large poker loss Kalen may have suffered before his death.
Los Angeles, including an airport, a Beverly Wilshire Hotel, a police station, and the Kalen apartment in the hills above the harbor. · Johnny Dollar, Presley Welch, Detective Sergeant Jose Reynosa, Eddie Kalen, Mrs. Kalen, Topo Lienley
Listen for: The whimsical banter between Johnny Dollar and the nervous insurance salesman Presley Welch sets the tone, while Detective Reynosa's growing suspicion that something is deeply wrong with the official story drives the investigation forward.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 297 The Caylin Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the home of Mrs. Kalen following her husband Eddie's death in a car fire three days earlier. The police believe Eddie was killed during a robbery after winning money from a gambler, but Johnny suspects foul play involving access to the couple's front door and begins reconstructing Eddie's final days through questioning.
Los Angeles, California; the Kalen home · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Kalen, Sergeant Manosa, Pete Stimer
Listen for: Johnny's suspicion about the front door keys and his theory about Mrs. Kalen's attempts to manipulate him; details about Eddie's gambling, his mysterious friend Pete Stimer, and the money he won the night he died.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 298 The Caylin Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Eddie Kalen, whose car was found burned at the bottom of a canyon. Dollar suspects Eddie may still be alive and searches his hangouts and contacts to find proof, questioning those who knew him and tracking his movements before his apparent death.
Hollywood; various nightclubs and bars including a Caribbean-themed clip joint and the Reismuck Inn · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant, Lila Kalen, Eddie Kalen, Pete Steimer, Marty Midnight, Latin hostess, Bartender at Reismuck Inn
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into Eddie Kalen's death, his interviews with those who knew Eddie, and clues about what really happened the night before Eddie's car was found in the canyon
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 299 The Caylin Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the Caylin Matter in Los Angeles. Eddie Caylin, believed dead in a car fire, is found shot to death in the apartment of stripper Marty Midnight. A witness reports seeing a long-haired woman in a white raincoat fleeing the scene, wiping something that looked like a gun. A man is spotted lurking in the bushes outside, and when police pursue him into nearby Griffith Park, he fires at an officer and escapes into the dense brush.
Los Angeles, specifically the apartment of Marty Midnight and Griffith Park nearby · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Reynosa, Lila Caylin, Marty Midnight, Jeanette De Buard, Eddie Caylin, Pete Steamer, Topo Leenly
Listen for: The revelation of who fired the shot that killed Eddie Caylin and what becomes of the fugitive in the brush.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 300 The Caylin Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar arrives at police headquarters where Sergeant Reynosa is interrogating Marty Midnight, a young stripper arrested at the bus station with a ticket to San Diego. The girl initially refuses to talk but breaks down when threatened with contacting her parents, revealing she knew Eddie Kalen and was supposed to run away with him to Mexico. After visiting the widow Lila Kalen at her apartment, Johnny makes a startling discovery that suggests the case may not be solved as believed.
Los Angeles, including police headquarters interrogation room and the Argus Terrace Apartments · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Reynosa, Marty Midnight, Eddie Kalen, Lila Kalen, Mike Kelso, Pete
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion about who really committed the murder, particularly his observation about dark hair and a white raincoat that leads him to call Sergeant Reynosa back to Lila's apartment
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 301 The Todd Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is approached by Orrin Vance, a man he sent to prison seven years earlier for a clothing company swindle. Vance claims he has information about the Todd burglary, a case involving stolen jewelry and a mink coat from Long Island that has gone unsolved for six months. Vance provides a lead pointing to Gloria Tierney in New York City, but when Dollar arrives to meet her, he finds her apartment dark and empty.
New York City and Wilmington, Delaware, 1956. The story begins in Dollar's office, moves through phone calls to Delaware, and culminates at an apartment building on East 57th Street in Manhattan. · Johnny Dollar, Orrin Vance, Don Freed, Gloria Tierney, Ethel Stromberg
Listen for: The developing mystery of the stolen mink coat and its connection to Gloria Tierney. Watch for the tension between Dollar and the ex-convict Vance, and the unanswered question of where Gloria has gone after calling Dollar to arrange a meeting.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 302 The Todd Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at a young woman's apartment for a late-night meeting, but she is shot three times by an unknown gunman in a black Cadillac before they can talk. Dollar is questioned by Sergeant Mapes about his investigation into the Todd burglary case and his connection to the victim, Gloria Tierney, whose stolen mink coat was recovered at the scene.
A city police station and Gloria Tierney's apartment building, present day. · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Mapes, Gloria Tierney, Mrs. Stromberg, Bill
Listen for: The mystery of who Bill is and why he shot Gloria Tierney; details about the Todd burglary case and the stolen mink coat; the connection between the shooting and Dollar's insurance investigation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 303 The Todd Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Gloria Tierney, a young woman found wearing a stolen $11,000 mink coat. She dies in the hospital without fully identifying the man who shot her, a mysterious figure named Bill who gave her the coat. Dollar and Sergeant Mapes must track down the killer and uncover why Gloria had the stolen fur.
A city hospital emergency room, a police station, and Gloria Tierney's apartment in an urban setting, with connections to Riverside, California. · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Dan Mapes, Gloria Tierney, Doctor, Father Dearing, Bill Shenchum, Mrs. Stromberg, Robert J. Tierney
Listen for: The tension in the hospital room as Gloria Tierney struggles to identify her assailant before she dies, and Johnny Dollar's moral reflection on witnessing a death as part of his investigation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 304 The Todd Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates the Todd estate burglary and the murder of Gloria Tierney, who was found wearing a stolen fur coat. With the help of Sergeant Mapes, Johnny traces stolen items to a pawn shop and identifies the suspect, William Chambers, through fingerprints found on a Cadillac he sold at a used car lot. A woman with information about Chambers' whereabouts contacts Johnny to negotiate a reward.
New York City, including police headquarters, a morgue, a drug store, a pawn shop on Third Street, and a used car lot in the Bronx. · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Mapes, Gloria Tierney, Bill Powers, William Chambers, Stromberg
Listen for: The detective work unfolds as Johnny and Sergeant Mapes piece together evidence from the pawn shop and used car lot, leading to the identification of the suspect through fingerprints and eyewitness descriptions.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 305 The Todd Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar recovers in a hospital after being shot during a confrontation with William Charles, a burglar and killer. Charles dies from his wounds but refuses to reveal where he hid stolen goods or how he originally met Gloria Tierney, the woman he murdered. Dollar continues investigating, suspecting Mrs. Stromberg of being involved in setting up Gloria's fatal encounter with Charles.
A city hospital and police precinct, with flashbacks to an apartment building and Stromberg's residence · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Mapes, William Charles, Gloria Tierney, Melva Charles, Mrs. Stromberg
Listen for: Johnny Dollar pieces together the connections between a stolen mink coat, a burglary ring, and a murder, while confronting Mrs. Stromberg about her suspicious behavior the night Gloria was killed.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 306 The Ricardo Amerigo Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to find a missing Amati violin valued at $30,000 and determine the fate of Ricardo Amerigo, a once-famous concert violinist who disappeared when his car plunged through a bridge rail into a New Jersey river. The violinist had also been insured for $20,000, with his agent Thaddeus Corbin named as beneficiary, raising questions about whether Amerigo is truly dead or if something more sinister is at play.
Philadelphia and Port Morris, New Jersey, 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Harry Branson, Thaddeus Corbin, Ricardo Amerigo, Ed Bowles, Barney Peters
Listen for: The mystery of whether Ricardo Amerigo actually died in the river or if his disappearance and the missing violin are part of a larger scheme involving his agent's insurance claims.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 307 The Ricardo Amerigo Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Port Morris, New Jersey to investigate the death of Ricardo Amarego, a musician whose car plunged off a bridge into a tidal creek. Sergeant Barney Peters suspects booking agent Pete Corbin, who stands to benefit from Amarego's insurance policy. While examining the bridge, Johnny discovers Amarego's valuable violin case wedged in the marsh reeds and retrieves it after a harrowing struggle through quicksand-like mud, only to find a piece of Amarego's shirt deliberately attached to it.
Port Morris, New Jersey, a small town on the edge of salt marshes along the South Jersey shore, including a bridge over Lucky Hill Creek · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Barney Peters, Ed Bold, Pete Corbin, Ricardo Amarego
Listen for: Johnny's difficult retrieval of the violin case from the marsh, the discovery of Amarego's shirt on the case, and the debate over whether Pete Corbin deliberately planted it there
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 308 The Ricardo Amerigo Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar continues his probe into the death of violinist Ricardo Amerigo, whose body has not been found. Dollar recovers what he believes is Amerigo's valuable Amati violin from a South Jersey swamp and has it examined by an expert. He then confronts Amerigo's agent and beneficiary Peter Corbin, who was found near the scene of the supposed accidental death.
Philadelphia and Port Morris, New Jersey, 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Pete Corbin, Harry Branson, Shernie Arrow
Listen for: The mystery of whether the recovered violin is genuine, the revelation that Amarigo's body has not been found and may have been carried out to sea, and the mounting evidence against Corbin as the prime suspect.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 309 The Ricardo Amerigo Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is looking into the death of Ricardo Amorego, a musician who apparently drove his car off a bridge into a South Jersey swamp. Dollar has recovered Amorego's prized Amati violin from the marsh and begins visiting those who knew him, including Pete Corbin, Jerry Goldsmith, and Eric Snowden, a violin maker. When Goldsmith examines the recovered violin, he finds something wrong with its tone despite no visible damage.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas; various bars, apartments, and a violin maker's shop · Johnny Dollar, Pete Corbin, Jerry Goldsmith, Eric Snowden, William Elliot
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether Amorego's death was truly an accident and what may have happened to his prized Amati violin; the mystery of why the violin's tone has changed.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 310 The Ricardo Amerigo Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the disappearance of concert violinist Ricardo Amerigo, whose car was found in a New Jersey swamp with a sabotaged steering arm. When Dollar recovers a $30,000 Amati violin from the swamp, he discovers a duplicate instrument at violin maker Eric Snowden's shop and must determine which is genuine while uncovering who plotted Amerigo's murder.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and South Jersey, including a violin maker's shop on Isminga Street · Johnny Dollar, Harry Branson, Ricardo Amerigo, Eric Snowden, Jerry Goldsmith
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's expense account itemization as he pieces together the case; the revelation of the duplicate violin and its significance; the shocking identity of a key player in the crime.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 311 The Duke Red Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance adjuster Johnny Dollar arrives in San Pietro to investigate a $65,000 claim for Duke Red, a valuable racehorse owned by Ben Abbott that was reportedly destroyed after a serious accident. With the ranch manager who filed the claim now mysteriously gone and Abbott himself unavailable, Dollar begins questioning those involved, starting with the veterinarian who treated the horse.
San Pietro, a town in horse country, and the surrounding Abbott ranch area · Johnny Dollar, Judy, Dr. James Gory, Ben Abbott, Mr. Monroe
Listen for: The mysterious disappearance of Monroe, the quick cremation of the horse's carcass with no photographs or X-rays taken, and questions about whether the injury was truly fatal
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 312 The Duke Red Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates a $65,000 insurance claim for the death of Duke Red, a valuable racehorse on the Abbott breeding farm. Mr. Abbott claims the horse was injured beyond repair when it reared and cut its Achilles tendon on a tractor blade, prompting Dr. Gory to recommend destruction. But Johnny finds conflicting accounts and suspicious behavior from those involved, and Abbott's daughter Terry insists the shooting was unjustified.
The Abbott breeding farm near San Pietro, California, and related locations in Hartford, Connecticut. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Abbott, Terry Abbott, Dr. Gory, Tom Warner, Foolman Roe
Listen for: The contradiction between Abbott's account of Duke Red's fatal injury and Terry's claim that her father's decision to shoot the horse was wrong; the mystery of what happened to trainer Tom Warner after being fired; whether the injury really occurred as described.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 313 The Duke Red Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Abbott racing farm to investigate a $65,000 claim on the death of Duke Red, a valuable racehorse that was cremated without evidence of injury. Terry Abbott, the owner's daughter, hints that the horse may not have needed to be destroyed, but becomes evasive when questioned. Dollar begins checking the financial background of Terry's father, Benjamin Abbott, a wealthy horse breeder.
San Pietro, California and the Abbott racing farm · Johnny Dollar, Terry Abbott, Benjamin Abbott, Dale O'Ryan, Thomas Warner, Cali
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether Duke Red was truly injured or if the horse's death was part of an insurance fraud scheme. The mysterious $5,500 bonus paid to a recently departed business manager raises questions about Abbott's motives.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 314 The Duke Red Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates a claim filed by Ben Abbott over the destruction of his prize racehorse, Duke Red. The horse supposedly died in an accident, but Johnny finds discrepancies in Abbott's story and discovers that Thomas Warner, the horse trainer who was present at the incident, has mysteriously vanished from the ranch without collecting his pay or saying goodbye.
Abbott Farms in San Pedro, California, and surrounding areas · Johnny Dollar, Ben Abbott, Thomas Warner, Kelly, Terry Abbott, Dr. Gore
Listen for: Johnny's questioning of Kelly about the night of the accident and his discovery that Terry Abbott may have vital information about both Thomas Warner's disappearance and her father's suspicious behavior regarding the horse's death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 315 The Duke Red Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is looking into the death of Duke Red, a valuable racehorse owned by Ben Abbott. Dr. Gory, the veterinarian, admits that Abbott actually shot the horse rather than it dying in an accident, and that trainer Thomas Warner witnessed the shooting. When Dollar confronts Abbott, the man attacks him with a cane and threatens to kill him.
Ben Abbott's estate and surrounding areas · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Gory, Ben Abbott, Thomas Warner, Terry Abbott, Constable Polk
Listen for: The revelation that Duke Red was shot by Abbott rather than killed in an accident, and the violent confrontation between Dollar and the increasingly unstable Abbott.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 316 The Flight Six Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Mexico to investigate the destruction of Pan Am Flight 12, which exploded in mid-air killing all ten people aboard. Mac Maclin of the Civil Air Transport Authority believes the plane was sabotaged with an explosive device, and Dollar must determine which of the passengers was the intended target and who wanted them dead.
Mexico, including Mexico City and the mountainous crash site of Pan Am Flight 12 · Johnny Dollar, Mac Maclin, General Romero, Senor Ramon de Lagos, Marielle de Lagos, Don Serrano, Inspector O'Connor
Listen for: The discovery of evidence at the wreckage site that confirms the explosion was deliberate, and Johnny Dollar's investigation into the three passengers who took out accident insurance policies.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 317 The Flight Six Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
A dynamite explosion has destroyed Flight 6 near Mexico City, killing ten people including two of Bill Blakely's business partners in an engineering firm. Johnny Dollar investigates the bombing while encountering the enigmatic Marvel Terrence, a wealthy woman who cancelled her own reservation on the doomed flight at the last minute, claiming Bill Blakely talked her out of the trip.
Mexico City and the crash site of Flight 6 on a mountain slope · Johnny Dollar, Marvel Terrence, Bill Blakely, Chino Romero
Listen for: The investigation into who planted dynamite in the plane's baggage compartment and why Marvel Terrence cancelled her flight reservation at the crucial moment
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 318 The Flight Six Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates the bombing of Flight Six in Mexico City, which killed Maria de Lagos and seven others. Don Serrano, Maria's brother, arrives at Johnny's hotel insisting that Maria's husband Ramon is guilty, but Johnny discovers that multiple people had financial motives and that a mysterious woman named Marvel Terrence who was supposed to be on the plane never boarded it.
Mexico City, particularly Johnny Dollar's hotel and the airport where Flight Six departed for Havana · Johnny Dollar, Don Serrano de Elmeito E. Pico, Maria de Lagos, Ramon de Lagos, Marvel Terrence, Ed Palmer, Jim Rourke, Federal police
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into the three insurance policies taken out on Flight Six and his interviews with the key suspects, including Don Serrano's accusation against Ramon and the revelation that Marvel Terrence has disappeared from the hotel.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 319 The Flight Six Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the Flight 6 crash in Acapulco, tracking down beneficiaries and witnesses. He confronts Marvel Terrence, a beautiful woman who fled Mexico City, and discovers that multiple suspects—including Bill Blakely, who now owns his partners' firm after they died on Flight 6—have also come to Acapulco. As Johnny pressures Marvel for answers about the crash, tensions rise and motives begin to emerge.
Acapulco, Mexico; the investigation moves from Mexico City to the coastal resort town where multiple suspects have mysteriously gathered. · Johnny Dollar, Gino, Don Serrano, General Mauro, Marvel Terrence, Bill Blakely, Ed Palmer, Jim Rourke
Listen for: Johnny's probing questions about Marvel's guilt or involvement in the crash, Bill Blakely's confession of motive and means for sabotaging Flight 6, and the revelation of what multiple beneficiaries are doing in Acapulco.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 320 The Flight Six Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the explosion of Flight 6 in Acapulco, Mexico. A key witness, Marvel Terrence, is found murdered in the surf, silenced before she can reveal crucial information. Dollar and the local police close in on the suspects, discovering that one of the business partners has armed himself and is now fleeing desperately along the beach with a hostage.
Acapulco, Mexico; a beachfront hotel and surrounding shoreline · Johnny Dollar, Gino Romero, Marvel Terrence, Bill Blakely, Don Serrano, Armando Lagoz, Ramon, Mac
Listen for: The tense pursuit of an armed suspect along the beach, with the mystery of who caused Flight 6's explosion still not fully resolved despite the interrogations and discoveries
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 321 The Mc Clain Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar meets with a woman claiming to be Doris McLean, who tells him an extraordinary story: two years ago in Los Angeles, her husband Dr. Dave McLean staged her death using the body of a patient who died in his office, collected $10,000 from her life insurance policy, and then abandoned her in New York without explanation. She is now coming forward to confess the fraud and wants Dollar to investigate what happened to her missing husband.
Don Taylor's office in New York; flashback to Los Angeles two years prior · Johnny Dollar, Don Taylor, Mrs. Doris McLean, Dr. Dave McLean, Teresa Corbett, Dr. Reed
Listen for: The details of the insurance fraud scheme and why Doris McLean has decided to confess after remaining silent for nearly two years; hints about Dr. McLean's whereabouts and what may have happened to him after he failed to join her in New York.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 322 The Mc Clain Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates a claim filed two years ago by Dr. David Earl McLean for his wife Doris's death. Doris suddenly appears alive, confessing that she and her husband staged her death using another girl's body to collect $10,000 in insurance. However, Dollar finds inconsistencies in her story and questions whether she's telling the whole truth.
Hartford, Connecticut and New York City, present day investigation into a two-year-old insurance fraud case · Johnny Dollar, Don Taylor, Doris McLean, Dr. David Earl McLean, Sam Benson, apartment house manager, Mr. Platt, Pauline Henderson
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's sharp detective work as he pokes holes in Doris McLean's confession and uncovers details that don't add up, while following her trail from New York back to the original incident in Los Angeles
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 324 The Mc Clain Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the disappearance of Teresa Corbett, a woman who vanished two years ago after visiting Dr. McLean's office. George Riley, Teresa's former fiancé, believes she died from a heart attack during that visit. Johnny confronts Dr. McLean with evidence that his supposedly dead wife, Doris, is actually alive and that the doctor collected $10,000 in life insurance on her.
Los Angeles and Hartford, Connecticut, primarily in Dr. McLean's office · Johnny Dollar, George Riley, Dr. McLean, Teresa Corbett, Pauline Henderson, Doris McLean
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's methodical questioning of Dr. McLean, George Riley's emotional account of his lost love, and the revelation of the insurance fraud scheme.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 325 The Mc Clain Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates Dr. Dave McLean, who is shot by a jealous man named Riley before the case unfolds. Johnny questions whether the McLeans' insurance claim regarding the death of a young woman named Theresa Corbett in McLean's office is genuine, suspecting the couple may have orchestrated something far more sinister than a natural death.
Los Angeles and the county jail, with scenes in a hospital and doctor's office. · Johnny Dollar, Don Taylor, Dave McLean, Mrs. McLean, Theresa Corbett, Riley, the nurse
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion that the McLeans' story doesn't add up, and Mrs. McLean's gradual confession that Theresa Corbett was actually a patient of her husband's, not a stranger who simply collapsed.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 326 The Cui Bono Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the small town of Green Pass, Virginia to investigate the death of county attorney Dan Parker, who was shot by his stepdaughter Luann Parker. While the local sheriff calls it an accident—the girl mistook her father for a prowler—the $100,000 insurance policy and some curious circumstances make Don Hancock suspicious enough to send Dollar to dig deeper.
Green Pass, Virginia, a small town of 12,000 people in the wooded hills, three miles from the nearest railroad station. The action centers on the Parker home and the town's single hotel and pool room. · Johnny Dollar, Don Hancock, Jake Diggly, Sheriff Jim Peterson, Luann Parker, Dan Parker, Mary Jackson
Listen for: The suspicious timing of Dan Parker's unexpected return from Richmond, his unusual decision to walk home alone at night instead of arranging a ride, and the perfect accuracy of Luann's shots fired down a dark stairway in complete darkness—details that hint the case may be more complicated than a simple accident.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 327 The Cui Bono Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Green Pass, Virginia to look into the death of county attorney Dan Parker, who was shot by his adopted daughter Luan when she mistook him for a prowler. With Luan set to collect a hundred thousand dollars in insurance, Johnny begins questioning those involved, starting with ambitious assistant county attorney Tom Bates, who has a personal interest in the case.
Green Pass, Virginia, a small town where county attorney Dan Parker has recently died under suspicious circumstances. · Johnny Dollar, Tom Bates, Sheriff Peterson, Luan Parker, Dan Parker, Mary Jackson, Sammy Drake
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's suspicion that something doesn't add up about Luan Parker's claim, particularly the insurance payout and her almost too-convenient discovery of her father as an intruder; Tom Bates's emotional involvement with Luan and his sudden ambitions for the county attorney position.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 328 The Cui Bono Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar questions those connected to the death of county attorney Dan Parker, who was shot by his adopted daughter Luanne when she mistook him for a burglar. Dollar suspects the $100,000 life insurance policy payable to Luanne may indicate foul play, despite the town's determination to call it a simple accident. At a local roadhouse, Dollar presses Sammy Drake, the owner, about his relationship with Luanne and his connections to the dead man.
A small town and a roadside roadhouse called Happy Hollow, present day. · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Preligess, Tom Bates, Luanne Parker, Sammy Drake, Dan Parker
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's tough interrogation tactics as he uncovers the complicated relationships surrounding Dan Parker's death, particularly Sammy Drake's conflicted feelings about Luanne Parker and his mysterious arrangement with the county attorney.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 329 The Cui Bono Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Green Pass, Virginia to investigate the death of county attorney Dan Parker, who was shot by his daughter Luann in what the coroner ruled accidental death. A $100,000 insurance claim hangs in the balance as Dollar interviews Luann and discovers the town unanimously supports her, while only a disgruntled man named Sammy Drake speaks against her. Luann recounts the night of the shooting, when she heard prowlers on the terrace and retrieved her father's gun to reach the telephone downstairs.
Green Pass, Virginia; the Parker family home and surrounding town · Johnny Dollar, Tom Bates, Luann Parker, Dan Parker (deceased), Sheriff, Sammy Drake, Ramirez (housekeeper)
Listen for: Luann's account of the night her father was shot, and Dollar's investigation into whether her story holds up under questioning
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 330 The Cui Bono Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar wraps up his investigation into the death of Parker, a man shot on a dark stairway. The central mystery remains unresolved: when Parker's daughter Luann fired down the stairs in the darkness, did she know she was shooting at her father, or was it accidental? Johnny admits he cannot answer this question and doubts anyone else can either, except possibly Luann herself.
A small town with the Happy Hollow Roadhouse, involving a train station and Parker's home with a dark stairway · Johnny Dollar, Sammy, Sheriff Peterson, Luann Parker, Parker (deceased), A salesman from Baltimore
Listen for: The revelation about the glow-in-the-dark necktie that Parker's daughter gave him, which becomes a key piece of evidence in Johnny's investigation
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 331 The Bennet Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar flies to San Francisco to investigate a major office building fire that destroyed one of real estate magnate Arnold Bennett's properties. Fire investigator Billy Underwood believes it was a professional arson job, and Bennett insists that Tony Midas, a former employee he prosecuted for theft who recently left prison, is responsible for the fire.
San Francisco, California; Bennett's real estate office · Johnny Dollar, Andrew Court, Billy Underwood, Arnold Bennett, Elizabeth Bennett, Tony Midas
Listen for: The description of the mysterious man seen near the building before the fire, Bennett's aggressive denials and accusations against Tony Midas, and the growing tension as Dollar begins his investigation into whether this was truly arson or insurance fraud.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 332 The Bennet Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Arnold Bennett, a building owner, is shot in his home in a remote San Francisco location. Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar looks into whether Tony Midas, an embezzler Bennett previously prosecuted, is responsible. Johnny discovers evidence that the building Bennett owned was deliberately set on fire using professional incendiary devices, and he tracks down Tony Midas's former defense attorney to learn more about the case.
San Francisco, including Arnold Bennett's home in the hills, a county hospital, and various locations around the city in 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Arnold Bennett, Andy Court, Bill Underwood, Inspector Dickens, Tony Midas, Elizabeth Bennett, Mr. Engel
Listen for: Details about the professional arson that destroyed Bennett's building, the relationship between Tony Midas and Bennett, and whether Midas is truly responsible for both crimes
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 333 The Bennet Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Tony Midas, who was sent to San Quentin years ago in a case defended by lawyer Marty Angle. When Midas turns up dead, Johnny questions whether Angle helped frame him. Elizabeth Bennett, Midas's widow, arrives seeking revenge against those she believes killed her husband, and the situation turns violent when she confronts Angle with a gun.
Hollywood and the Hall of Justice, present day · Johnny Dollar, Marty Angle, Elizabeth Bennett, Tony Midas, Arnold Bennett, Andy Courtney
Listen for: The tragic story of Tony Midas and the mystery of whether justice was truly served; Elizabeth Bennett's emotional confession about her years of waiting for her husband's release.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 334 The Bennet Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar testifies for the prosecution in the arson trial of George Foley, establishing that Foley used his signature fire-setting method at the Bennett Building. As the jury deliberates, Johnny attempts to convince Foley to implicate his employer, Arnold Bennett, the actual target of the investigation, before it's too late.
San Francisco Superior Court and county jail during the trial of arsonist George Foley for burning the Bennett Building. · Johnny Dollar, Andrew Court, Judge William J. Bainbridge, Charles Finlay, Jake Eggleston, George Foley, Arnold Bennett, Elizabeth Bennett
Listen for: Johnny's detailed testimony about the arson method—a paraffin-soaked wick in a paper sack filled with celluloid—and the physical evidence connecting Foley to the crime. The tension between prosecutor Finlay and defense attorney Eggleston, and Johnny's post-trial conversation with Foley in his cell.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 335 The Bennet Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar and Andy Cord from the insurance company interrogate arsonist George Foley after his conviction for setting fire to Arnold Bennett's office building. Foley initially gives contradictory accounts of his dealings with Bennett, but eventually admits that Bennett hired him to torch the building for $2,500. Now the investigators must pressure Foley into revealing the full details of his contact with Bennett so they can build a case against the man who orchestrated the arson.
A courthouse and jail in an American city, during and after a trial and sentencing hearing. · Johnny Dollar, Andy Cord, George Foley, Arnold Bennett
Listen for: The cat-and-mouse interrogation between the investigators and the convicted arsonist, as Foley keeps changing his story about how he met Bennett and received payment for the arson job.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 336 The Fathom-Five Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate the death of William Marky, a 46-year-old engineering consultant who allegedly drowned when his chartered fishing boat, the Fathom Five, sank off Miami Beach. With no body recovered and conflicting accounts, Dollar must determine whether Marky is actually dead or if his young employee Danny Haines, who was the sole survivor, is involved in his disappearance.
Miami Beach, Florida, and offshore waters; also referenced are New York and Hartford. · Johnny Dollar, Ralph Steedler, William Marky, Mrs. Marky, Danny Haines, Barney Wilson, The Diver
Listen for: The mystery of whether Marky actually died in the boat sinking, the tension between Haines and the Markys, and Johnny's investigation into the financial motives behind the insurance claim.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 337 The Fathom-Five Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Miami to investigate the death of William Marquis, whose chartered cruiser burned and sank beyond the surf. With the body still unrecovered, Dollar must determine whether Marquis died in an accident, suicide, or murder before the insurance company will pay out the $75,000 claim. As salvage crews prepare to raise the sunken boat, Dollar gathers information from those involved in the tragic incident.
Miami, Florida; the Marquis Beach House and the waterfront, with a salvage operation underway in the harbor. · Johnny Dollar, Barney Wilson, Mrs. Marquis, Danny Haynes
Listen for: The mystery deepens as Johnny Dollar questions Mrs. Marquis about her husband's state of mind and the circumstances surrounding the cruiser fire, while a mysterious stranger lurks near the house.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 338 The Fathom-Five Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Miami Beach to investigate the mysterious burning and sinking of the hired cruiser Fathom 5, in which William Marquis disappeared. Deputy DA Wilson believes it's murder committed by young Danny Haynes, but Dollar isn't convinced there's been a murder at all, suspecting instead that Marquis may have staged his own disappearance. Dollar begins investigating the curious details and tracks down a mysterious man named John Smith who recently purchased a car from a local dealer.
Miami Beach, Florida, involving a beach house, a sunken cruiser, and a used car lot · Johnny Dollar, Deputy DA Barney Wilson, William Marquis, Danny Haynes, Mrs. Marquis, Truthful Tom
Listen for: Johnny Dollar lays out his alternative theory about what really happened on the Fathom 5, and Truthful Tom's colorful descriptions of his used car business
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 339 The Fathom-Five Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates whether William Marquis, who supposedly died when his cruiser sank off the Florida coast, is actually alive and attempting insurance fraud. A hearing is scheduled for the next morning to determine if Marquis should be declared legally dead, but evidence suggests he may have staged his own death and is hiding somewhere in the area.
Miami Beach, Florida; the Marquis home and surrounding area; Pompano Beach Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Barney Wilson, Mrs. Marquis (Edna), Denny Haynes, Judge Campbell, William Marquis
Listen for: Johnny's confrontation with Mrs. Marquis about her husband's swimming abilities and secret purchases; his late-night interview with Denny Haynes at the hotel, where Denny's emotional attachment to Mrs. Marquis becomes apparent.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 340 The Fathom-Five Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Marky, whose body washes up on the beach—supposedly five days after a ship sinking, but an autopsy reveals complications that challenge the timeline. When evidence points to a suspect hiding in town, a desperate chase ends in tragedy, and Johnny and Detective Wilson uncover signs of struggle at the Markey beach house.
A coastal town where a ship called the Fathom Five recently sank; hotel, apartment building, and the Markey beach house · Johnny Dollar, Barney Wilson, Mrs. Marky, Doc Morgan, Danny Haines, Mr. Jones
Listen for: The revelation that Marky drowned in fresh water rather than seawater, meaning he died elsewhere than the ocean; the discovery of a mysterious tenant and the deadly confrontation at the apartment building.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 341 The Plantagent Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Plantagen Hotel in Vicksburg, Virginia to investigate a burglary that has already been solved—the thief caught and all stolen goods recovered. While waiting for a flight back to Hartford, Johnny encounters a distressed blonde woman being threatened by a man in the parking lot. After buying her a drink to calm her nerves, she suddenly collapses in a taxi with mysterious symptoms, leaving Johnny to rush her to the emergency hospital.
The Plantagen Hotel in Vicksburg, Virginia, its bar and parking lot, and Vicksburg emergency hospital; winter weather, 1956. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Costello, The blonde woman (Amy), The tall dark man, Cab driver, Hospital staff
Listen for: The mysterious illness that strikes the woman just as she's leaving; Johnny's growing concern about what really happened in that parking lot; the unanswered questions about the man's threat and the woman's cryptic gratitude.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 342 The Plantagent Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Vicksburg after a mysterious blonde woman died in his arms the previous night at the Plantation Hotel. Police lieutenant Higgins questions Dollar about the unidentified girl, whom he'd helped after she collapsed in the parking lot during an argument with an unknown man. The investigation reveals the girl was poisoned with Perimithole, a rare drug found in her stomach, suggesting possible suicide in front of her troubled boyfriend.
Vicksburg, Virginia - the Plantation Hotel, police headquarters, and morgue · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Higgins, Jim Akins, Sergeant Sam
Listen for: The mysterious identity of the dead girl and her connection to the unknown man in the parking lot; clues about what really happened and whether her death was truly suicide or something more sinister
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 343 The Plantagent Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates an unidentified girl who dies of poison at the Plantation Hotel. Finding a .38 revolver with three bullets fired in the girl's purse, he traces the gun's registration to Raymond O'Connell, only to discover that O'Connell died over a year ago. Visiting O'Connell's widow Terry, Johnny learns the gun connection and a crucial detail: the dead girl is Amy Duran, Terry's sister, and she had been arguing with a man named Paul Dameron in the hotel parking lot the night before her death.
Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Plantation Hotel, City Hall licensing division, and the O'Connell residence on Polk Street · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Peters, Lieutenant Jim Akins, Terry O'Connell, Paul Dameron, Amy Duran, Raymond O'Connell
Listen for: Johnny's discovery that the dead girl is Amy Duran and his confrontation with Paul Dameron, who had argued with Amy the night before her death
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 344 The Plantagent Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator from Hartford, finds himself entangled in a murder case in Vicksburg after helping a distressed woman in a hotel parking lot. When the woman, Amy Doran, turns up dead from poisoning, Johnny discovers a .38 revolver in her purse registered to a deceased bank guard. The police suspect Amy of embezzling funds and murdering an auditor named Belden, but Johnny begins to doubt the official theory and seeks legal advice before turning over the gun.
Vicksburg, Mississippi, at the Plantagenet Hotel, police station, and residential areas · Johnny Dollar, Samuel W. Oldfield, Lieutenant Akins, Amy Doran, Paul Dameron, Mrs. Teresa O'Connell, Clarence Belden, O'Connell
Listen for: Johnny's moral conflict over withholding evidence as he tries to protect Amy's memory, and the emerging questions about who really shot Belden and why Amy had the gun.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 345 The Plantagent Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar turns over the gun found on Amy Durant's body to the police and discovers through ballistics that it is indeed the murder weapon. Lieutenant Akins closes the case, convinced Amy stole money, shot the auditor, and took poison. But as Dollar investigates further, talking to those who knew the auditor, he finds troubling inconsistencies in this neat conclusion.
A city police headquarters and various offices; the Plant Agent Hotel and Richmond Limited company are referenced. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Akins, Sam O'Field, Amy Durant, Dameron
Listen for: Dollar's growing suspicion that Amy Durant may not have committed the crimes she's blamed for, and his discovery of a $10,000 check that could have covered the shortage without violence.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 346 The Clinton Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Clinton, Colorado to meet with Julian Osburn, who reported irregularities in the construction of a new school building. Upon arrival, Dollar discovers that Osburn has been killed in a fire that completely destroyed the school, and the local sheriff seems oddly unconcerned about the circumstances. When Dollar questions the school principal, Miss Hawkins, she abruptly ends the conversation after receiving a mysterious phone call, and that night Dollar witnesses a man being beaten in an alley.
Clinton, Colorado, a small mountain town of about 14,000 people in the winter, centered around a newly constructed school building that has burned down. · Johnny Dollar, Albert Davies, Sheriff Paul Daugherty, Julian Osburn, Miss Florie Hawkins, David Baines
Listen for: The mystery of what irregularities Osburn discovered in the school's construction, why he died in the fire, and what the sheriff and Miss Hawkins are hiding.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 347 The Clinton Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Clinton, Colorado to investigate a school building that burned down, killing the janitor. The fire chief believes overheated boilers caused the accident, but Dollar hears rumors that building irregularities were suspected before the fire. Dollar confronts the school's contractor, Roy Vickery, who insists it was simply a terrible accident caused by a drunken janitor.
Clinton, Colorado, a small town divided between wealthy and poor neighborhoods · Johnny Dollar, David Baines, Fire Chief Hanley, Julian Osborn, Miss Hawkins, Roy Vickery, Sheriff Daugherty, Florie Hawkins
Listen for: The confrontation between Dollar and an angry mob outside Vickery's mansion; Dollar's discovery that building irregularities were suspected before the fire; Vickery's explanation that a drunken janitor caused the accident
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 348 The Clinton Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar continues his investigation into the school fire, meeting with principal Florie Hawkins who agrees to cooperate after witnessing his fearlessness. Dollar seeks sworn statements from key witnesses including building inspector Richard Hobb and another man named Baines, believing their testimony is crucial to uncovering corruption in the small town.
A small town with a school that recently burned down; various locations including the Traders bar and Richard Hobb's home · Johnny Dollar, Florie Hawkins, Sheriff Daugherty, Roy Vicary, Richard Hobb, Lucille Hobb, David Baines, Chief Hanley
Listen for: The investigation deepens as Dollar pressures witnesses to provide evidence against corrupt officials; Lucille Hobb's nervous behavior suggests her husband may be in danger; Roy Vicary's sudden appearance at the end hints at a confrontation
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 349 The Clinton Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Clinton to investigate building irregularities in a school that burned down, killing the janitor who reported the problems. When the building inspector who passed the faulty structure is murdered in Dollar's hotel room, Dollar calls in a team of eight expert investigators to uncover a conspiracy involving the sheriff, fire chief, and building contractor.
Clinton, a small town where a new school building has burned down under suspicious circumstances, and the town's officials appear to be involved in corruption. · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff Daugherty, Richard Hobb, Al Davies, Toby O'Brien, Rob Schwartz, Todd Weaver, Lou Doniger
Listen for: The investigation unfolds as Dollar's team gathers evidence against the building contractor and corrupt officials, with sworn statements revealing fraud and the possibility that Hobb was killed to silence him about the scheme.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 350 The Clinton Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates a murdered building inspector in Clinton and uncovers a scheme involving falsified inspection papers and embezzled funds from a school construction project. Mrs. Hobb reveals her late husband took bribes from Roy Vickery's gravel company, and architect David Baines provides purchase orders proving substandard materials were used. As Johnny prepares to expose the corruption, Sheriff Dordy arrests him and takes him to the gravel works for a confrontation.
The town of Clinton, including the Clinton Gravel Works on the edge of a frozen lake, the sheriff's office, and a hotel. · Johnny Dollar, Sheriff Dordy, Deputy Egan, Mrs. Hobb, Roy Vickery, David Baines, Richard Hobb, Toby O'Brien
Listen for: The revelation that the school inspector was taking bribes for falsifying construction papers, and Johnny's dangerous arrival at the gravel works where multiple suspects have gathered.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 351 The Jolly Roger Fraud Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar reluctantly accepts a case involving the Jolly Roger, a 110-foot diesel yacht owned by the wealthy and disreputable Paula Seganian. The ship has burned to the waterline, a total loss of $460,000. When Dollar arrives in San Diego to investigate, he discovers that his contact, insurance adjuster Bert Parker, has been hit by a car—an incident Parker believes was deliberate murder, not an accident. Parker dies in the hospital after warning Dollar that threatening phone calls preceded the attack.
San Diego, California and a hospital; later a dive bar called Ray Kemper's Cat Club. · Johnny Dollar, Pat, Bert Parker, Jan Penny, Paula Seganian, Doctor
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's arrival in San Diego for what he thought would be a simple insurance investigation, Bert Parker's mysterious hit-and-run accident and deathbed warning about threatening phone calls, and Jan Penny's emotional connection to the deceased Bert Parker.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 352 The Jolly Roger Fraud Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in San Diego to investigate a suspicious claim on the yacht Jolly Roger, which burned and sank near the Coronado Islands. When the insurance company's local representative Bert Parker is killed in a hit-and-run accident, and threats are made against Jan Penny, an office worker, Johnny suspects the yacht's owner Paulus Zinnagian—an international crook and shipping magnate—is behind the violence to force a quick settlement of his claim.
San Diego, California, including Johnny's hotel, Jan's apartment, police headquarters, and Zinnagian's penthouse suite at the Largemont · Johnny Dollar, Jan Penny, Bert Parker, Detective Sergeant Joe Franklin, Paulus Zinnagian
Listen for: Johnny confronts Zinnagian about the suspicious yacht loss and his obvious desperation for quick payment; Zinnagian admits to having Johnny watched and makes veiled threats while offering bribes, confirming Johnny's suspicions about the case.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 353 The Jolly Roger Fraud Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is probing the suspicious sinking of the yacht Jolly Roger, owned by the wealthy and dangerous Paula Zanegan. The only survivor, a cabin boy, dies under mysterious circumstances in a Tijuana hospital before Dollar can question him. Dollar races to speak with the doctor who treated the boy, hoping to learn what happened to the ship.
San Diego and Tijuana, 1956. Coast Guard headquarters, a Tijuana hospital, and the highway between the two cities. · Johnny Dollar, Jan Penny, Lieutenant Smith, Paula Zanegan, Dr. Hernandez, the cabin boy
Listen for: The revelation of what the cabin boy told Dr. Hernandez about a strange device aboard the Jolly Roger before his murder; clues about the ship's sinking and Zanegan's involvement.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 354 The Jolly Roger Fraud Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Southern California looking into a $460,000 fraud claim filed by international arms smuggler Paulus Zanegian for his yacht, the Jolly Roger, which exploded and sank during a test run. Two people have already been murdered by hit-and-run killings when they got in Zanegian's way: insurance company man Bert Parker and Coast Guard Lieutenant Smith. Dollar suspects Zanegian sank his own ship to raise money after his assets were frozen by foreign governments, and now the ruthless operator is using threats and violence to force the claim's settlement.
San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico, 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Paulus Zanegian, Sergeant Franklin, Jan Penny, Bert Parker, Lieutenant Smith, Tommy Golden
Listen for: The developing murder investigation and threats against Dollar and Jan Penny; clues about Zanegian's two mysterious henchmen and the unmarked black Buick used in the hit-and-run killings; Jan's emotional conflict between her loyalty to her dead boss and her growing concern for Dollar's safety.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 355 The Jolly Roger Fraud Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar discovers a booby trap in Jan's car meant to kill him, then confronts her in her apartment. Jan and a mysterious foreign man reveal they've been working together to orchestrate the sinking of the yacht Jolly Roger and collect insurance money, having eliminated everyone who stood in their way. The man now pressures Johnny to join their scheme or face elimination.
San Diego, California; Jan's apartment · Johnny Dollar, Jan, Artis, The Foreign Man, Lieutenant Smith, Bird Parker
Listen for: Johnny's discovery of the car booby trap; the confrontation scene where the mastermind reveals the full scope of the fraud and the murders committed; the tense negotiation over Johnny's life.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 356 The La Marr Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Johnny Dollar, a private investigator posing as a filling station operator, is vacationing at an exclusive seaside resort hotel in Southern California. He meets and quickly falls for Rani Lamar, a wealthy but disillusioned young woman waiting for her father to join her. When her father's telegram cryptically mentions doctors' orders and a sudden delay, Rani becomes suspicious that something is wrong, though her father claims it's merely indigestion.
An exclusive guest ranch resort by the ocean in Southern California, with cottages, a swimming pool, private beach, and fine dining facilities. · Johnny Dollar, Rani Lamar, Rani's father, Pat (Johnny's boss)
Listen for: Johnny's true profession is revealed when Rani confronts him about his lies; the mysterious reason for her father's delayed arrival and the suspicious telegram.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 357 The La Marr Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called back from vacation in La Jolla, California when Thomas Lamar dies suddenly. Lamar carried a million-and-a-half-dollar insurance policy, and Johnny's boss Pat McCracken suspects murder. Johnny travels to South Bend, Indiana with Lamar's adopted daughter Ronnie, arriving at the impressive Lamar Hall to begin his investigation into what may have been foul play.
South Bend, Indiana and the Lamar family estate on Parity Lane; Johnny begins in California but travels east by plane to investigate. · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCracken, Ronnie Lamar, Dr. Edward T. Wilson, Larry Comstock, Harrison the butler
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion about Lamar's death as a murder case and his conflicted feelings about investigating while accompanying the grieving Ronnie; Larry Comstock's recollection of Lamar's rise from bookkeeper to successful industrialist.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 358 The La Marr Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Thomas Lamar in South Bend, Indiana. Lamar's adopted daughter Vani—whom Johnny met during a vacation in California—stands to inherit a million-and-a-half-dollar life insurance policy, but Lamar's friend Lawrence Comstock suspects foul play rather than natural causes. The evidence points toward Walter Marson, Lamar's personal secretary who recently married Vani, as a possible suspect with motive and opportunity.
South Bend, Indiana, with references to La Jolla, California and Chicago. · Johnny Dollar, Vani Lamar, Lawrence Comstock, Dr. Ed Wilson, Thomas Lamar (deceased), Walter Marson, Bonnie (Vani's friend or relation)
Listen for: The mystery of what rare poison may have killed Thomas Lamar, the strange power Walter Marson seems to hold over Vani, and whether Lamar's death was truly murder or something else entirely.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 359 The La Marr Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Thomas Lamar, a wealthy aircraft components manufacturer found dead in South Bend, Indiana. The evidence points to poisoning by a rare drug called pyridamyron, but Johnny discovers complications involving Lamar's adopted daughter Bonnie, her secret gambling debts, and her marriage to the family secretary Walter Morrison. As Johnny pursues leads, he finds that a crucial library book on the poison has been mysteriously stolen.
South Bend, Indiana and surrounding areas in 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Edward T. Wilson, Lawrence Comstock, Bonnie Lamar, Walter Morrison, Thomas Lamar
Listen for: The revelation of Bonnie Lamar's financial troubles and forced marriage to Walter Morrison; the description of the rare poison pyridamyron and how it was administered; the mystery of the stolen library book.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 360 The La Marr Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the Lamar home to investigate the death of Thomas Lamar, who was poisoned with Para Damaran, a rare toxin derived from an exotic yellow flower. Dollar discovers a stolen library book on Mediterranean flora and zeroes in on suspects, including Walter Morrison, the former secretary who married and then divorced Vani Lamar. As evidence mounts about the source of the poison, Dollar traces the deadly plant's seeds to the estate's gardener Demetri and uncovers a shocking discovery about who had access to the poison and the means to administer it.
The Lamar mansion and grounds in South Bend, Indiana · Johnny Dollar, Larry Comstock, Walter Morrison, Vani Lamar, Harrison the Butler, Demetri the Gardener
Listen for: The revelation of the poisoned toothbrush and the connection between the rare flower seeds and the murderer's identity
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 361 The Salt City Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance broker Sam Rubin has sold a $50,000 life insurance policy to the dangerous criminal Ed Julian (real name Eduardo Socka-Veddy) and now fears something may happen to him. He hires freelance investigator Johnny Dollar to travel to San Francisco and keep an eye on Julian until Rubin's lawyers can break the policy. Dollar arrives in San Francisco but finds Julian has moved from his known address on Knob Hill, discovering only an empty apartment. At Julian's office on Paul and Hooker Street, Dollar encounters Ray Gumbi, the attorney handling Julian's enterprises, who reveals that many people are looking for Julian.
San Francisco, California, during a rainy night; offices and residences on Knob Hill and Paul and Hooker Street · Johnny Dollar, Sam Rubin, Ed Julian (Eduardo Socka-Veddy), Ray Gumbi, attorney
Listen for: The reason why so many people are looking for Ed Julian, and what has happened to the dangerous criminal
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 363 The Salt City Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar continues his investigation in San Francisco, searching for Ed Julian. After a scuffle with the building's muscle, Johnny finds Julian's wife Lorraine, who reveals that Ed left days ago with a dangerous ex-con named Chili Winters. A helpful desk clerk provides the crucial lead: Julian has gone to Salt City, California, to the Salt City Smelter Company for an important meeting with Winters and others.
San Francisco and the Skyline Apartments; investigation leads to Salt City, California and the Salt City Smelter Company · Johnny Dollar, Ed Julian, Lorraine Julian, Swifty, Luke, Chili Winters, Ray Gumby, desk clerk
Listen for: The tense confrontation in the apartment building lobby, Johnny's conversation with Lorraine Julian revealing her unhappy marriage, and the desk clerk's crucial information about Julian's whereabouts in Salt City.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 364 The Salt City Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Salt City to serve a subpoena on Ed Julian, but discovers the town is controlled by a man named Jim Reno who runs the local smelterworks. At Reno's facility, Johnny finds Ed Julian and another man named Chili Winters dead, and Reno frames Johnny for the murders using Johnny's own gun, claiming self-defense was impossible and that Salt City's police will believe Reno's version of events.
Salt City, a remote desert town with a smelterworks, featuring a diner and other local establishments. · Johnny Dollar, Sam Rubin, Ed Julian, Jim Reno, Chili Winters, Connie
Listen for: Johnny's account of how he was drugged at the cafe, discovered the two dead men at the smelterworks, and became framed for their murders by the powerful Jim Reno, who controls the town's law enforcement.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 365 The Salt City Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, receives a desperate call from Ellie, who is wanted for murder but claims innocence. Johnny discovers that attorney Ray Gumby has been killed, and his investigation reveals a complex scheme involving Ed Julian, Jim Reno, and others in Salt City. As Johnny pieces together the evidence, he must determine who actually committed the murders and protect those involved.
Salt City, various locations including a coffee shop, smeller works, hotel, and Skyline Apartments · Johnny Dollar, Ellie, Inspector Dan Walsh, Ray Gumby, Ed Julian, Jim Reno, Chili Winters, Lorraine Julian
Listen for: The unfolding mystery of who killed Ray Gumby and Ed Julian, Johnny's encounters with Jim Reno, and the revelation of a criminal enterprise connected to an insurance policy
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 366 The Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote Matter - Ep 1 (1
Johnny Dollar is called to Philadelphia by Harry Branson at Philadelphia Mutual Liability and Casualty Company for an urgent case involving someone named the Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote. Upon arrival, Johnny learns the case involves protecting a four-year-old child who is insured for $5,000 through a policy written as a favor to an important client, Mrs. Peter Malcolm Kelly Van Piteen. Johnny must discover why this young child requires such urgent attention and protection.
Philadelphia, including the Benjamin Franklin Hotel and the offices of Philadelphia Mutual Liability and Casualty Company on Walnut Street · Johnny Dollar, Harry Branson, Mrs. Peter Malcolm Kelly Van Piteen
Listen for: Johnny's growing confusion about why a four-year-old child warrants such urgent attention and such a generous retainer fee of $750 per week; Harry's cryptic references to the child's short life expectancy and the importance of Mrs. Van Piteen as a client
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 367 The Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote Matter - Ep 2 (1
Johnny Dollar arrives in Philadelphia to investigate a case for Philly Mutual and discovers his client is Mrs. Peter Malcolm Kelly Van Piteen, a wealthy woman who wants him to protect her prized Scottish Terrier, Laird Douglas Douglas, at an upcoming dog show. The dog has been targeted before with attempted doping, and Mrs. Van Piteen suspects Harrison R. Kenworthy, who owns a rival Kerry Blue Terrier named Lady Odetti's Rollin' Meme, may try to sabotage Laird Douglas before the competition.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the wealthy Van Piteen estate in Germantown; the upcoming Ballakinwood dog show · Johnny Dollar, Ray Roland, Harry Branson, Mrs. Peter Malcolm Kelly Van Piteen, Laird Douglas Douglas (a Scottish Terrier), Harrison R. Kenworthy, Mr. Rollin' (dog show authority)
Listen for: Johnny's frustration at being hired as a bodyguard for a dog rather than investigating a serious case; the revelation that Kenworthy may have tried to dope the Scotty before; Mrs. Van Piteen's insistence on paying for everything and her determination to protect her dog's chances at the show.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 368 The Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote Matter - Ep 3 (1
Johnny Dollar takes on the unusual job of bodyguard to Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote, a purebred Scottish terrier owned by the wealthy Mrs. Van Pieten. When a bomb is discovered in Johnny's hotel suitcase, he begins investigating who might want to harm the valuable dog—or perhaps Mrs. Van Pieten herself. Johnny's suspicions turn toward Warren Staley, Mrs. Van Pieten's nephew and heir, who resents his enforced luxury and the family's vast business empire.
A wealthy household called The Maples and police headquarters in an American city; also Johnny's hotel · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Steve Howard, Mrs. Van Pieten, Warren Staley, Douglas Douglas (Scottish terrier), Hastings (butler), Harrison R. Kenworthy
Listen for: Johnny discovering the bomb in his suitcase and his initial interview with Warren Staley about the family wealth and business rivals
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 369 The Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote Matter - Ep 4 (1
Johnny Dollar is investigating the Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote matter at the mansion of Mrs. Van Piteen when her nephew Warren Staley is found dead, poisoned with panoramic acid added to his Scotch whiskey. The poison was meant for someone else—possibly Johnny himself or the valuable dog Laird Douglas—and this is the third death connected to the case. Johnny must unravel which household member switched the poisoned bottle and why.
The sumptuous mansion of Mrs. Van Piteen, particularly Warren Staley's suite of rooms which was once a childhood playroom. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Peter Malcolm Kelly Van Piteen, Warren Staley, Lieutenant Howard, Ronald Kenworthy, Hastings the butler, Mademoiselle Plieraux, the doctor
Listen for: The clever bottle-switching mystery as Johnny pieces together how the poisoned Scotch was substituted, and the growing realization that Johnny himself may have been the intended victim.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 370 The Laird Douglas Douglas of Heatherscote Matter - Ep 5 (1
Johnny Dollar investigates a murder connected to a wealthy Philadelphia woman, Mrs. Van Pitten, who hired him as a bodyguard for her prized dog, Laird Douglas Douglas. As the case unfolds, Johnny discovers a criminal masquerading as the chauffeur and begins to suspect that Mrs. Van Pitten herself may be orchestrating a series of crimes to eliminate obstacles to her financial ambitions.
Philadelphia, the Van Pitten estate and neighboring Kenworthy mansion · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Van Pitten, Ronald Kenworthy, Warren Staley, Andy LaForte, Ray Rowland, Lou Jannen Howard
Listen for: Johnny Dollar accuses Mrs. Van Pitten of murder and reveals his suspicions about her criminal scheme involving her dog and financial empire.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 371 The Shepherd Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance broker Dick Porter hires investigator Johnny Dollar to look into Dr. Shepherd's suspicious request to suddenly buy $80,000 in additional life insurance, bringing his total coverage to $100,000. When Dollar visits Shepherd's office, the nervous doctor pulls a gun on him, then confesses that his life has been threatened by a patient with homicidal tendencies, forcing him to consider either leaving town or giving up his practice.
Providence, Rhode Island; Dr. Shepherd's medical office and apartment · Johnny Dollar, Dick Porter, Dr. Shepherd, Corinne, Mrs. Forbes
Listen for: The mystery behind Dr. Shepherd's sudden insurance application and the identity of the person threatening his life.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 372 The Shepherd Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to determine if Dr. Shepherd's life is genuinely threatened by Paul Forbes, or if the doctor is fabricating the danger to secure a large insurance policy. Dollar visits Dr. Shepherd's office and then heads to Forbes's home to confront him, but is violently attacked upon arrival.
A city's doctor's office and the Forbes family home in a gilded residential area · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Porter, Dr. Shepherd, Paul Forbes, Mrs. Pauline Forbes, Nurse Steter, Brandon Upton
Listen for: The mystery of Paul Forbes's violent behavior and whether Dr. Shepherd's insurance claim is legitimate or a deception
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 373 The Shepherd Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is working on the Shepherd matter, examining a case involving Dr. Shepherd's life insurance application for $80,000. After being attacked by Paul Forbes at the doctor's direction, Dollar grows suspicious of Shepherd's story. He visits Shepherd's office for an X-ray of his head injury, questions the receptionist Miss Streeter, meets Shepherd's estranged mother in Pawtucket, and encounters Police Detective Crosby at the doctor's office—only to find Shepherd has mysteriously disappeared.
Providence, Rhode Island and Pawtucket, with scenes at hotels, doctor's office, and Shepherd's home · Johnny Dollar, Dr. Charles Shepherd, Richard Porter, Paul Forbes, Miss Streeter, Mrs. Clara Shepherd, Detective Bill Crosby
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's growing doubts about Dr. Shepherd's honesty, the revelation of Shepherd's estrangement from his mother, and the mysterious disappearance of Dr. Shepherd just as police arrive to take his complaint
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 374 The Shepherd Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Dr. Shepherd is found murdered, apparently by Paul Forbes, a man he had threatened him earlier. Johnny Dollar investigates the death and the suspicious circumstances surrounding it, discovering inconsistencies in the stories told by those involved and uncovering a far more complex motive behind the killing.
Providence, Rhode Island; Dr. Shepherd's office and the surrounding city · Johnny Dollar, Phil Crosby, Dr. Charles Shepherd, Paul Forbes, Mrs. Forbes, Mrs. Clara Shepherd, Kareem, Night watchman
Listen for: Johnny Dollar pieces together clues from Dr. Shepherd's medical files, discovering that Paul Forbes was once Shepherd's patient and that Shepherd had been seeing Mrs. Forbes socially while treating her husband. Dollar realizes the murder setup may not be what it appears.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 375 The Shepherd Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar interviews Paul Forbes, an angry man accused of murdering Dr. Shepard. Forbes admits he threatened Shepard over his wife Pauline's affair with the doctor, followed Shepard's car, and even called him to arrange a meeting, but claims he never saw the doctor and didn't kill him. As Johnny presses for details about Forbes's movements and motives, another woman enters—apparently a nurse who has loved Dr. Shepard for five years.
Johnny Dollar's hotel room in Providence, Rhode Island · Johnny Dollar, insurance investigator, Paul Forbes, the accused man, Dr. Shepard, deceased, Pauline Forbes, Paul's wife, An unnamed nurse
Listen for: The growing tension as Johnny interrogates Paul Forbes with a gun trained on him, extracting a confession of motive while Forbes insists on his innocence; the sudden appearance of the mysterious nurse at the end.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 376 The Lonely Hearts Matter - ep 1 (1956)
Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate the death of a man who died three days ago, supposedly from acute enteritis. The man's daughter suspects foul play by his new wife, Mabel Burke, who is the beneficiary of a fifty-thousand-dollar life insurance policy taken out just five months before his death. The wife, whom the daughter describes as strange and possessive, had met the father through a lonely hearts club advertisement less than a month before their marriage.
Hartford, Connecticut and Chicago, Illinois; the insurance office, Wells family home, and the Rendezvous Club · Johnny Dollar, Dave Elwood, Miss Wells, Mabel Burke, the father (deceased), the coroner
Listen for: The investigation into whether Mabel Burke murdered her husband for insurance money; Johnny Dollar's visit to the Rendezvous Club to learn more about how the couple met
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 377 The Lonely Hearts Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is looking into the death of Jonathan Wells, whose widow collected a $50,000 policy. While waiting for autopsy results, Wells's daughter Norma visits Dollar in a state of fear, reporting mysterious phone calls and someone lingering outside her apartment door. Dollar learns that Norma's stepmother Mabel Burke owns a lonely hearts correspondence club and employs a man named Burton who lives off her money.
Chicago, Illinois; a hotel room, the coroner's office, and the Wells household. · Johnny Dollar, Norma Wells, Max Lancer, Mabel Burke Wells, Burton, Fanny Tetler
Listen for: The mysterious phone call and footsteps that frighten Norma Wells; details about the lonely hearts club and Burton's relationship to the family; Mabel's account of her marriage to Jonathan Wells and her business interests.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 378 The Lonely Hearts Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Jonathan Wells, who died from ground glass poisoning. The autopsy reveals a suspicious pattern: Wells' widow was previously married to a man named Walter Mayburley Burke who died suddenly two and a half years ago under mysterious circumstances. As Johnny questions the widow Mabel Burke and protects the victim's daughter Norma Wells, he discovers evidence that someone has broken into Norma's apartment and planted ground glass in her sugar bowl.
A city with hotels, apartments, and police headquarters; the investigation spans Hartford and references a death in St. Louis from two and a half years prior. · Johnny Dollar, Dave (police contact), Mabel Burke (the widow), Norma Wells (Jonathan Wells' daughter), Burton Creeley (Mabel's nephew), Max Lancer (DA's office)
Listen for: The revelation of the planted ground glass in Norma's sugar bowl and the connection between Jonathan Wells' death and the suspicious earlier death of Mabel Burke's first husband, Walter Mayburley Burke.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 380 The Lonely Hearts Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar looks into the death of Jonathan Wells from ground glass poisoning, and the now-fatal poisoning of his widow Mabel Burke Wells. With two husbands dead from the same cause within three years and $50,000 in insurance collected each time, Mabel appears the likely suspect—until she regains consciousness in the hospital with a different theory about who is really guilty.
Chicago, primarily a hospital where Mabel Burke Wells lies dying from poisoning · Johnny Dollar, Mabel Burke Wells, Burton Creeley, Norma Wells, Doctor, Nurse, Max Lance
Listen for: The dramatic deathbed confession scene where Mabel reveals the true killer's identity, and the desperate chase that erupts as the guilty party flees the hospital with a hostage.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 381 The Callicles Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator for Eastern Casualty, arrives to look into the disappearance of David Parsons Jr., who hasn't been seen for ten days. The young man's father, a formidable businessman, refuses to involve the police and resists cooperating with Dollar's investigation, fearing publicity that could damage his company and reputation.
The Parsons home in Bellaire, a wealthy residential area; also the Parsons office and the Beverly Hilton hotel where Dollar is staying. · Johnny Dollar, Robert Ecker, David Parsons Sr., Mrs. Parsons (David's wife)
Listen for: The tense confrontation between Johnny Dollar and the domineering David Parsons Sr., who tries to throw the investigator out of his home; the mystery of why a young man worth a million dollars would disappear without a word.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 382 The Callicles Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to look into the disappearance of David Parsons Jr., who has been missing for ten days. David's wife Dorothy approaches Dollar for help, but her seeming indifference to her husband's whereabouts and her reluctance to involve the police raise questions about her true intentions and knowledge of the case.
Los Angeles, California, primarily the Beverly Hilton Hotel and nearby beach · Johnny Dollar, Dorothy Parsons, David Parsons Jr., Mr. Parsons Senior, Mr. Eckert, Blaine
Listen for: The tension between Dorothy's casual demeanor about her missing husband and Dollar's growing suspicion that something more sinister is happening; her sudden phone call at the filling station suggests she may be reporting to someone about Dollar's investigation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 383 The Callicles Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hospitalized in Boston after a car accident kills a woman he was investigating with in Los Angeles. He recounts his case to a nurse: he was hired to find missing executive David Parsons Jr., but discovers the man has returned and signed documents. However, Johnny's investigation uncovers a troubling deception involving the woman who died.
Boston hospital and Los Angeles · Johnny Dollar, Dave Blaine, Mrs. Parsons, David Parsons Jr., Old Mr. Parsons, Robert Ecker, Sister Amadea
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into a missing person case that turns darker when he discovers deception and an innocent woman becomes a victim.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 384 The Callicles Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar is hired to find David Parsons Jr., who has been missing for 12 days. Dollar interviews Mrs. Parsons at their well-appointed home, learning that her husband is a quiet, scholarly man who works in business and was last seen 12 days ago. She insists their marriage is stable, though their relationship seems distant, with little discussion of his work or personal interests. Dollar then visits Dr. Stanley Warner to learn more about Parsons's health and state of mind.
Hollywood; the Parsons home; Dr. Warner's office on Wilshire Boulevard · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Parsons Sr., Mrs. Parsons, Mr. Eckers, Dr. Stanley Warner
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's tough questioning of Mrs. Parsons about their marriage and his investigation into why a wealthy businessman would disappear with nothing but the clothes on his back; Dr. Warner's comments about the pressure of Parsons's responsibilities and his father's influence.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 385 The Callicles Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the disappearance of David Parsons, a broker whose father hired a detective agency to find him. When the case breaks open, David calls his wife from San Francisco, revealing that he has deliberately left his old life behind and will not be returning.
Los Angeles and San Francisco, 1956. Police station, bank, and bar. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Parsons, David Parsons, Dorothy Parsons, Sergeant Engel, Kenneth Temple, Jerry Ingle
Listen for: The revelation of why David Parsons disappeared and his phone call from San Francisco to his wife, explaining his reasons for leaving.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 386 The Silver Blue Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in when 80 silver blue mink coats worth $100,000 are stolen from a warehouse in Los Angeles. A warehouse worker named Chrisman is beaten unconscious during the robbery, and the thieves gain entry using a telegram as a ruse. With few leads and a neighborhood full of frightened residents who won't cooperate with police, Johnny must find the culprits before they strike again.
Los Angeles warehouse district near the river bottom and railroad yards, a poor neighborhood filled with slums and gang activity. · Johnny Dollar, Ralph Dean, Lieutenant Garcia, Chrisman, Mr. Bentley
Listen for: Chrisman's description of the boy who showed him the telegram, and Johnny's investigation into the local gangs and silent community that may know more than they're saying.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 387 The Silver Blue Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is pursuing a lead in a warehouse robbery involving stolen silver fox coats worth $100,000. The night watchman was knocked unconscious by teenage hoodlums during the theft. When Red Weller, who runs a lunch room across from the warehouse, fails to meet Johnny at his hotel as planned, Johnny visits the diner and questions Weller's employee Carla, who eventually reveals her brother Eddie may have information about the crime.
Los Angeles warehouse district near the railroad yards, including a lunch room and a teenage hangout drive-in · Johnny Dollar, Red Weller, Lieutenant Garcia, Albert Crispin, Carla Calamante, Eddie
Listen for: Johnny's persistent questioning of Carla and his moral argument about responsibility and standing up to crime; Carla's gradual decision to trust him and reveal her brother's connection to the case
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 388 The Silver Blue Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
When a night watchman is attacked and a lunchroom owner is murdered in Los Angeles, Johnny Dollar investigates a robbery connected to the crimes. A young man named Eddie Montay becomes a person of interest, and Johnny must confront him at his sister Carla's apartment while Eddie tries to evade questioning.
Los Angeles, California - police headquarters, a lunchroom, a pool hall, a drive-in, and Carla Montay's apartment · Johnny Dollar, Garcia, Chief of Police, Eddie Montay, Carla Montay, Red Weller
Listen for: The investigation into a stolen shipment and murder, Eddie's criminal record and troubled past, and Johnny's confrontation with the suspect at Carla's home.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 389 The Silver Blue Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to recover $100,000 worth of stolen silver-blue fur coats taken in a warehouse robbery. A gang member named Eddie Mottie, sister of the victim Carla, has fled with a gun after nearly shooting his sister. Dollar searches Eddie's room and discovers photographs of a panel truck that may have been used to transport the stolen furs, leading him to interrogate a suspect named Mario Santores.
Los Angeles, California; a tenement apartment in the slums and a police interrogation room · Johnny Dollar, Eddie Mottie, Carla (Eddie's sister), Mario Santores, Police lieutenant
Listen for: The investigation into the stolen furs and the panel truck; the interrogation of Mario Santores and his denials; Johnny's reasoning about why he didn't shoot Eddie despite the opportunity.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 390 The Silver Blue Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates a jewelry store robbery that has turned into a murder case. Eddie Montey, the suspected ringleader, is cornered near the railroad yards after the watchman he slugged during the robbery dies from his injuries. As police close in on all sides, Johnny confronts the desperate and armed Eddie.
A city police headquarters and the railroad yard district where the robbery suspects are being tracked down. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Garcia, Karl Amonti, Carla Montey, Eddie Montey, Mario Centauris, Albert Crismond, Chewie Morel
Listen for: The tense manhunt climax as Johnny Dollar corners the murder suspect near the railroad yards with police closing in from all directions.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 391 The Matter of the Medium, Well Done - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to New York to investigate Carol Sharp, a wealthy 26-year-old playgirl who wants to change her life insurance beneficiaries. She plans to give $13,000 to a man named Tony Riccardo and a substantial portion to a spiritualist medium called Madame Morgana. Pat McCracken at the Universal Adjustment Bureau worries this is a con, especially since a similar situation once ended with a client's death.
New York City, primarily the Bell Tower apartment hotel on East 52nd Street overlooking the East River, and various offices of insurance brokers · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCracken, Tommy Green, Carol Sharp, Tony Riccardo, Madame Morgana, Sergeant Singer
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's wry commentary as he settles into his investigation, his phone call with Sergeant Singer revealing details about the medium's operations, and hints of danger surrounding the beneficiary changes
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 392 The Matter of the Medium, Well Done - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in New York to look into a concerning request from wealthy heiress Carol Sharp, who wants to change her life insurance beneficiaries to include questionable characters named Tony Ricardo and a psychic medium named Madame Cidia Morgana. Johnny's contact Tommy Green fears Carol may be in danger once she makes these changes. When Johnny encounters Carol in an elevator at his hotel, she mysteriously knows his name and agrees to meet him for cocktails, where she explains her belief in psychic phenomena and claims Johnny experienced precognition in his childhood dream about her.
New York City, primarily at the Bell Towers apartment hotel and a cocktail lounge · Johnny Dollar, Randy Singer, Tommy Green, Carol Sharp, Tony Ricardo, Madame Cidia Morgana, Sergeant Singer
Listen for: The mysterious connection between Johnny and Carol through his childhood dream, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the insurance beneficiary changes involving the medium and Tony Ricardo.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 393 The Matter of the Medium, Well Done - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar attends a séance conducted by a medium named Player Bell to investigate a case involving Carol Sharpe and Tony Ricardo. During the séance, the medium produces mysterious revelations about various objects, including a watch and a police badge, before the gathering is suddenly disrupted by what appears to be a police raid.
A séance in an old brownstone house on the West 40s in New York City, with previous scenes at a police precinct station. · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Randy Singer, Carol Sharpe, Tony Ricardo, Anthony Ricardo Jr., Player Bell, the medium
Listen for: The theatrical séance performance with red-lit ambiance, eerie music, and the medium's cryptic pronouncements about objects and their owners; the sudden chaos when a police badge is revealed.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 394 The Matter of the Medium, Well Done - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar takes on a case to expose Madame Morgana Morgana, a spiritualist medium who has been draining his client Carol Sharp's bank account week after week. Carol's concerned friend Tony Ricardo enlists Dollar's help, and Dollar prepares by gathering intelligence on Carol's family before attending a séance at Morgana's home in New Jersey to observe her methods firsthand.
New York City and a séance parlor in Union City, New Jersey, 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Carol Sharp, Tony Ricardo, Madame Morgana Morgana, Tommy Green, Sergeant Randy Singer, David Sharp, Mrs. Dorothy Jesser
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's clever setup to infiltrate the séance using a fake story about psychic dreams, his acquisition of a hidden camera with special flash equipment, and the atmospheric description of the séance room with its metal trumpet devices used to project spirit voices.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 395 The Matter of the Medium, Well Done - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar discovers that Carol Sharp has been defrauded by Madame Morgana, a spiritualist medium who uses trick photography and confederates to fake séances. When Johnny exposes the fraud with infrared photographs, Madame Morgana admits her scheme but reveals she was not working alone—her assistant used hidden tubes and whispered voices to deceive Carol and others into believing they were communicating with the dead.
New York City and New Jersey, including a coffee shop, police precinct, and Madame Morgana's séance room in New Jersey · Johnny Dollar, Carol Sharp, Madame Morgana, Tony Ricardo, Sergeant Randy Singer, David Sharp
Listen for: Johnny Dollar using infrared photography and clever detective work to expose a spiritualist medium's elaborate fraud scheme involving fake trumpets, hidden tubes, and whispered voices from behind curtains.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 396 The Tears of Night Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance adjuster Johnny Dollar arrives in Miami Beach to investigate a $50,000 insurance claim filed by Mrs. Wendover two years after her husband's death at sea from a burst appendix. Hired accountant Hillary Fuchs explains the delay by Mrs. Wendover's chaotic personal finances and disorganized state since her husband's death. When Dollar meets the emotionally fragile Mrs. Wendover, she cryptically suggests there is something about her that would make insurance adjusters question the claim's legitimacy.
Miami Beach, Florida; Hillary Fuchs' office · Johnny Dollar, Hillary Fuchs, Mrs. Wendover
Listen for: The mystery of what Mrs. Wendover is hinting at regarding her claim, and whether the insurance company will honor the delayed $50,000 claim
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 397 The Tears of Night Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates an insurance claim for Mrs. Wendover following her husband Noah's death. Mrs. Wendover is haunted by the belief that she carries a curse, having lost her father, brother, and now husband. As Johnny prepares to recommend honoring the claim, he's forcibly taken by a thug named Frank Scanlon to meet Sam Costigan, a man kicked out of Chicago, who has business concerning Mrs. Wendover.
Miami Beach, Florida, primarily in Hillary Fuchs' office and surrounding areas · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Wendover, Hillary Fuchs, Teddy Dave, Frank Scanlon, Sam Costigan
Listen for: The mysterious appearance of Sam Costigan and his interest in Mrs. Wendover; Johnny's growing sense of danger despite believing the insurance case to be nearly closed
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 398 The Tears of Night Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Miami Beach to investigate an insurance claim by Elise Wendover. He's intercepted by a gambler named Frank Scanlon and taken to see Sam Costigan, who runs a gambling club. Costigan asks Dollar to return a valuable diamond necklace called the Tears of Night to Mrs. Wendover, claiming she lost it at his roulette table and threatened to involve the police.
Miami Beach, Florida in the 1950s, including a gambling club and various locations around the city. · Johnny Dollar, Sam Costigan, Frank Scanlon, Hillary Fuchs, Elise Wendover, Teddy Davis, Hannibal Mortuis
Listen for: The mystery of why Sam Costigan really wants the necklace returned, the discovery that the necklace is a masterpiece worth $25,000, and hints that there may be a copy of the Tears of Night in circulation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 399 The Tears of Night Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates an insurance claim for Mrs. Wendover involving a cursed necklace called the Tears of Night. He discovers the necklace was pawned to gambler Sam Costigan and learns Mrs. Wendover may be wearing a forgery, leading him into a dangerous web of deception involving a jeweler, a business manager, and ruthless enforcers.
A hotel, Mrs. Wendover's apartment building, and various locations in the city at night and early morning. · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Wendover, Hillary Fuchs, Sam Costigan, Frank Scanlan, Teddy Davis, Hannibal Mortuis
Listen for: A violent confrontation in a parking lot, strange dream sequences, and Mrs. Wendover's cryptic references to people Johnny has encountered and her emotional state.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 400 The Tears of Night Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is drawn into a case involving a valuable necklace called the Tears of Night. When two men are murdered in the apartment of Mrs. Elise Wendover, Dollar becomes a suspect himself. As the investigation unfolds, Dollar discovers a complex scheme involving a pawned necklace, a jeweler with his own designs, and multiple murders connected to greed and deception.
A city apartment and surrounding locations including a police station, hospital, hotel, and jewelry shop. The story takes place over the course of a single night and following morning. · Johnny Dollar, Teddy Davis, Mrs. Elise Wendover, Lieutenant Brady, Hillary Fuchs, Sam Costigan, Scanlan, Mr. Mortius
Listen for: The clever plot involving the fake and real necklace, the jeweler Mortius's confession of his crimes, and the tense final confrontation in Dollar's hotel room.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 401 The Matter of Reasonable Doubt - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in the small Nevada town of Flint Rock to look into a mysterious trust case. Banker Jonas Parks, who initiated the paperwork for widow Mrs. Ezra Greamley to set up a substantial trust for her granddaughter Susan, has called for help because something feels wrong—though he cannot quite explain what. Dollar must navigate to the remote Greamley ranch to discover what has prompted the secretive request.
Flint Rock, Nevada, a small desert town with a bank, casino bars, restaurant, and general store. The Greamley ranch lies outside town across desert terrain. · Johnny Dollar, Ben Garley, Jonas Parks, Mrs. Ezra Greamley, Susan, Walter Greamley, Hilda Greamley
Listen for: The storm scene and Dollar's encounter with Walter Greamley on horseback as he approaches the ranch. Parks's vague but persistent sense that something is amiss at the Greamley property.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 402 The Matter of Reasonable Doubt - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the remote Flint Rock Ranch to look into a trust arrangement for widow Mrs. Gramley, who wants to leave her holdings to her 16-year-old granddaughter Susan. When the local banker who initiated the proceedings suddenly backs out, Dollar begins investigating and discovers that everyone at the ranch—Mrs. Gramley, her nephew Walter, his wife Hilda, and even Susan—seems frightened and on edge. A connection emerges to a fatal auto accident three years ago that killed Susan's parents.
The Flint Rock Ranch and the town of Las Vegas, with scenes at the Ford County Weekly Tribune office. · Johnny Dollar, Jonas Parks, Mrs. Gramley, Susan, Walter, Hilda, Will Connors, Ed Brimley
Listen for: The details surrounding the auto accident three years ago that killed Susan's parents, and why everyone at the ranch appears scared; Susan's unusual ability to detect when people are lying.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 403 The Matter of Reasonable Doubt - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates a case involving Mrs. Greymley, an elderly ranch owner who suspects her nephew Walter and his wife Hilda of stealing from her and possibly murdering her son and daughter-in-law three years ago in a staged auto accident. Mrs. Greymley has been trying to secretly transfer her property to her granddaughter Susan, and she's hired Johnny through the bank to help uncover the truth about the suspicious deaths and ongoing embezzlement.
A ranch near Las Vegas, Nevada, and Las Vegas itself · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Greymley, Susan, Walter, Hilda, Jonas Parks, Duce McCoy
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into the suspicious auto accident death of Mrs. Greymley's son and daughter-in-law, and the financial crimes committed by Walter and Hilda; also the introduction of Duce McCoy who runs the Lead Balloon gambling club where Walter loses money.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 404 The Matter of Reasonable Doubt - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Las Vegas to investigate a matter involving a grandmother's estate and insurance trust. When he reveals his presence and purpose to gambling casino owner Duce McCoy, someone immediately tries to lure the grandmother's young heir, Susan, to a deserted road—a move that could have been deadly. Dollar works to uncover who is behind the threat and what they hope to gain.
Las Vegas, Nevada; a casino, a hotel, and the offices of the Weekly Tribune newspaper · Johnny Dollar, Susan Graemly, Duce McCoy, Uncle Walter, Hilda, Jonas Parks, Will Connors, The girl in McCoy's office
Listen for: The identity of the mysterious person who phoned Susan and whether Duce McCoy is working alone or with Susan's relatives to prevent the estate trust from being established
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 405 The Matter of Reasonable Doubt - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is investigating a case involving Mrs. Gramley's estate trust when she suddenly tells him to stop and leave her alone. Dollar suspects that Walter and his wife Hilda have threatened or coerced her into dropping the case, especially after discovering that a man named Deuce McCoy has been arrested at the airport and that Susan, Mrs. Gramley's young granddaughter, has been involved in a dangerous situation.
Las Vegas, Nevada, primarily at Mrs. Gramley's ranch house · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Gramley, Walter, Hilda, Nicky, Susan Gramley, Deuce McCoy, Wilconner
Listen for: The tension as Dollar forces his way back into Mrs. Gramley's house despite her refusal to see him, and the revelation that Deuce McCoy's arrest may be connected to threats made against the young granddaughter.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 406 The Indestructible Mike Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to New York by Pat McCracken to meet Peter Branson, an insurance executive worried about a $50,000 policy issued to Michael Jeremiah Flynn, a man whose address turns out to be the Glad Hand Rescue Mission near Fulton Street. Flynn has listed John Wesley Cosgrave as his beneficiary, and Peter fears the policy may be part of a fraud pattern. Johnny goes undercover at the mission to investigate.
New York City, primarily the Glad Hand Rescue Mission near Fulton Street, and Peter Branson's office on Fifth Avenue · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCracken, Peter Branson, Michael Flynn, John Wesley Cosgrave, Daddy Bill
Listen for: Johnny's undercover work at the rescue mission and his attempts to locate and investigate Michael Flynn and his beneficiary.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 407 The Indestructible Mike Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Johnny Dollar, an insurance investigator, visits Mike Flynn at a Bowery rescue mission to check on his client who was shot the night before. Mike insists he's fine despite his wounds, but Johnny becomes suspicious when he learns that Mike recently took out a $50,000 life insurance policy through a wealthy man named Cosgrave who visits the mission. Johnny suspects Cosgrave may be trying to have Mike killed for the insurance money.
A run-down room at the Glad Hand Rescue Mission in the Bowery, New York · Johnny Dollar, Mike Flynn, Peter Branson, Daddy Bill, Cosgrave
Listen for: Mike's mysterious wounds and his cavalier attitude about them; Johnny's realization that Cosgrave may be a racketeer using the mission to recruit criminals; a suspicious package arriving in the mail for Mike
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 408 The Indestructible Mike Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar investigates a $50,000 life insurance policy taken out on Mike Flynn, a Bowery derelict, by the mysterious John Wesley Cosgrave. When Mike survives multiple murder attempts—an ice pick stabbing, two gunshot wounds, and nearly fatal wood alcohol poisoning—Dollar learns that Cosgrave is actually a reformed gangster with a criminal past, and begins to suspect the insurance policy is part of an elaborate scheme to kill the supposedly indestructible Mike and collect the payout.
New York City, including the Lower East Side, the Helping Hand Rescue Mission, police headquarters, Cosgrave's upscale apartment at 621 East 49th Street, and the Breakley Hotel. · Johnny Dollar, Mike Flynn, John Wesley Cosgrave (also known as John W. Gordon, Skippy Grant, Duchy Smith), Sergeant Randy Singer
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's growing suspicion that Cosgrave, despite claiming to be reformed and charitable, is orchestrating Mike's murder; the chilling conversation in Cosgrave's apartment where the gangster admits to his criminal past and makes veiled threats against Dollar.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 409 The Indestructible Mike Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is on the case of Mike Flynn, a down-and-out man insured for $50,000 whose life keeps narrowly escaping attempts on it—first a knifing, then a shooting, and now a truck accident. Dollar suspects that Jay Wesley Cosgrave, a former racketeer operating under a veneer of respectability, orchestrated the attempts through hired thugs from a flophouse he controls. As Dollar pieces together the connection between Cosgrave's past and a mission building with a shadowy history, he's about to uncover the identity of those doing Cosgrave's dirty work.
New York City, including Bellevue Hospital, a flophouse mission, and Johnny Dollar's hotel · Johnny Dollar, Mike Flynn, Randy, Jay Wesley Cosgrave (alias for Dutchy Gordon), Lefty Skilman, William Grover Larkin (Daddy Bell)
Listen for: The investigation into Cosgrave's connection to a flophouse that serves as a front for recruiting hired thugs; the revelation that Lefty Skilman, found dead in the East River, was likely killed to silence him; Johnny Dollar attacked in his hotel room as he closes in on the truth.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 410 The Indestructible Mike Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the mysterious "indestructible" Mike Flynn while he recovers in a hospital from a serious accident. When a package arrives at the Glad Hand Rescue Mission for Mike, Johnny discovers it may be connected to a dangerous plot. Johnny sets an elaborate trap at the Breakley Hotel, positioning himself in room 203 while leaving clues to misdirect those hunting for Mike.
New York City, primarily the Glad Hand Rescue Mission and the Breakley Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Mike Flynn, Daddy Bill, Emery, Lefty Skilman, Sergeant Randy Singer, Dutchy, Cosgrave
Listen for: Johnny's strategic planning as danger closes in, the arrival of Daddy Bill and his associates, and the revelation of their intentions toward Mike Flynn.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 411 The Laughing Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is summoned to a luxurious hotel in Ensenada, Mexico, where Charlie Burton, the star of a popular television comedy show, has received a threatening note promising he will not leave Ensenada alive. Producer Frank Maltz calls in Johnny to investigate the death threat and determine who among Burton's cast and crew might be responsible.
The Balboa Beach Hotel in Ensenada, Mexico, a coastal resort town where the Charlie Burton Show is filming. · Johnny Dollar, Frank Maltz, Charlie Burton, Gloria Dale, Al Shriver, Doris Trully
Listen for: The development of the murder threat against Charlie Burton and Johnny's initial interviews with the show's cast and crew members who all seem to harbor resentment toward the demanding star.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 412 The Laughing Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Ensenada, Mexico to protect comedian Charlie Burton after a death threat note is found. Burton dismisses it as a practical joke, but Dollar suspects someone connected to the production harbors genuine murderous intent. Meanwhile, a troubled leading actress harbors deep resentment toward Burton for interfering in her personal life.
Ensenada, Mexico, at a hotel where Charlie Burton's comedy television show is on location · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Burton, Frank Maltz, Gloria Dale, Al Shriver, Valena Morales, Jerry
Listen for: Gloria Dale's revelation about her broken engagement and her mysterious hatred of Charlie Burton; the identity of the man seen arguing with maid Valena Morales near Burton's room; the real reason behind the death threat note
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 413 The Laughing Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Mexico after someone takes a shot at television star Charlie Burton through his hotel room window. Burton's life is insured for half a million dollars, making several people around him suspects—including the show's producer Frank Moltz, who was away from the hotel at the time of the shooting.
A Mexican hotel and the Ventino nightclub, where Charlie Burton is filming a television show. · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Burton, Captain Parral, Frank Moltz, Gloria Dale, Al Schreiber, Pearl
Listen for: Johnny confronts Frank Moltz at a local nightclub and learns the producer's complicated reasons for staying on despite his hatred of Burton, while the mystery of who fired the shot remains unsolved.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 414 The Laughing Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Sonata, Mexico, protecting famous television star Charlie Burton from an unknown assailant. Burton has received threatening letters and has already been shot at, but refuses to cooperate fully with his own protection. As Dollar investigates, he discovers that Burton made an unwelcome advance toward Nacho Morales's young wife, a maid at the hotel, putting himself in mortal danger.
Sonata, Mexico; a hotel with a film production company shooting a comedy sequence on the grounds · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Burton, Frank, Al, Captain Peral, Nacho Morales
Listen for: The details of the slapstick comedy sequence Burton and Frank are filming involving a shipwrecked castaway; the tension between Burton and his co-star Al over screen time and fair treatment; Burton's defensive justifications for his behavior and his mistreatment of those around him.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 415 The Laughing Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Sonata, Mexico protecting comedian Charlie Burton, who has a half-million-dollar policy and received a death threat. When Al Shriver, a member of Burton's traveling show, is found poisoned, Dollar investigates alongside Captain Peral. The case takes a shocking turn when evidence points to an unexpected killer.
Sonata, Mexico, a small town away from the tourist areas, including a police commandancia, hotel, and lounge · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Burton, Captain Peral, Gloria, Al Shriver, Joe Morales, Frank Maulle
Listen for: The revelation of who actually poisoned Al Shriver and why Charlie Burton's threatening letter and carefully staged events were part of a calculated plan
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 416 The Pearling Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called by Mr. Scottman, vice president of Eastern Liability and Trust, to investigate the circumstances surrounding a newspaper report that financier David Pirling was killed in a boating accident in Florida. Though the story was published nationwide and affected stock prices, Pirling was actually safe in his hotel at the time. Dollar travels to Key West to determine whether the false report was deliberately engineered to manipulate the stock market for profit.
Key West, Florida and Hartford, Connecticut in 1956. The investigation centers around a fishing boat landing where a yacht caught fire. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Scottman, David Pirling, Payton, Gracie Edwards, The Skipper
Listen for: The details of how reporter Gracie Edwards came to file an unverified story about Pirling's death, and why she was conveniently present at the boat landing when the explosion occurred.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 417 The Pearling Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates why David Pirling paid a reporter in Key West to print a false story about his death. After learning the story was fabricated and later retracted, Dollar traces Pirling to his Long Island estate and confronts him about the scheme, but Pirling refuses to explain his motives beyond insisting he meant no harm.
Key West and Long Island, present day · Johnny Dollar, Morton Scott, David Pirling, Mrs. Pirling, Gracie Edwards
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's determination to uncover why Pirling orchestrated the fake death story despite repeated refusals to explain himself, and Mrs. Pirling's surprising approach to Dollar in a follow-up conversation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 418 The Pearling Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called in to look into the case of missing heiress Genie Pirling, who disappeared over a year ago. A detective agency has been searching for her without success, and a phony newspaper report claimed she died in a boating accident. As Johnny investigates, he becomes suspicious that the case is far too neat and that there may be hidden money involved in her disappearance.
A detective agency office and various locations while investigating a missing persons case. · Johnny Dollar, Niles Amwell, Mrs. Pirling, David Pirling, Mr. Scottman, Genie Pirling
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion that the case involves financial manipulation and his confrontation with the weary detective Niles Amwell, who has been searching for the missing girl for eleven months.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 419 The Pearling Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into a matter involving David Pirling and discovers that Pirling has faked his own death in the newspapers to draw out his daughter Jeannie, who disappeared a year ago. When Brad Copeland, a detective working for Pirling, tips Dollar off that Jeannie has been found living in New Orleans under an assumed name, Dollar travels south to bring her home. Upon arriving at her address in the French Quarter, Dollar makes a shocking discovery.
New York and New Orleans, 1956 · Johnny Dollar, David Pirling, Brad Copeland, Niall Zanewell, Jeannie Pirling, Janice Floyd, The blonde giant
Listen for: The mystery of Jeannie Pirling's disappearance and why her father staged his own death to find her; the suspicious phone call that led Copeland to locate her; the unexpected revelation at her apartment in the French Quarter.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 420 The Pearling Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar comes to town to verify a claim about Jean Pirling's death, but discovers the body is actually that of Janice Floyd, a dying woman who agreed to be buried under Jean's name. Jean, who faked her death to escape her wealthy father, has been living in hiding with con man Al Britt, who was originally hired to locate her for the inheritance money.
A town where Jean Pirling has been hiding, including Janice Floyd's apartment and Johnny's hotel · Johnny Dollar, Jean Pirling, Janice Floyd, Al Britt, Jean's father
Listen for: Johnny's discovery of the switched identities and his confrontation with Al Britt, who reveals he fell in love with Jean despite his original scheme to exploit her for money.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 421 The Long Shot Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Hollywood to look into an anonymous letter threatening to collect on a new hundred-thousand-dollar double indemnity policy covering Dr. Carl Palmquist and his wife. The policy becomes effective in a few days, and someone has hinted they plan to make a claim. Dollar begins investigating the Palmquist family and their circumstances.
Beverly Hills and Malibu, California in 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Jim Daryl, Clark, Dr. Carl Palmquist, Mrs. Palmquist, Eric Palmquist, Steffi Lund
Listen for: The mysterious anonymous letter threatening to collect on the insurance policy; Mrs. Palmquist's drinking problem and confused state of mind; Eric Palmquist's evasive behavior and insistence that his mother not be disturbed; the mention of Paul, Eric's older brother who died three years ago
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 422 The Long Shot Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to look into a $100,000 insurance policy on a murdered woman. Police have arrested a drifter named Miller for the killing of Mrs. Palmquist, but Miller claims he was set up by a man named Carter—who turns out to be Dr. Palmquist himself. Dollar must determine whether Miller's wild story holds any truth or if the evidence against him is solid.
Los Angeles, California, present day. Police headquarters and a jail cell block, with references to Dr. Palmquist's house in the Palisades and Blair Hospital. · Johnny Dollar, insurance investigator, Lieutenant Barry, homicide detective, Miller, the arrested drifter, Dr. Palmquist, the woman's doctor, Mrs. Laura Considine, an attractive widow and patient of Dr. Palmquist
Listen for: Miller's account of how he was lured to Dr. Palmquist's house under false pretenses and claims he walked into a setup. Lieutenant Barry's skepticism about the wild story despite the circumstantial evidence piling up against Miller. Johnny Dollar's growing interest in questioning Dr. Palmquist despite the doctor's seemingly perfect alibi.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 423 The Long Shot Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the death of Mrs. Palmquist, an insurance matter with puzzling angles. A mysterious anonymous note triggered a policy claim, and Johnny discovers that Dr. Palmquist's son Eric and a young woman named Stephie are secretly married. When Johnny is summoned to Dr. Palmquist's office, he finds Eric in psychological crisis, gripped by overwhelming fear of his father.
Los Angeles, California; the Barclay hotel and Dr. Palmquist's office · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Barry, Stephie, Eric Palmquist, Dr. Palmquist
Listen for: The revelation of Eric's secret marriage and his severe psychological distress; clues about why Eric fears his father so intensely.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 424 The Long Shot Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Mrs. Palmquist, which has been pinned on Lonnie Miller, a prowler arrested with a confession. When police trace the murder weapon to Miller through a pawnbroker's identification, Dollar begins to suspect the evidence may be fabricated and Miller is being framed. Dollar interviews Miller in his cell and then travels to Long Beach to verify details of Miller's story about stopping for coffee with Dr. Palmquist.
Los Angeles and Long Beach, California; includes a doctor's office, police station, jail cell, and a taco stand. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Barry, Dr. Palmquist, Lonnie Miller, Irving Gonzalez
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's growing conviction that Lonnie Miller is being set up as a patsy for Mrs. Palmquist's murder; his investigation into inconsistencies in the evidence against Miller.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 425 The Long Shot Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar pursues the truth behind Mrs. Palmquist's murder. Evidence points to Lonnie Miller, a drifter arrested for the crime, but Johnny suspects Dr. Palmquist himself orchestrated the killing and used Miller as a patsy. After discovering a flaw in the pawn shop identification, Johnny races against time as Eric Palmquist, drunk and armed, threatens to confront those he believes responsible.
California, including a pawn shop, police headquarters, city jail, a hotel, and the Palmquist house on the Palisades · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Koncetine, Dr. Palmquist, Lonnie Miller, Lieutenant Barry, Mr. Learner, Steffi, Eric Palmquist
Listen for: The clever revelation that the pawn shop owner was fooled by the doctor's disguise rather than genuinely identifying Lonnie Miller as the gun buyer, and Johnny's realization of the one crucial mistake Palmquist may have made.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 426 The Midas Touch Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar flies to Kingman, Arizona to investigate a case involving the abandoned Midas Touch gold mine. A prospector named Hard Luck Dennis has leased the mine and discovered ore worth $1,100 a ton, but needs significant capital to pump out water that has accumulated in the lower levels since Lake Mojave was formed. Dennis has approached three wealthy New York brothers—the Haskells—who now own a local ranch, seeking investment money for the mining operation.
Kingman, Arizona and the surrounding desert, including the Midas Touch gold mine near Katherine Landing on Lake Mojave · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCracken, Jake Kessler, Hard Luck Dennis, The Haskell Brothers
Listen for: How the prospector plans to convince the Haskells to invest in the mine, and what insurance implications might arise from their involvement in the venture.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 427 The Midas Touch Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Kingman, Arizona to investigate the deaths of three prosperous Haskell brothers who died in a mine cave-in at the Midas Touch Mine, with a million and a half dollars in life insurance at stake. Hard Luck Dennis, a prospector who promoted the mine to the brothers, is the prime suspect, but when he contacts Johnny and arranges a secret meeting at an old shack in the desert, he claims he didn't commit the murder.
Kingman, Arizona and the Mojave Desert, including the Midas Touch Mine and an old miner's shack near Lake Mojave · Johnny Dollar, Jake Kessler, Hard Luck Dennis, Captain Tad Harding, The Haskell Brothers
Listen for: Johnny confronts Hard Luck Dennis in a tense desert meeting while holding a gun; Hard Luck insists on his innocence and claims the mine is genuinely rich with ore.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 428 The Midas Touch Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at Lake Mojave to investigate the Midas Touch Mine case, where the Haskell brothers died in a cave-in. Hard Luck Dennis, who received $60,000 to reopen the mine, was recently shot and lies hospitalized. Johnny explores the mine with Buster and discovers evidence of the cave-in's cause, then rushes back to the hospital when Dennis finally regains consciousness with a crucial accusation.
Lake Mojave Resort on the Colorado River above Davis Dam, Arizona; the Midas Touch Mine; Mercy Hospital in Kingman, Arizona · Johnny Dollar, Jake Kessler, Hard Luck Dennis, Ham Pratt, Buster
Listen for: Johnny's discovery of the abandoned winch and gold-bearing pillars in the mine; Hard Luck Dennis's deathbed revelation naming his attacker and explaining the motive behind the cave-in
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 429 The Midas Touch Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the deaths of Kevin Haskell and his brother in what was supposedly a mine accident at the Two-Lazy-Two Ranch. When Hard Luck Dennis, who discovered evidence the deaths were actually murder, is himself killed, Johnny pursues a Jeep into the desert and comes under rifle fire. He traces the vehicle to the ranch and confronts Dora Haskell, widow of Kevin, about who might have murdered her husband and his brother for profit.
Lake Mojave Resort on the Colorado River in Arizona, the desert, and the Two-Lazy-Two Ranch · Johnny Dollar, Buster, Hard Luck Dennis, Jake Kessler, Alex Bundy, Dora Haskell, Kevin Haskell
Listen for: The tension builds as Johnny pursues a mysterious Jeep across the desert, comes under fire from a high-powered rifle, and arrives at the ranch to question the widow about a murder disguised as a mine accident.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 431 The Shady Lane Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Shady Lane, Vermont to investigate the shooting death of Ellen Bates, who was killed a month ago in her own home. Her husband Ben Bates stands to collect a $10,000 insurance policy, but the local constable insists Ben couldn't be capable of murder, and the investigation has stalled with no witnesses and no clear motive.
Shady Lane, Vermont, a small rural town in the summer of 1956 · Johnny Dollar, Pete Carlson, Jed Bramler, Ellen Bates, Ben Bates, Martin Preeny, Sarah
Listen for: The mysterious unsigned letter warning Johnny to look close to home; the unusual hand-poured bullet from an old-fashioned squirrel rifle; Constable Bramler's curious insistence that his childhood friend Ben Bates couldn't possibly be the killer.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 432 The Shady Lane Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Ellen Bates, an invalid wife shot through her front window at a farm in Shady Lane. With a $10,000 insurance policy on Ellen's life and suspicions falling on her husband Ben, Johnny examines the crime scene and questions whether the motive was murder or something else entirely.
Shady Lane, a rural farming community with difficult terrain and scattered homesteads. · Johnny Dollar, Pete, Constable Joe Bramler, Ben Bates, Mrs. Bates (Ellen), Mrs. Preeney, Millie Wells, Grody Huckins
Listen for: The investigation into who fired the shot that killed Ellen Bates through her window, with suspicion pointing toward her husband Ben despite the constable's doubts about his nature.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 433 The Shady Lane Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Shady Lane, Vermont to investigate the murder of Ellen Bates, a semi-invalid farmwife shot through her front window with a squirrel rifle. As he interviews witnesses, Dollar discovers that the prime suspect, Ellen's husband Ben Bates, has a strong motive: he's deeply in debt, his wife's $10,000 insurance policy would solve his financial troubles, and he's apparently attracted to Millie Wells, a cafe waitress with a troubled past.
Shady Lane, Vermont - a small rural township featuring a cafe, a farmhouse, and the constable's office · Johnny Dollar, Constable Jed Bramler, Millie Wells, Ben Bates, Ellen Bates
Listen for: The details of Millie Wells' past murder trial and how it connects to the current case; the significance of the missing squirrel rifle and who in town owns one; Ben Bates' explanation of his financial desperation and his relationship with Millie.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 434 The Shady Lane Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Shady Lane, Vermont to investigate the murder of Ellen Bates, the invalid wife of Ben Bates. Ben becomes the prime suspect when gossip connects him romantically to waitress Millie Wells, a woman who stood trial for murder years ago. Johnny uncovers that Ben's stolen squirrel rifle—the type used to kill Ellen—was never reported missing at the time of the theft, though Ben claims his wife knew who took it and wanted to recover it quietly.
Shady Lane, Vermont, a small rural township in the hills · Johnny Dollar, Ben Bates, Jed Bramler, Millie Wells, Ellen Bates, Sarah Preeney, Grody Hawkins
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into Ben's suspicious behavior and his confrontation with Grody Hawkins at the feed store, where Grody pulls a rifle on them; Constable Bramler's insistence on Ben's innocence despite the mounting evidence.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 435 The Shady Lane Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the murder of Ellen Bates in Shady Lane, Vermont. Mrs. Preeny confesses she wrote an anonymous letter to the insurance company falsely accusing Ben Bates of the crime, motivated by jealousy when Bates ignored her advances. As Dollar examines a stolen squirrel gun that Martin Preeny purchased from Grody Hawkins, he discovers a crucial detail that reveals the true killer.
Shady Lane, Vermont, a small rural farming community with a hotel, cafe, and farms · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Sarah Preeny, Ben Bates, Martin Preeny, Ellen Bates, Grody Hawkins, Constable Bramlow, Millie Wells
Listen for: The examination of the rifle and the hooks above the fireplace that leads Dollar to his discovery of who really killed Ellen Bates
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 436 The Star of Capetown Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to Cape Town, South Africa to convince the wealthy but reckless Mr. Forbes to place his valuable diamond, the Star of Cape Town, in secure storage. Despite the stone's dangerous history—three men have been killed over it in the past fifty years—Forbes casually carries it in his pocket and throws lavish parties without knowing who will attend. Johnny arrives to find Forbes hosting a surprise party for his disapproving sister Agatha.
Cape Town, South Africa, primarily at Mr. Forbes's estate overlooking the city and bay, during an evening party. · Johnny Dollar, Joe McNabb, Mr. Forbes, Agatha, Sheila, Lieutenant Van Tyl
Listen for: The mysterious history of the cursed diamond and the danger it poses; the contrast between Johnny's professional concern for security and Forbes's carefree attitude; the arrival of Forbes's disapproving sister Agatha at the party.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 437 The Star of Capetown Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is in Cape Town investigating the murder of Forbes, who was stabbed during a party where a valuable diamond called the Star of Cape Town went missing. Dollar interviews police and witnesses, including Sheila who reveals she saw someone leaving Forbes' room with a bottle of perfume, complicating the case as he searches for both the killer and the diamond.
Cape Town, South Africa; Forbes' home, police headquarters, waterfront, Johnny's hotel room, and the docks · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Ventile, Sheila, Forbes (deceased), Agatha Forbes, Helen, Julio Biac
Listen for: Johnny's tense confrontation with Sheila in his hotel room about her knowledge of the crime scene, and his discovery that someone was following him through Cape Town's streets.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 438 The Star of Capetown Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Johnny Dollar chases a stolen diamond called the Star of Cape Town aboard the ship Southern Empress after its owner, playboy Andrew Forbes, is murdered in Cape Town. Dollar helicopters out to the ship to investigate, suspecting the diamond is hidden aboard by Forbes's probable killer. Once on the vessel, Dollar interviews Forbes's sister Agatha and begins piecing together clues involving several suspects who were close to Forbes.
Aboard the Southern Empress ocean liner, sailing from Cape Town, South Africa; earlier scenes in Cape Town · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant, Andrew Forbes, Agatha Forbes, Helen, Sheila, Ben Stacy
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation unfolds as he questions the people around Forbes and discovers suspicious details like his stateroom being disturbed and the scent of Sheila's perfume appearing in unexpected places.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 439 The Star of Capetown Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the theft of the Star of Capetown diamond aboard a ship bound for Desuates. A cable to Julio Biaq, who posed as a bartender at the party where the diamond was stolen and is now under arrest, suggests the gem is aboard the vessel. Johnny questions Helen, the traveling companion of diamond owner Forbes's sister, while various staterooms are mysteriously searched.
A ship at sea traveling toward Desuates, after leaving Cape Town · Johnny Dollar, Helen, Forbes, Julio Biaq, Cable Graham, Percy, Mr. Stacy
Listen for: The revelation of who sent the cable to the arrested Julio Biaq and the discovery of the Star of Capetown diamond's true location
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 440 The Star of Capetown Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the theft of the Star of Cape Town diamond aboard the Southern Empress. The stone was supposedly stolen by Julio Beak and is now missing, but Johnny discovers the real culprits are Andrew Forbes and his sister Agatha, who planted the diamond in a perfume bottle given to Helen, their traveling companion, planning to recover it when the ship reaches New York.
Aboard the Southern Empress ocean liner en route from Cape Town to Decar, and in the native quarter of Decar · Johnny Dollar, Stacey, Helen, Agatha Forbes, Andrew Forbes, Julio Beak, Hassan, The Steward
Listen for: Johnny's clever persuasion of Hassan using psychology about the fates of Stacy's other employees, and the revelation that a perfume bottle contains the hidden diamond
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 441 The Open Town Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Chief of Police Ed Blake is shot to death in his home in Greensport, Missouri, and his young wife Marty immediately files a $50,000 life insurance claim. Johnny Dollar arrives as a special investigator to look into the suspicious circumstances surrounding Blake's death, which occurred just three days after he took out the policy with his new wife as beneficiary.
Greensport, Missouri, a town where the police chief's death has left questions about corruption and who might have wanted him dead. · Johnny Dollar, Marty Blake, Averal P. Plotser, Joe Craley, Chief Ed Blake
Listen for: The details of how Chief Blake was killed in his own home in the middle of the night, and Johnny Dollar's growing suspicions about his young widow's involvement.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 442 The Open Town Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Greensport, Missouri to investigate the death of Ed Blake, who carried a $50,000 policy. Blake's young widow Marty filed her claim within 24 hours, making her the prime suspect. However, City Attorney Dave Sherman provides her with a seemingly airtight alibi, claiming he witnessed her standing in the hall at the moment of the shooting. As Johnny digs deeper, he learns that Blake was involved in local rackets and that a dangerous criminal named Shorty Wells had threatened him.
Greensport, Missouri · Johnny Dollar, Marty Blake, Dave Sherman, City Attorney, Mayor Will, Shorty Wells
Listen for: Johnny's investigation takes an unexpected turn when his leading suspect gains an alibi from a surprising source. The conversation reveals tensions between the city officials and hints at deeper corruption in the town.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 443 The Open Town Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Greensport, Missouri to investigate the shooting death of Police Chief Ed Blake in his own home. With Blake's young widow Marty and city attorney Dave Sherman both present at the scene, suspicion falls on ex-convict Shorty Wells, who had threatened Blake before his imprisonment. But when someone fires five shots at Dollar himself near City Hall, the case becomes more complicated, and Dollar begins to wonder if the real target was someone else entirely.
Greensport, Missouri · Johnny Dollar, Joe Crilly, Mayor Will Lands, Marty Blake, Dave Sherman, Police Chief Ed Blake, Shorty Wells, Officer O'Rourke
Listen for: Dollar's skepticism about the too-convenient frame of ex-convict Shorty Wells and his growing suspicion that the shooting at City Hall may have been aimed at Marty Blake rather than himself, suggesting a darker connection between the widow and the city attorney.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 444 The Open Town Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates the shooting death of Ed Blake, with suspicion falling on Blake's wife Marty despite the city attorney's alibi for her. When Marty's house mysteriously burns down the same night, Johnny must uncover whether the fire is connected to Blake's murder and who is really behind the violence.
A wide-open town where corruption and racketeering run deep, including city hall, Marty Blake's house, and the scene of a major fire. · Johnny Dollar, Joe Crowley, Marty Blake, City Attorney Dave Sherman, Shorty Wells, Ed Blake
Listen for: The mysterious figure who emerges from the basement of the burning house with a gun, and the mounting evidence that suggests Marty Blake may be in greater danger than suspected.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 445 The Open Town Matter - Ep 5 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates a murder case involving a wealthy couple. When a key witness, Shorty Wells, is found trapped in a house fire and hospitalized, Johnny discovers a conspiracy involving city officials. As Johnny races to protect Shorty from those who want him silenced, a shocking truth about corruption in the police department emerges.
A city hospital and an all-night lunch room across the street, with flashbacks to various locations in town · Johnny Dollar, Marty, Joe Creole, Dave Sherman, Mayor Lyons, Shorty Wells, Ed Blake, Dr. Morton
Listen for: The revelation of corruption reaching the highest levels of city government, Johnny's clever interrogation of Marty, and the climactic confrontation in Shorty's hospital room
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 446 The Sea Legs Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to look into a $400,000 claim filed by Mrs. Connie Lanfaire after her husband Doug's yacht, the Sea Legs, sank near the Bouldera Islands off Nicaragua. The boat went down while Doug was testing newly repaired radio equipment, and both he and the skipper were lost. However, Dollar notes that Doug had filed a similar claim two and a half years earlier when another vessel, the Kaneo, sank in the same treacherous waters.
Long Island, New York and the Caribbean coast of Central America, particularly Nicaragua and the Bouldera Islands · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCrack, Mrs. Connie Lanfaire, Doug Lanfaire, The taxi driver
Listen for: Mrs. Lanfaire's explanation of why her husband deliberately returned to the dangerous Bouldera Islands to prove he could navigate them safely, and Johnny Dollar's growing suspicions about the circumstances of the wreck and the second insurance claim.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 447 The Sea Legs Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar traces a suspicious boat wreck in Nicaragua. A woman named Connie Landfear claims her husband perished when the Sea Legs sank near the Bodero Islands, but Johnny suspects her overwrought expressions of grief may mask guilt. When Johnny arrives in Bluefields to investigate, a colorful local character named Oscar Patrick Vladimipusquero offers his services as guide and fixer, claiming the wreck was a crime and offering crucial knowledge of the remote region.
Nicaragua, principally in the city of Bluefields and surrounding areas; Johnny begins in Dallas and travels through Mexico City before arriving in Nicaragua to investigate a maritime incident. · Johnny Dollar, Connie Landfear, Patrick, Mr. Donner, Oscar Patrick Vladimipusquero
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion that Connie's sudden decision to follow him to Nicaragua may not be coincidence; the comical yet cunning Oscar's pitch for employment and his mysterious knowledge of the wreck case; details about the Sea Legs and her sinking between the Bodero Islands.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 448 The Sea Legs Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Nicaragua to investigate a claim on the sunken ship Sea Legs. The ship went down off the Baudero Islands, and Johnny suspects the owner's wife, Mrs. Landfaire, is making a fraudulent $400,000 insurance claim. With help from Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pascaro, a ham radio operator and bush pilot, Johnny examines the wreck site and discovers something troubling about the supposed accident.
Nicaragua's east coast, including the towns of Porto Gardo and Bluefields, and the waters around the Baudero Islands · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Douglas Landfaire, Pat, Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pascaro, Captain Ramirez
Listen for: Johnny's deduction about why no wreckage from the Sea Legs washed ashore at Oscar's cove, despite wreckage from the Landfaires' previous boat appearing there
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 449 The Sea Legs Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in San Juan del Perro, Nicaragua, to investigate a $400,000 claim for a sunken yacht and the death of Douglas Landfear. Johnny suspects the wreck was faked and that Landfear is still alive, especially after spotting him piloting the plane that just crashed into theirs. He and his assistant Oscar search for the yacht in the local shipyards.
San Juan del Perro, a small Nicaraguan seaport town in decline, including the San Andreas Hotel and local saloon near the docks. · Johnny Dollar, Oscar Patrick Vladimir Pascaro, Douglas Landfear, Mrs. Constant Landfear, Ramon Gonzalez, The Doctor
Listen for: Johnny's theory that the Landfears faked the shipwreck to collect insurance money, his suspicions about a mysterious cabin passenger, and the tense encounter with Ramon Gonzalez in the local saloon.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 451 The Alder Matter - Ep 1 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to investigate William Billy Alder, a flamboyant promoter and wildcatter who carries a quarter-million-dollar life insurance policy with Worldwide Mutual. Alder has been changing his beneficiary five times in a month—between his wife, daughter, and brother—raising red flags about possible foul play. Dollar travels to Caracas, Venezuela, where Alder is operating an oil venture, to look into the irregularities.
Caracas, Venezuela, at an oil operation and Alder's impressive house on a promontory overlooking the Caribbean Sea. · Johnny Dollar, Vic Kelly, William Billy Alder, Peggy Alder
Listen for: The mystery of why Alder keeps changing his beneficiary and what troubles he might be facing; Alder's cryptic admission that he will tell Johnny Dollar nothing and admits nothing.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 452 The Alder Matter - Ep 2 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is staying at Billy Alder's Venezuelan estate to protect the salesman who has inexplicably changed his beneficiaries five times in one month and survived a gunshot attack. A second attempt on Alder's life occurs when Johnny is confronted by Paul Kincaid, a young man apparently connected to Alder's daughter, leading to a violent struggle near the property's dangerous slope.
Billy Alder's estate in Venezuela, primarily at Laguira near Caracas, with a visit to Caracas police headquarters. · Johnny Dollar, Billy Alder, Joe, Hafez Velasquez, Mrs. Alder, Peggy Alder, Paul Kincaid, Nacho Gomez
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into why Alder keeps changing his beneficiaries and who is trying to kill him, plus tension between the household members and the mysterious Paul Kincaid's true reasons for being at the property.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 453 The Alder Matter - Ep 3 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is protecting Mr. Alder at his home in Caracas, Venezuela, after an attempt on Alder's life. As tensions simmer among the household members, Dollar discovers that someone has searched his room, and he encounters Mrs. Alder behaving suspiciously on the grounds searching for evidence. That evening, a famous matador named Elmentante hosts the group for dinner, nightclub entertainment, and bullfighting matches, providing a temporary escape from the mounting suspicions in the house.
The Alder home in Caracas, Venezuela; later a restaurant, bullfighting matches, and nightclub. · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Alder, Mrs. Constance Alder, Paul Kincke, Doris Cole, Elmentante, Billy Alder
Listen for: The growing tension between household members, hints about who may have attempted to kill Mr. Alder, and the mysterious dynamics between Mrs. Alder and the visiting matador Elmentante.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 454 The Alder Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar, working in Caracas, Venezuela on the Alder matter, discovers that Billy Alder's houseguest Doris Cole is actually traveling under the name Dora Jansen with a passport and letters about a ship called the Caribbean Star. When the ship arrives at port, Dollar follows Cole to a hotel meeting with a mysterious man named Arthur Singer, and suspects the case involves more than the shooting at Alder that started the investigation.
Caracas, Venezuela; a hotel near the docks; Billy Alder's office · Johnny Dollar, Billy Alder, Doris Cole (also known as Dora Jansen), Arthur Singer, Vic Kelly, The cable office clerk
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's reasoning about Alder's contradictions and lies; the mysterious identity of Arthur Singer; the significance of the Caribbean Star's arrival; the tension between Dollar and the increasingly nervous Billy Alder.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 495 The Primrose Matter - Ep 4 (1956)
Johnny Dollar investigates a $100,000 payroll robbery connected to a wrecked car, three murders, and mysterious happenings at Primrose Camp. He arranges to meet ranger Jed Marsh at a fire patrol phone, but is ambushed by Spade Keller, a wanted criminal from the gang that pulled the heist. When Jed arrives, he too is captured, and the two men find themselves at gunpoint with no clear way out of the trap.
Primrose Camp in the mountains, near a forest ranger fire patrol phone on a summit road at night. · Johnny Dollar, Jet Marsh, Pop Bardell, Spade Keller, Jipper Knitsen
Listen for: The tense confrontation between Johnny and Spade Keller as Johnny pieces together Spade's criminal identity, followed by Jed Marsh's arrival and capture, with both men now held at gunpoint by a desperate killer.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 570 The Eleven O'Clock Matter (AFRTS) (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at a cliffside house to investigate threatening letters sent to advertising executive Ralph Appleton. That evening, a mysterious figure appears at the window, the phone goes dead, and Appleton's business partner Tom Baker unexpectedly arrives drenched from a car accident. The group retreats to a beach house to escape the tension, but Johnny senses hidden tensions and suspicious glances between some of the guests.
A leased house called Hamilton Hall perched on a cliff overlooking the sea near Skeleton Point, and a beach house below it, during a violent rainstorm. · Johnny Dollar, Ralph Appleton, Grant Hillman, Mrs. Gregory, Laura Appleton, Tom Baker
Listen for: The mystery of who was at the window and whether Tom Baker's arrival is truly coincidental; watch for the connection between Laura Appleton and Tom Baker.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 596 The Mojave Red Sequel (AFRTS) (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Lake Harvey Resort to investigate the death of Elmer Hobbs, a businessman whose boat sank during a storm. While local authorities rule it an accident, Johnny discovers evidence suggesting murder: the boat's flotation tanks were deliberately cut open and an anchor line was wrapped around the body. Now Johnny must determine who among those with motive and opportunity killed Hobbs.
Lake Harvey Resort in the Mojave Desert area, with references to Los Angeles and Nevada · Johnny Dollar, Jake, Buster, Red Barrett, Elmer Hobbs, Stu Manley, Jay Stewart Manley, Mr. Carson
Listen for: The clues pointing to Hobbs' murder: the cut flotation tanks, the anchor line around the body, and the revelation of two beneficiaries of Hobbs' insurance—his business partner and Red Barrett, who found the body and claimed to be his best friend
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 598 The Lucky 4 Matter (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Colorado to look into the suspicious death of concert pianist Bill Cherry, whose farmhouse was destroyed when his dam allegedly gave way during a storm. Ray Smith, who knew Cherry, believes the dam failure was no accident and shows Johnny evidence of sabotage—a bomb rigged in a vehicle—suggesting Cherry's worthless nephew Tommy Walker may be behind the murder.
Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, at the Lucky 4 ranch property and surrounding mountain areas at 9,000 feet elevation · Johnny Dollar, Ray Smith, Tommy Walker, Ralph Kimbell, Bill Cherry
Listen for: Johnny and Ray investigate the destroyed dam and discover evidence of deliberate sabotage; a bomb is found wired to a vehicle, suggesting premeditated murder rather than accidental death.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 599 The Two Faced Matter (1958)
Johnny Dollar investigates a missing $58,000 from the O-Lang Zion furniture company in North Weldon, Massachusetts. The company's owner, Mr. J. Worthington-Keasley, discovered the vault empty and attributes the theft to Roscoe James Pula, an employee who vanished three years, five months and sixteen days earlier, leaving only a note that says "Good-bye suckers." Johnny must track down the missing employee and recover the stolen building fund.
The O-Lang Zion furniture company in North Weldon, Massachusetts, an old-fashioned New England town where the company maintains traditions from decades past, including horses and carriages instead of automobiles. · Johnny Dollar, Nick Weldon, Mr. J. Worthington-Keasley, Roscoe James Pula
Listen for: The contrast between Johnny's modern sensibilities and the deliberately old-fashioned customs of the furniture company; Johnny's reactions to the eccentric traditions and the puzzle of why the theft went unnoticed for so long.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 602 The Malibu Mystery Matter (AFRTS) (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Malibu after a $150,000 diesel yacht explodes and sinks off the coast, killing the captain. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Merrill, survive along with two crew members, but Johnny must investigate the explosion and determine whether Mrs. Merrill's jewelry, initially thought lost, was actually aboard when the disaster occurred.
Malibu, California; the Pacific coast near a fishing pier; the Merrill home in Westwood · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Henley, Captain Rowland, Mr. Merrill, Mrs. Merrill, The Skipper
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's expense account narrative; details of the yacht explosion and rescue; the mystery surrounding the yacht's fuel system failure and the location of Mrs. Merrill's jewelry at the moment of disaster.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 603 The Wayward Diamonds Matter (AFRTS) (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar discovers that Mrs. Merrell's insured jewels are fakes and suspects she plans to claim insurance fraud while her husband faces charges related to a yacht incident. When Dollar places a detective to watch her movements, the man is attacked at the Merrell home and Mrs. Merrell disappears, forcing Dollar and insurance man Peter Hanley to investigate her sudden flight.
Los Angeles and Westwood, California, primarily the Beverly Hilton Hotel and the Merrell home · Johnny Dollar, Peter Hanley, Mrs. Merrell, Mr. Merrell, Detective Sam Benjamin
Listen for: The revelation of the fake diamonds and Dollar's clever deduction about Mrs. Merrell's insurance fraud scheme; the mysterious attack on the detective and Mrs. Merrell's disappearance.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 604 The Johnson Payroll Matter (AFRTS) (1958)
Johnny Dollar travels to California to help recover $100,000 stolen in a New York payroll robbery. An anonymous informant arranges a meeting at Carado Beach, but Johnny arrives to find the man dead with a knife in his ribs. Complicating matters, Johnny encounters the mysterious woman from his cab ride in Los Angeles at a local bar, and a confrontation with another man erupts.
Los Angeles, Carado Beach, and a motel bar in a coastal town, 1958 · Johnny Dollar, Pat McCracken, The informant (dead at pier), A woman from the cab, A man at the bar
Listen for: A botched meeting with a dead informant, a suspicious woman's appearance, and a bar room confrontation that suggests Johnny's investigation is being followed or sabotaged.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 612 The Double Trouble Matter (AFRTS) (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Sarasota to settle a claim on a 65,000 dollar policy belonging to Albert Kingman, who died in a hurricane 20 years ago. Two men have suddenly appeared, each claiming to be Henry Kingman, the deceased's son and sole beneficiary, both with plausible stories about their lives since the disaster.
Sarasota, Florida and surrounding areas in 1958 · Johnny Dollar, Earl Pormann, Henry Kingman (first claimant), Gertrude Pormann
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's detailed investigation as he attempts to determine which Henry Kingman is the genuine beneficiary, including his examination of background information and interviews with the claimants.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 614 The Hair Raising Matter (1958)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the home of a wealthy man who has been found dead in his bedroom. While the doctor attributes the death to natural causes and a heart condition, Johnny senses something is amiss at the scene, though he cannot immediately identify what troubles him about the circumstances.
A wealthy household in Hollywood, focusing on the bedroom where a man has died · Johnny Dollar, Brit Milk, Gerten, Doctor, Sergeant, Miss
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's instincts that something is wrong despite the doctor's natural causes ruling; the details about the open windows and peculiar smells in the room; the family's reactions to the death
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 621 The Doting Dowager Matter (1959)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to the Manhattan home of wealthy widow Mrs. Dora Harkness Ballon after a small statue of her Civil War general grandfather disappears from her reception room. When a ransom note arrives demanding $75,000 for the statue's return, Mrs. Ballon insists on paying despite the high sum, threatening to cancel all her insurance if Dollar doesn't recover it.
New York City, an elegant brownstone house on East 73rd Street in Manhattan · Johnny Dollar, Mrs. Dora Harkness Ballon, Harold Winters, Higgins, George (at Floyd's of England)
Listen for: The mysterious ransom note and Mrs. Ballon's obsessive attachment to the supposedly worthless statue; Harold Winters' cryptic warnings and Mrs. Ballon's controlling behavior toward her nephew.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 623 The Date with Death Matter (AFRTS) (1) (1959)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is forced to abandon his dinner date when his boss Bert Guels calls with urgent news: Curly Waters, a criminal Johnny had sent to prison two years ago and who later swore vengeance, has escaped from the hospital where he was being held under guard. When Johnny rushes to check on his date Betty Lewis, he finds her apartment empty. A stolen car and a captured accomplice suggest Curly may still be in town, setting a trap.
Hartford, Connecticut; Johnny Dollar's apartment, Master's Insurance and Trust Company office, Betty Lewis's apartment, and the city streets · Johnny Dollar, Bert Guels, Lieutenant Howard Daley, Curly Waters, Gympie Taylor, Betty Lewis, Riley
Listen for: The opening sequence about testing apartment extension phones; the details of Curly Waters's escape from the hospital; Johnny and the lieutenant's desperate race to Betty's apartment; the phone call revealing Betty was lured away by a false hospital message.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 624 The Shankar Diamond Matter (AFRTS) (1959)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is asked by his old flame Martha Mayfield to escort her to her son Edgar's wedding in Greensboro, North Carolina. Martha insists on bringing the Shankar Diamond, a nearly priceless gem reputed to bring good luck, which has attracted the attention of jewel thieves in the past. As they prepare to fly to the wedding, Johnny suspects Martha knows more about a potential threat to the diamond than she's telling him.
New York City and a flight to Greensboro, North Carolina, 1959 · Johnny Dollar, Steve Kilmer, Martha Mayfield Maryman, Larkin, Edgar, Mary Louanne Melanie, Sergeant Bell
Listen for: The chemistry between Johnny and the sharp-witted Martha; the mystery surrounding who might be after the diamond; details about the wedding and the danger that lies ahead.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 625 The Blue Madonna Matter (AFRTS) (1) (1959)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives a call from a mysterious Parisian character named Chagri about a valuable painting called the Blue Madonna. Dollar bets his boss that the painting currently hanging in the Gavin Galleries in Philadelphia is not genuine, and travels there with art expert Foster Harmon to investigate the suspicious transaction.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; a luxury hotel and an art gallery on Walnut Street, with flashbacks to Paris · Johnny Dollar, George Reed, Chagri (Demarsak), Foster Harmon, Kingsley Holland, Arnold Gavin
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's skepticism about the painting's authenticity, Kingsley Holland's nervous offer to sell the Blue Madonna directly and cheaply, and the mounting evidence that a switch may have been made.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 663 The Bayou Body Matter (1959)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar flies to Sarasota, Florida after learning that a man he recently insured for $50,000 has been found dead floating under his agent's dock. What initially appears to be a heart attack becomes a murder investigation when the coroner discovers the man was struck fatally in the face with a wrought iron poker. As police search for the missing Mrs. Carter, suspicion falls on the wife, though a younger beneficiary—a former stripper named Mitzi Taylor living in New York—also had motive.
Sarasota, Florida, a bayou area with expensive homes and private docks · Johnny Dollar, Earl Poorman, Sergeant Wade, Dr. Phillips, Dr. Theo Foote, Ralph Carter, Mrs. Carter, Mitzi Taylor
Listen for: The revelation that Carter's death was murder, not natural causes; the discovery of Mrs. Carter's threatening words to her husband the night before; the introduction of multiple suspects with financial motives.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 735 The Rat Pack Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar travels to Summit Hill, a wealthy retirement community, to investigate a series of expensive car thefts and vandalism by a group of reckless young troublemakers. Using a fake Federal survey as cover, Johnny arrives in the small town to find the locals living in fear of the so-called rat pack, who steal and wreck vehicles under cover of darkness.
Summit Hill, a small wealthy residential community about 40-50 miles northwest of Corpus Christi, Texas, and surrounding areas. · Johnny Dollar, George (insurance company contact), Gas station attendant, Mrs. Brierley, Henry Brierley
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into who is behind the rash of car thefts and vandalism, and whether the young troublemakers are truly as dangerous as the townspeople fear.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 738 The Simple Simon Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Los Angeles to look into the death of Jerry Hilton, a man with a $16,000 life insurance policy whose car went off a cliff near Newhall. While police believe it was suicide made to look like an accident, an anonymous caller insists Dollar meet him in San Diego, claiming to have information that could prove otherwise and suggesting the insurance must be paid.
Los Angeles and surrounding areas in California; the case involves an accident scene near Newhall, about 35 miles north of LA · Johnny Dollar, Frank Francis, Jerry Hilton, Margery Hilton
Listen for: The anonymous phone call and what information the mystery caller has about Jerry Hilton's death; Johnny Dollar's decision to meet the stranger in San Diego despite police suspicions of suicide
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 739 The Lone Wolf Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar is hired by Thomas Morgan, a successful stockbroker, who is being blackmailed by Henry B. Wolfe, his former partner in a stock swindle from 25 years ago. Wolfe demands $10,000 and threatens to expose their crime to Morgan's family and business unless he pays, claiming he has written a full confession to be released if anything happens to him. Johnny must locate Wolfe and determine how to handle the blackmail threat.
A brokerage office on North Commerce in Newark, with connections to Philadelphia · Johnny Dollar, Thomas Morgan, Henry B. Wolfe, Harvey
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into the blackmail scheme and his search for Henry B. Wolfe; the details of the old stock swindle and Morgan's attempts at restitution.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 740 The Yaak Mystery Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is summoned to remote Yak, Montana to investigate wealthy client John Turner Whitaker, who has vanished on a hunting trip with his daughter Valerie and son-in-law Lou Larson. The search party finds Lou Larson alone, barely conscious on horseback, and as he regains awareness, he must reveal what happened to the others in the snow-covered wilderness.
Remote wilderness near Yak, Montana in late May; Shorty Bessum's log cabin lodge and surrounding snow-covered forest country. · Johnny Dollar, Steve Yocum, John Turner Whitaker, Valerie, Lou Larson, Shorty Bessum, Mrs. Bessum
Listen for: Lou Larson's account of what happened to Whitaker and Valerie during the hunting expedition in the mountains; whether Whitaker is alive or dead and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 741 The Stock-In-Trade Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to the small town of Somerville, Tennessee to investigate the murder of Volney Bourgard Exum, a client of Worldwide Mutual Insurance. The elderly man was found dead at his desk with his head bashed in, and with no apparent clues or suspects, Dollar must uncover who killed him and why, starting with interviews of the three beneficiaries of his $35,000 insurance policy.
Memphis, Tennessee and the small town of Somerville, Tennessee, at an old plantation house and local businesses · Johnny Dollar, Ripley, Volney Bourgard Exum, Clara Bell Lockway Exum, Volney Bourgard Exum (nephew), Van Buren Ovalthorpe, Don Lekato
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's distinctive narrative style as he begins his investigation into the murder, interviewing the beneficiaries and piecing together the victim's sparse life and mysterious finances
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 742 The Big Date Matter (AFRTS) (1961)
Johnny Dollar is in Florida trying to avoid going back north when his insurance company contact Don Boonhauer calls him to Sarasota with what he claims is an urgent matter. It turns out the emergency is just a tax form that needs signing, but when Johnny steps outside Don's office, a blonde woman's car begins backfiring loudly, drawing a crowd. Johnny helps investigate the car trouble and finds himself charmed by the mysterious young woman.
Sarasota, Florida, on Main Street outside Don Boonhauer's insurance office, and later at a car with ignition trouble · Johnny Dollar, Don Boonhauer, A blonde woman with car trouble, Police sergeant
Listen for: The comedic chaos caused by the car's persistent backfiring, the crowd gathering on Main Street, and Johnny's easy charm as he tries to help the blonde woman with her automobile troubles.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 743 The Low Tide Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired by Trim Mutual to locate two missing business partners, Charles Foster and Michael Brady, who have gone on a fishing trip together. Trim Mutual holds a partnership policy worth $500,000 on the two men, and the company fears that the younger, ambitious Brady may have foul play in mind for the aging Foster.
Hartford, Connecticut and surrounding areas; offices of Trim Mutual Insurance Company and homes of the Foster and Brady families. · Johnny Dollar, Frederick Benham, Charles Foster, Michael Brady, Mrs. Charles Foster, Kathy Brady
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into the partnership between Foster and Brady, and his conversations with their wives as he tries to determine where the two men have gone fishing.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 744 The Imperfect Crime Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar is hired to investigate a case involving author J. Stanley Porter, whose previous four wives all died suddenly within a year or two of marriage. Porter's current wife, Denise, fears she may be his next victim, particularly since he spends all his time writing about perfect crimes and murders. Johnny must determine whether Porter is a dangerous killer or simply a macabre writer whose dark imaginings are being misinterpreted.
The offices of State Enerling Life insurance company and the home of author J. Stanley Porter · Johnny Dollar, Lou Little, Denise Porter, J. Stanley Porter, Lieutenant Randy Singer
Listen for: The mysterious deaths of Porter's previous wives and clues hidden in his writing and behavior
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 745 The Well of Trouble Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar accepts a thousand-dollar check from policyholder Stanley Porter through his broker Lou Little. When Lou mentions an eccentric client named Jeremy Withers who mails insurance premiums in cash without proper precautions, Johnny becomes curious about a stack of bills in Lou's office. He drives to Withers' remote cabin in Oklahoma and discovers the old man has unknowingly received stolen money from the First National Bank robbery in nearby Millville—over twenty thousand dollars in new twenty-dollar bills with consecutive serial numbers starting with triple-six, double-four.
Hartford insurance office, then rural Oklahoma near Millville · Johnny Dollar, Lou Little, Jeremy Withers, Stanley Porter
Listen for: The mystery of how stolen bank robbery money ended up in an eccentric old man's hands
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 746 The Fiddle Faddle Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Florida by his old friend Earl Foreman to investigate the theft of a rare Bicyac violin called the Canary, valued at ten thousand dollars. The instrument was stolen from the shop of violin repairman Antonio DiPelido after the shop was broken into and the elderly craftsman was knocked unconscious. When Johnny arrives, he learns that the violin's owner, wealthy collector Joseph R. Tetrick, has died under mysterious circumstances shortly after claiming he knew who the thief was.
West Palm Beach, Florida, including the offices of Earl Foreman and Don Boomer, the home of Joseph Tetrick on St. Armand's Key, and the violin repair shop of Antonio DiPelido on Palm Avenue. · Johnny Dollar, Earl Foreman, Don Boomer, Joseph R. Tetrick, Antonio DiPelido
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's characteristic matter-of-fact narration as he arrives in Florida and begins piecing together the circumstances of the theft and Tetrick's death; details about the priceless Bicyac violin collection and its significance to the elderly collector.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 747 the old fashioned murder matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Denver after receiving an urgent call from Herbert Lynn, a state unity official who fears that his elderly client Howard Hartsell, a 73-year-old wealthy man with a quarter-million-dollar insurance policy, will be murdered. Lynn believes one of Hartsell's three beneficiaries—his nieces Clara and Bonnie, or his nephew Tony—is planning to kill him, pointing to recent mysterious incidents including a car that tried to run Hartsell down and a puzzling illness that Lynn suspects is poisoning. Dollar begins investigating the relatives to uncover who poses the real threat.
Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1961. The story centers around Howard Hartsell's home in Green Mountain Falls, a small settlement west of Colorado Springs. · Johnny Dollar, Herbert Lynn, Howard Hartsell, Clara Johnson, Bonnie Briggs, Harry Briggs, Tony, Dr. East today
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's direct confrontation tactics as he interviews Clara Johnson, the high school chemistry teacher and niece who openly expresses her resentment about not being the sole beneficiary and her desperate longing for the inheritance. Pay attention to the mysterious circumstances surrounding Hartsell's health and the mysterious car incidents, as well as the suspicious role of the elderly family doctor now living in the house.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 748 The Chuckanut Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to a small town near Seattle to investigate suspicious insurance claims on a couple heavily insured with half-million-dollar policies. When he arrives at their mountain property, he discovers that one spouse has just died in a car crash on the treacherous road leading to their home, and he must determine whether it was a genuine accident or something more sinister.
Seattle, Washington and the mountain community of Chuckanut, featuring a dangerous winding road near the Brittingham home. · Johnny Dollar, Lucian Peterson, Mark Brittingham, Myra Brittingham, Sergeant Bill Foreman
Listen for: The description of the deadly mountain road with its sharp hairpin turns and switchbacks, and the details of the car accident that sets the investigation in motion.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 750 the perilous padre matter (cut open) (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Corpus Christi, Texas, summoned by his friend Doug Johnston to investigate a matter on Padre Island. When Johnny learns that Doug's friend Jackson Price has gone missing after calling for Johnny's help, the two men set out across the causeway to the island armed with shovels and a rifle, and Doug begins to tell Johnny about a fascinating history involving a Spanish treasure fleet from 1553.
Corpus Christi, Texas and Padre Island, a long sandy barrier island stretching from Corpus Christi down toward Mexico · Johnny Dollar, Doug Johnston, Jackson Price, O'Brien
Listen for: Johnny and Doug's expedition to Padre Island to search for the missing Jackson Price; the tale of the Spanish treasure fleet from 1553 that Doug begins to reveal
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 751 The Wrong Doctor Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Corpus Christi, Texas to take on a case from Jack Price. After settling into his hotel room, a large man with a gun forces his way in, and the two engage in a violent struggle. When hotel staff break down the door, the man is dead, and Johnny discovers the intruder was Diego Hernandez, a recently released convict and shrimp boat captain connected to Jack's case.
Corpus Christi, Texas; the Robert Driscoll Hotel · Johnny Dollar, Jack Price, Diego Hernandez, Dr. Rodden, Chambermaid, House Detective
Listen for: The opening exposition of Johnny Dollar's expense account investigation; the brutal fight scene in the hotel room; the revelation of Hernandez's identity and criminal past.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 753 the shifty looker matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Floyd's of England office by Jeffrey Reed, who has taken over for his brother George. Reed presents an unusual kidnapping case: the young daughter of retired Mr. Looker has disappeared, and the family has an extraordinary insurance policy that will pay up to $100,000 in ransom, but only if Johnny and Reed keep the authorities completely out of the matter.
Floyd's of England insurance office in Hartford, Connecticut; the Wakefield Towers area · Johnny Dollar, Jeffrey Reed, George Reed, Mr. Looker, Sarah, Cynthia Looker
Listen for: The shocking insurance policy that forbids contacting police or FBI, Johnny's determination to prevent the ransom from being paid, and the dangerous stakes of a kidnapping where authorities cannot be involved.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 754 The All Wet Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Casey, South Carolina to investigate a mysterious package received by wealthy widow Melanie Ramsey Pembroke. The package, postmarked from Chicago, contains a crude time bomb that Melanie safely disarms by throwing it out the window into a fish pond, damaging the detonating device.
Casey, South Carolina, at Ramseville, the Pembroke family home, in 1961 · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Thurston, Melanie Ramsey Pembroke, Peter Pembroke
Listen for: The explanation for who sent the bomb and why they wanted to harm Melanie Pembroke; details about her husband Peter's travels and his connection to Chicago
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 755 The Buyer and the Cellar Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to San Francisco to investigate the disappearance of Harvey Lehman, a commission buyer of rare antiques who vanished a week ago after traveling to Los Angeles to meet with wealthy film producer John Arthur Whittington-Meener. Don Reglet, Johnny's contact at the insurance company, suspects foul play, but Johnny must determine whether Lehman has deliberately fled his domineering wife Doris or met with something worse.
San Francisco, California; flashbacks to Los Angeles and Beverly Hills · Johnny Dollar, Don Reglet, Harvey Lehman, Doris Lehman, John Arthur Whittington-Meener
Listen for: The portrait of Harvey Lehman as a punctual, decent man who acquires rare and unusual items for wealthy clients, and the tension between him and his extravagant, controlling wife Doris.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 757 The Double-Barreled Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar is called to San Diego by Phil East of the insurance company to investigate a series of seven burglaries at the apartment of Charles and Trudy Warner over the past two months. The unusual aspect is that nothing has ever been stolen, yet someone keeps breaking in and searching through the place. Johnny arrives and meets Trudy Warner, who is frustrated by her husband's refusal to call the police and worried about what might happen if she's home alone when a burglar breaks in.
San Diego, California; the Warner's apartment cottage near a hotel · Johnny Dollar, Phil East, Charles Hastings Warner, Trudy Warner
Listen for: Trudy Warner's account of the mysterious break-ins and her concern about the intruders' real purpose, given that nothing is being stolen despite the repeated searches through their belongings.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 759 The Medium Rare Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Corpus Christi to investigate a fraudulent psychic named Udi Vishnu, who operates a spiritualist temple just beyond the city limits. Insurance investigator Jack Price believes Vishnu is manipulating his followers into naming him as beneficiary on their insurance policies, and two of their clients have been mysteriously murdered. Dollar attends one of Vishnu's evening séances to observe the con artist at work.
Corpus Christi, Texas; the Temple of the Living Truth, a converted barn several miles south of the city near Ranch 66 · Johnny Dollar, Jack Price, Udi Vishnu
Listen for: Vishnu's theatrical presentation and the crowd's reaction; Johnny's impressions of the supposed psychic and his methods
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 761 The Three for One Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar is summoned to Boston by his old contact Christian Albeck at International Life and Casualty to investigate the disappearance of John Stuart Kirkman, a wealthy retired businessman with a quarter-million-dollar policy. Albeck hints that three suspects with possible motives—Charles Hockaway (who owes Kirkman $100,000), Mildred Armstrong (Kirkman's ex-wife), and Tony Benson (a young drifter)—have all recently moved to the Santa Harbor area in New Hampshire where Kirkman lives. When Johnny arrives at Santa Harbor, Police Chief Mike Sharp reveals that Kirkman has been found dead.
Boston and Santa Harbor, New Hampshire, 1961 · Johnny Dollar, Christian Albeck, John Stuart Kirkman, Mona Kirkman, Chief Mike Sharp, Charles D. Hockaway, Mildred Armstrong, Tony Benson
Listen for: Johnny's wisecracks about expense accounts and fishing opportunities; the three suspects introduced as possible motives for Kirkman's disappearance; the revelation that Kirkman is already dead.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 762 The Bee or Not to Bee Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is given a case by Pat Fuller at Universal Adjustment Bureau involving a couple running a fake injury scam at hotels across the country. The pair registers at hotels, stages a fall or slip, and demands cash settlements while threatening lawsuits. After hitting thirteen hotels in four months, Johnny receives a photograph of the suspects and a list of target cities, and begins to formulate a theory about their next move based on a curious pattern.
Universal Adjustment Bureau office in Hartford, Connecticut, with the investigation spanning multiple hotels across the United States · Johnny Dollar, Pat Fuller, Pat McCracken
Listen for: The detailed description of the hotel injury scam racket and Johnny's realization that the fake address the couple uses—21st Street and Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia—is actually the location of Easton Penitentiary
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 763 The Monticello Mystery Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Port Jarvis, New York by insurance representative Henry Foreman regarding a wealthy client. Dollar travels to an isolated and beautiful lodge near Monticello owned by Rudy and Nancy Teckler, where he meets the couple and learns the lodge was previously owned by Nancy's first husband, Horace Rathbun Mellinger of a vast steel and oil fortune.
Port Jarvis, New York and an isolated private lodge near Monticello in the Catskill Mountains, between Kenosa Lake and Swan Lake · Johnny Dollar, Henry Foreman, Rudy Teckler, Nancy Teckler
Listen for: Johnny's suspicions grow as the Tecklers claim they summoned him for fishing rather than business; Nancy reveals the lodge belonged to her wealthy first husband Horace Rathbun Mellinger
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 764 The Wrong One Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Florida to visit an unusual client named Emmett Denery who has sent an urgent, misspelled letter demanding quick payment on an insurance policy before something happens. Earl Foreman, Johnny's boss, claims the visit is just a routine client call, but Johnny suspects there's more to the story given his history of stumbling into trouble in Florida. Johnny heads into the dangerous Everglades swamp country to locate Denery and his partner Waldo Blake.
Sarasota and the Everglades swamp country of Florida in 1961 · Johnny Dollar, Earl Foreman, Emmett Denery, Waldo Blake, Ben Osceola, Pete Fisher, Mike Foreman, Don Boomer
Listen for: Johnny's skepticism about Earl's true reason for sending him to Florida, the mysterious threatening letter from Emmett Denery, and Johnny's dangerous journey into the swamp to locate the client
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 765 The Guide to Murder Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Sarasota, Florida for a fishing vacation, but his friend Earl Foreman drags him to his office before they can leave. Earl finally convinces Johnny that a fishing trip with Captain Barney Beale at Lemon Bay is purely recreational—no insurance matters involved. However, when they return to the dock and visit Captain Beale's garage to see his prized 1922 Maxwell automobile, they discover a dead man slumped behind the wheel.
Sarasota, Florida, including Earl Foreman's office, Lemon Bay, and Captain Beale's garage · Johnny Dollar, Earl Foreman, Captain Barney Beale, Dr. Hill
Listen for: The discovery of a mysterious corpse in the locked garage; questions about how the man got inside and whether it's suicide or murder.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 766 The Mad Bomber Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar arrives in tiny Muddy Gap, Wyoming, where newspaper editor and insurance agent Hank Parnell reports receiving mysterious phone calls from Billy Benbow, a violent man from the town who was drafted decades ago and later escaped from an asylum. Benbow was trained in explosives during the war and has threatened revenge on the town, and now with Muddy Gap surrounded by massive oil storage tanks, Parnell fears Benbow plans devastating destruction.
Muddy Gap, Wyoming, a small oil storage town in cattle country west of Casper, surrounded by huge steel tanks holding millions of gallons of crude oil. · Johnny Dollar, Hank Parnell, Billy Benbow
Listen for: The mysterious phone calls and the strange noise heard outside the office at the episode's end.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 767 The Cinder Elmer Matter (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to the snowy mountains of Crestline, California to investigate the disappearance of Bartley Harmon, a small businessman who vanished while on holiday at Hillcrest Lodge with his wife Nora and his business partner Elmer Eitzen. With the company holding a $200,000 accidental death policy with double indemnity on Harmon, Dollar must determine whether he met with an accident or something more sinister.
Crestline, California in the mountains at Hillcrest Lodge during winter; begins in Los Angeles and Hartford · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Warren, Bartley Harmon, Nora Harmon, Elmer Eitzen, Roy Turner
Listen for: The contrast between Johnny's expectations of sunny California and the snowy mountains; Charlie Warren's attempts to persuade Johnny to come west; details about the missing Bartley Harmon and the people around him at the lodge
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 769 The Phony Phone Matter (Network) (1961)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar takes on a case involving Harvey L. Hallett, a man Bert Helfer suspects of filing phony insurance claims for burglaries he stages himself. When Johnny calls Hallett to investigate, a mysterious explosion erupts at a building connected to Hallett's operations, and Johnny must determine whether Hallett is genuinely victimized or orchestrating crimes for insurance payouts.
Manhattan insurance office and surrounding New York City locations, close to Christmas · Johnny Dollar, Bert Helfer, Harvey L. Hallett, Mary Hallett
Listen for: The discussion of the classic criminal cover-up trick where a guilty party reports his own crimes to deflect suspicion, and the sudden explosion that complicates Johnny's investigation.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 770 The One Too Many Matter (1961)
Johnny Dollar is unexpectedly recruited on New Year's Eve to investigate a potential murder plot. Dr. Begley believes one of Mrs. Nancy Cunningham's two nephews, Walter Bader or Donald Kingman, plans to kill her before she can change her will to exclude them as beneficiaries. Johnny agrees to stay with Mrs. Cunningham while the nephews visit for the holiday.
Connecticut, New Year's Eve; Hal Kempert's house and Mrs. Cunningham's residence · Johnny Dollar, Hal Kempert, Dara Kempert, Dr. Albert Begley, Mrs. Nancy Cunningham, Walter Bader, Donald Kingman
Listen for: The details of Mrs. Cunningham's heart condition, recent suspicious incidents at her home, and the arrival of her two nephews
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 771 The Hot Chocolate Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar is called to investigate a $104,000 diamond theft from Mac Bilby's jewelry store on Madison Avenue in New York. A night watchman named McDuggins was shot during the robbery, and a cleaning boy named Daniel Fairling has disappeared. Johnny begins tracking leads, visiting the wounded watchman in the hospital and searching for Fairling's whereabouts.
New York City, primarily Manhattan, including Mac Bilby's jewelry store on Madison Avenue near 57th Street, Bellevue Hospital, and a residential building where Daniel Fairling lives. · Johnny Dollar, Lieutenant Randol Singer, Mac Bilby, McDuggins, Miss Tovish, Daniel Fairling, Mr. Dubin, Dr. Leffman
Listen for: The clever setup of the diamond heist mystery with multiple suspects, the dynamic between Johnny Dollar and Lieutenant Singer, and clues pointing to the missing cleaning boy Daniel Fairling who was seen delivering chocolates to the store.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 773 The Terrible Torch Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar investigates a series of suspicious fires near the small town of Woodbine, New Jersey. Two factories at an industrial complex have already burned, and insurance investigator Fred Larkin fears more fires are coming. Johnny travels to the area and teams up with Smoky Sullivan, a reformed arsonist turned consultant, to uncover whether the fires are part of an organized scheme.
Woodbine, New Jersey and surrounding area; an industrial complex of factories outside town; Trenton, New Jersey · Johnny Dollar, Fred Larkin, Smoky Sullivan, Mr. Becker
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into the financial troubles of factory owners and his interview with the suspicious banker Mr. Becker; the revelation that Smoky Sullivan, a former arsonist, is now helping solve arson cases.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 774 The Can't Be So Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the scene of a young man's death in a New York apartment building. The victim, Willoughby, appears to have been shot by someone he knew well. Dollar learns that Willoughby had recently been seen having lunch with Connie, the wife of Les Wallers, an insurance company colleague, raising questions about Les's possible involvement and motive.
New York City, including an apartment building on East Maple Street, the Worldwide Mutual Insurance Company office in the Spear Building, and a residential apartment shared by Les and Connie Wallers. · Johnny Dollar, Mary, Mr. Harmon, Sergeant Tommy Bravo, Les Wallers, Connie Wallers, Willoughby
Listen for: The investigation into whether Les Wallers had reason to kill Willoughby, and Connie's explanation for her recent lunch with the deceased.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 775 The Nugget of Truth Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar meets with his insurance company contact Ted Newberry, who arranges for Johnny to see Pandora Peters, a glamorous and wealthy woman married to inventor Philip Truesdale. Pandora reveals she has been receiving threatening notes for two months, starting after her husband patented an electronic battery invention. The notes quote scripture and demand the invention be given to the world rather than profited from by one person, with increasingly violent threats against Pandora's life.
Ted Newberry's office at Union States Casualty Insurance Company, and references to the Peters residence at Markly Drive and Philip's factory building · Johnny Dollar, Ted Newberry, Pandora Peters, Philip Truesdale
Listen for: The nature of the threatening notes and their escalating demands; details about Philip Truesdale's electronic battery invention; the mysterious golden skull charm from Pandora's grandfather's California nugget; why the police stopped providing Philip with protection.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 776 The Do It Yourself Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar is called in by the Greater Southwest Insurance Company to investigate a series of nine fires that have occurred in Seamy Valley near Moore Park over six weeks. The company suspects arson, especially since a young, aggressive insurance agent named Harry Walterson has been capitalizing on the fires to sell new policies, though the claim payouts far exceed the premium income.
Seamy Valley and Moore Park, north of the San Fernando Valley in California, near the area recently devastated by the Bel Air and Pangar Canyon fires · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Harkins, Royal J. Hunter, Harry Walterson, Mrs. Hatcher, Mr. Pretty, Mr. Burton
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into whether homeowners themselves are setting fires to collect insurance or if arson is being perpetrated by someone else; Walterson's suspicious ability to sell policies following each fire outbreak.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 777 The Takes A Crook Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is attacked and knocked unconscious in his garage while retrieving evidence—a fake mouth—from his car trunk. When he comes to, the evidence has been stolen. Dollar must determine who struck him and locate the missing evidence before the federal agents arrive from Washington.
Johnny Dollar's apartment building and garage in the evening, with references to Washington and the Manhart Gallery · Johnny Dollar, Les Walters, Hal
Listen for: The details of what the stolen evidence is, who attacked Johnny, and how the fake mouth connects to the Maure Madonna painting and the federal investigation
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 778 The Mixed Blessing Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar is called to Kingman, Arizona by his insurance company to deliver $41,000 cash to Barney Blessing, who wants his retirement policy paid out in full rather than in monthly installments. Jake Kessler, the company's local agent, is laid up with injuries from a horse-riding accident and reveals that Blessing is a former prohibition-era gunman with a mysterious connection to another man named Higbee.
Los Angeles and Kingman, Arizona · Johnny Dollar, Charlie Warren, Jake Kessler, Barney Blessing, Higbee
Listen for: The explanation of why Blessing needs the full payout and what Higbee's role in his life really is
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 779 The Top Secret Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to investigate three fatal explosions at the Bascom Development Company, a secret rocket fuel research facility hidden along the California coast near Monterey. The deaths occurred while testing a revolutionary new solid rocket fuel formula developed by a young East German scientist. As Johnny arrives at the heavily guarded compound, another explosion suddenly rocks the buildings.
A secret research facility disguised as summer cottages on the California coast near Monterey, along Highway 1; also New York International Airport and San Francisco offices. · Johnny Dollar, Len Walker, George, The young East German scientist
Listen for: The dramatic sound of an explosion as Johnny arrives at the compound; discussion of the rocket fuel development and the mysterious three deaths.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 780 The Golden Dream Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar flies to Kingman, Arizona to help his old friend Jake Hasler investigate a suspicious mining stock scheme. A young engineer named Myron Kingsley was hired to inspect the Golden Dream mine for a suspicious stockholder but disappeared a week ago after checking into the Lake Mojave Resort. Jake and Ham Pratt, the resort manager, suspect foul play involving Marty Spiller, who has been promoting worthless mining stock to unsuspecting easterners.
Kingman, Arizona and the Lake Mojave Resort area in the desert near the Colorado River and abandoned mines · Johnny Dollar, Jake Hasler, Myron Kingsley, H. R. Pratt (Ham), Marty Spiller
Listen for: The investigation into Kingsley's disappearance and the Golden Dream mining stock fraud scheme; clues about what happened at the abandoned mine shaft
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 782 The Shadow of a Doubt Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar flies to Los Angeles at the request of his old friend Ted Orloff to investigate an embezzlement at a bottling plant owned by Barney Garrison. Garrison claims that nearly $170,000 has been stolen and believes his business partner Ralph Betterly is responsible, though Betterly hasn't yet been confronted about the missing money.
Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California, with scenes at a bottling plant, an airport, and Garrison's resort home · Johnny Dollar, Ted Orloff, Barney Garrison, Ralph Betterly
Listen for: Garrison's suspicious behavior and his insistence that his partner Betterly is guilty despite having only circumstantial reasoning
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 783 The Blue Rock Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at a remote farmhouse on the Isopus River in upstate New York, supposedly for the trout fishing season opener. His real assignment is to watch over five-year-old Barry Aspenwald and his stepfather Tom, who stands to inherit the boy's share of a million-dollar estate if Barry dies before the family's dying patriarch. The dangerous Blue Rock pool below the bridge seems like the perfect place for Tom to stage a fatal accident.
The Horn Block Farm near Mount Tremble, New York, on the Isopus River, during the opening day of trout season in early spring. · Johnny Dollar, Phil, Thomas Gerald Aspenwald, Emery Archibald, Nancy Archibald, Barry Aspenwald, Fritz Hornblock, Mrs. Hornblock
Listen for: Johnny's clever arrival at the farmhouse under the guise of a fishing enthusiast, his first encounters with Tom Aspenwald and young Barry, and Fritz Hornblock's warning about the treacherous Blue Rock pool where accidents could easily be faked.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 784 The Ivy Emerald Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Boston to investigate the theft of the Ivy Emerald, a valuable gold brooch shaped like Boston ivy that was stolen from the home of Mrs. Oscar B. Sterling-Wait. The emerald was taken from a hidden safe in her library, and Johnny must determine how the thief learned the combination to what was supposed to be an impenetrable safe.
Boston, Massachusetts, including the Beacon Hills section and Mrs. Sterling-Wait's mansion library · Johnny Dollar, Bob Baker, Mrs. Oscar B. Sterling-Wait, Hendrix the butler, Harry Darlington, Arnold, Evelyn Meiness
Listen for: Johnny's deduction about how the safe combination could be learned despite the manufacturer's guarantee, and his identification of a former servant named Arnold as a potential suspect
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 785 The Wrong Idea Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar arrives in Knoxville to protect Marilyn Brannigan, whose husband Alfie was released from prison two weeks ago after serving time for embezzlement. Years ago in court, Alfie made a cold, menacing threat that he would get revenge on both Marilyn and the man who testified against him. Now Marilyn has disappeared, and Johnny must find her before Alfie does.
Knoxville, Tennessee, primarily at police headquarters and Tim Harrington's home · Johnny Dollar, Tim Harrington, Marilyn Brannigan, Alfie Brannigan, Sergeant Seymour Jefferson Piper
Listen for: The contrast between Tim's conviction that Alfie's courtroom threat was genuine and serious, and Sergeant Piper's dismissive attitude toward the danger; Johnny's frustration with the police department's lack of urgency in protecting Marilyn.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 786 The Skidmore Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to the small Texas town of Skidmore to investigate a series of thefts from a warehouse belonging to Doug Johnson, who runs a home for old folks in Corpus Christi. Heavy equipment parts worth thousands of dollars have been disappearing from the storage facility, and the elderly watchman Jose Hernandez is determined to stop the thieves with his oversized six-gun.
Skidmore, Texas and Corpus Christi area; a warehouse facility near the small town · Johnny Dollar, Jack Price, Doug Johnson, Jose Hernandez, Carmella
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into the warehouse thefts and his first meeting with the protective but trigger-happy watchman Jose Hernandez
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 787 The Grand Canyon Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is sent to the Grand Canyon to track down Christy Orloff, a small-time criminal suspected of possessing a stolen ruby and emerald necklace worth nearly a million dollars. The thieves who stole it from a jewelry firm have already been caught and claim they handed the necklace to Orloff, but police found no trace of it on him. Lieutenant Singer believes Orloff is heading to the Grand Canyon to make a contact and pass off the jewels, so he sends Johnny out to intercept him.
New York City, a train to Chicago, and the Grand Canyon region of Arizona · Johnny Dollar, Bill Kramer, Lieutenant Randolph Singer, Christy Orloff, Rafe Kelly
Listen for: Johnny's skepticism about finding the necklace when police couldn't locate it on Orloff, and Singer's confidence that the Grand Canyon is where Orloff plans to make his move
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 788 The Burma Red Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar takes on a case involving the Burma Red, a large stolen ruby that was taken from the home of wealthy Mrs. Harvey Laramond Brittigan in Hartford four weeks ago. Police suspect master safe cracker Oscar Mayfield, who was in town at the time and has the skills to match the safe-cracking method, but he has an alibi they cannot break and must be released.
Hartford, Connecticut and New York City, present day · Johnny Dollar, Jimmy Bartell, Oscar Mayfield, Sergeant Holcomb, Lieutenant Randy Singer, Mrs. Harvey Laramond Brittigan
Listen for: Johnny's history with the dangerous criminal Oscar Mayfield and his threat of retaliation; the police investigation that cannot pin the theft on their prime suspect despite strong circumstantial evidence; the hunt for a large ruby that may have already changed hands or been cut into smaller stones.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 789 The Lust for Gold Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar receives an urgent telegram from his old friend Emmett Gowan inviting him to Cozumel, Mexico for what seems like a fishing vacation. Pat Fuller at the insurance bureau arranges the trip at company expense, but mentions a missing person case in Mexico City that Johnny may investigate afterward. Upon arriving at Cozumel, Johnny finds the fishing extraordinary, but suspects there's more to Emmett's invitation than meets the eye.
The island of Cozumel off the coast of Mexico, with travel through New York, New Orleans, and Mérida · Johnny Dollar, Pat Fuller, Emmett Gowan
Listen for: Johnny's growing suspicion that the fishing trip is connected to a larger mystery, and Emmett's evasive responses about a missing man named one oh Ansana
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 790 The Two Steps to Murder Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Las Vegas to investigate the death of Harvey Skilman, an insurance salesman. Skilman is found dead from penorcin alkalate poison in his coffee cup and sugar bowl, with the local doctor concluding it was suicide. However, Skilman's boss Pete Brenneman insists it must be murder and asks Johnny to prove Skilman didn't kill himself, revealing that Skilman had been working hard to pay for his sister Mary's medical treatment at top clinics.
Las Vegas, Nevada, including the Silver Dollar Cafe and surrounding casinos and streets · Johnny Dollar, Pete Brenneman, Harvey Skilman, Doc Porter, Mary Skilman, Lippy Lorenzo, Sergeant Call
Listen for: The mystery of how the poison entered Skilman's coffee and why Pete is so certain it wasn't suicide despite the evidence pointing that way; the connection between Lippy Lorenzo's blackmail threat and Skilman's death
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 791 The Zipp Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Las Vegas to investigate a suspicious insurance claim. Frederick Payton has died, leaving a $120,000 policy to be split equally among three beneficiaries: his nephew Willard Swift, his niece Doreen Clayford, and his nephew Kenneth Kermatt. Johnny discovers that Swift is a compulsive gambler deeply in debt to a dangerous loan shark and may be missing from town, while tension simmers between the two nephews.
Las Vegas, Nevada - casinos and insurance office · Johnny Dollar, Pete Breneman, Willard Swift, Doreen Clayford, Kenneth Kermatt, Shorty Callahan
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's investigation into why the beneficiary Willard Swift has disappeared from his usual haunts at the Stardust casino, and what connection his large debts might have to the inheritance
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 792 The Wayward Gun Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to his boss Dorfman's office to explain his expense account for the Martin case investigation. Before they can finish their discussion, Sergeant Bell arrives with a bombshell: Johnny's own gun has turned up at police headquarters, and he's being arrested on suspicion of murdering contractor Alfred W. Barriman, a case Johnny didn't even know about.
Dorfman's office in Hartford, Connecticut; the Martin and Barriman cases involving contractors · Johnny Dollar, Mr. Dorfman, Sergeant Bell, Al Spangler, Lieutenant Randy Singer
Listen for: Johnny's attempts to explain his investigation methods and expenses; the revelation of a second murder case and Johnny's unexpected arrest; the significance of the ballistics evidence he sent to New York
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 794 The All Too Easy Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Los Angeles to investigate a series of six fires on properties owned by elderly millionaire Alpheus Brockway. Insurance adjuster Ted Olof is convinced Brockway is committing arson to collect insurance on worthless buildings while retaining the valuable land beneath them. Johnny agrees to investigate, but suspects the case may be more complicated than it appears on the surface.
Los Angeles, California, including Beverly Hills and the office of Boston and Demetri insurance company · Johnny Dollar, Ted Olof, Alpheus Brockway, Ben Plater, Fred Klein
Listen for: Johnny's skepticism about the obvious suspect and his instinct that something doesn't add up; the details of Brockway's financial situation and property holdings
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 795 The Hood Of Death Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Nashville to investigate a suspicious accident claim filed by elderly millionaire Henry Sweetwater, whom his cousin Luther believes is trying to defraud the company. As Johnny and Luther drive to Sweetwater's home to confront him, their car is sabotaged with a bomb wired to the ignition. When they arrive at the house, a dynamite explosion destroys much of Sweetwater's living room, leaving the old man badly injured and forcing Johnny to reconsider whether Sweetwater is really the schemer or if someone else has a murderous motive.
Nashville, Tennessee, primarily at Henry Sweetwater's home on a hill outside the city · Johnny Dollar, Luther Pennyroyal, Henry Sweetwater, Bella Mae Sweetwater, Padda Jane, Dr. Caraway
Listen for: The escalating danger as Johnny discovers the accident claim may be a cover for something more sinister, and the revelation that someone is actively trying to kill Sweetwater or prevent Johnny from investigating.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 796 The Vociferous Dolphin Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is summoned to sunny California by his insurance company to investigate an unusual claim: Professor Doctor Yeriantha wants to insure the lives of two dolphins named Petey and Sue. Upon arriving at her private oceanarium near San Diego, Johnny discovers the eccentric professor is conducting experiments to translate dolphin communication into human language, and her worried niece Penelope hints that mysterious accidents have been plaguing the operation.
A private oceanarium at Shelter Point near San Diego, California, featuring a large tank for dolphins connected to a pier and a clifftop house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. · Johnny Dollar, Wilbur Burnett, Professor Doctor Yeriantha, Penelope Warman, Carl
Listen for: The dolphins' vocalizations and the mysterious gunfire on the pier; Johnny's observations about the eccentric professor and the suspicious accidents.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 797 The Rilldoe Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar travels to Laguna Beach to meet his contact Ted Flugger, who reluctantly takes him fishing while hinting at trouble involving Barney Bessum, an appliance dealer whose partners are suspected criminals. As they fish off San Clemente Island, Ted finally reveals that last night's low tide exposed something significant that he needs to show Johnny.
Laguna Beach and the California coast, including Emerald Bay, a small seaside town, Balboa Bay, and the waters off San Clemente Island. · Johnny Dollar, Ted Flugger, Barney Bessum, Tony and Joe (Bessum's partners), Manuel (dock worker), A beautiful girl in a convertible
Listen for: Ted Flugger's cryptic hints about trouble with Barney Bessum and what the low tide will reveal; a mysterious encounter with a beautiful girl in front of Bessum's appliance store.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 798 The Weather or Not Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Sarasota, Florida, where his old friend Earl Foreman has called him in to investigate potential trouble. Earl's client, the wealthy retired T. Rockway Mayfield, is throwing a birthday party tomorrow, and his estranged stepchildren Betty and Frank Merritt are flying in to attend. Earl fears the siblings may be planning something sinister to gain access to Mayfield's considerable fortune.
Sarasota, Florida, at T. Rockway Mayfield's beachfront estate with swimming pool, patio bar, and mysterious pool house. · Johnny Dollar, Earl Foreman, T. Rockway Mayfield, Don Boomhauer, Betty Merritt, Frank Merritt, Cinnamon the bartender
Listen for: The strange joke Mayfield makes about Johnny Dollar's name and cents; his odd behavior and cryptic remarks about his stepchildren; the mysterious pool house he refuses to fully explain.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 799 The Skimpy Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is hired to look into a case involving Skimpy Dingle, a recently paroled criminal who once threatened former city attorney Amos Crutchfield in court. When Johnny visits Crutchfield's home in Lakewood, he finds the elderly man shot and unconscious. A mysterious visitor then appears at Johnny's apartment claiming to be Percy Dingo, Skimpy's older brother and a psychologist, requesting Johnny's sympathy and understanding.
Connecticut, including Lakewood and Hartford, in the present day (1962) · Johnny Dollar, Danny Nixon, Amos Crutchfield, Skimpy Dingle, Mary Barlow, Percy Dingo, Dr. Franklin Edwards
Listen for: Johnny's investigation begins with a tip about the recently released paroled criminal Skimpy Dingle and his connection to Amos Crutchfield; the shooting at Crutchfield's home and the unexpected late-night visit from Percy Dingo to Johnny's apartment.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 800 The Four Is a Crowd Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at a Colorado mountain ranch to protect Melvin Lockerty, a wealthy man who believes one of his three visiting relatives—the children of his deceased brother Henry—is plotting to murder him. Lockerty claims his brother made a deathbed promise that one of them would seek revenge for money Lockerty once took from him, and he has been receiving threatening letters.
Guest ranch in the Rampart Range near Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the foot of Pikes Peak · Johnny Dollar, Dennis Taylor, Melvin Lockerty, Kitty Lockerty, Frickler, Marion Lockerty, Cottie Dick
Listen for: The tension between Lockerty and his three relatives as they arrive at the ranch; the shouting match in Lockerty's cabin; hints about which relative might be the threat
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 801 The Case of Trouble Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Des Moines to investigate a series of explosions and fires at paper products company warehouses owned by brothers Albert and Ed Case. The fires, which have cost tens of thousands of dollars, show signs of arson but leave no concrete evidence. When Johnny visits Albert Case's home with Tom Bartlett and his wife Millie, he discovers Albert dead at his desk under mysterious circumstances.
Des Moines, Iowa and surrounding towns including Indianola, Madrid, and Knoxville in 1962 · Johnny Dollar, Tom Bartlett, Albert Case, Ed Case, Mildred Bartlett, Police officer
Listen for: A mysterious death interrupts the investigation into warehouse fires; Johnny Dollar must determine if Albert Case's death is connected to the insurance claim troubles.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 802 The Oldest Gag Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives at the scene of Lloyd Briskham's death, which Sergeant Gilbert quickly deems a suicide. Briskham is found slumped over his desk with a .38 revolver in hand and powder burns indicating a close-range shot to the forehead. Johnny remains skeptical despite the physical evidence and begins interviewing those present: insurance agent Larry Spangler, Briskham's business partner John Barber, his adopted son Mike, and his employee Trudy Wilson.
Lloyd Briskham's home and study, where his body has been discovered · Johnny Dollar, Sergeant Danny Gilbert, Larry Spangler, Lloyd Briskham, John Barber, Mike Briskham, Trudy Wilson, Dr. Thaddeus Frambler
Listen for: Johnny's investigation into whether Briskham's death is truly suicide or murder, with suspicion falling on those who stand to inherit his estate
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 803 The Lorelei Matter (AFRTS) (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar receives an urgent and cryptic phone call from Timothy Jared, a wealthy former stock manipulator, who mentions murder and demands Johnny visit him immediately. When Johnny arrives at Jared's apartment building, he encounters the man's young and beautiful wife, Lorelai, who has just returned from a painting trip and suspects her eccentric husband has conjured up another worry to fret about.
Hartford, Connecticut and the Florida Lee's Apartments building; present day (1960s) · Johnny Dollar, Timothy Jared, Ed Williams, Lorelai Lambert Jared
Listen for: Johnny's initial skepticism about Jared's panic call and the mystery of what Jared fears; Lorelai's casual dismissal of her husband's worries as habitual paranoia
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 804 The Gold Rush Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in San Francisco to look into a gold rush matter, then travels to Virginia City and the remote Scarlet Queen mine in Six Mile Canyon. Upon arrival at the mine, he's shot at and nearly killed by Leona, a woman protecting the property, who mistakes him for whoever has been causing trouble at the mine. Leona reveals that someone has been using explosives at the mine, killing at least one person and blinding her Uncle Dave.
San Francisco, Reno, and Virginia City in Nevada, particularly the Scarlet Queen gold mine in Six Mile Canyon during the present day (1960s) · Johnny Dollar, Paul, Dave Halver, Leona, Jake, Jake Bekley
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's careful investigation as he pieces together the mystery of who is causing explosions at the abandoned Scarlet Queen mine and why they're killing people
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 805 The Doninger Doninger Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar must locate Walter Peter Donninger VII to deliver a $40,000 insurance payment within ten days of his sister's death. Morris Parkley from the New Jersey State Mutual Life Insurance Company reveals that Donninger has disappeared, leaving behind eight different addresses scattered across the state. Dollar discovers a hidden pattern in Donninger's movements and believes he knows where to find him.
New Jersey, primarily Trenton and surrounding cities; a restaurant called Hilde Breaks; insurance office · Johnny Dollar, Morris Parkley, Walter Peter Donninger VII
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's clever deduction about the alphabetical pattern in Donninger's relocations and population figures; the humorous dynamic between Dollar and his insurance contact Morris Parkley
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 806 The Four Cs Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to investigate Harvey Crutton, a senior partner in an importing business who has just died in a car accident on a dangerous mountain road. Crutton was heavily insured for $250,000 with double indemnity, and his wife is the beneficiary. But Johnny's client suspects foul play, noting that both of Crutton's business partners—Wilbur Carding and Earl Kellinger—had recently threatened to kill him, and both stand to gain from his death through a partnership agreement.
Los Angeles and Mulholland Drive, California; an insurance office and the homes of the principals involved · Johnny Dollar, Betty Lewis, Harvey Crutton, D'Arish Crutton, Wilbur Carding, Earl Kellinger, Mr. Harken
Listen for: The mysterious circumstances surrounding Crutton's death on the mountain road and the conflicting motives of the two business partners who both threatened him
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 807 The No Matter Matter (1962)
Johnny Dollar arrives at Raymond Tilleton's apartment in response to a late-night phone call, only to find a dead brunette woman with a bullet wound. When he confronts Tilleton at his office, the man claims he was in New Haven all night visiting his mother and never called Johnny. Johnny must unravel what really happened and why someone impersonated Tilleton.
An apartment building called the Kearnsley Arms, later Tilleton's office, and a house in New Haven · Johnny Dollar, Raymond Tilleton, Police Detective Austin, A dead brunette woman, Tilleton's elderly mother
Listen for: The mystery of who really called Johnny Dollar and why a dead woman appears in Tilleton's apartment when he claims to have been elsewhere all night.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 808 The Deadly Crystal Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is called to Connecticut to investigate the theft of $300,000 worth of jewels from eccentric Mrs. Weatherwell's bedroom. The jewels mysteriously vanish while she bathes and are just as mysteriously returned by a young woman named Lynn Peters, who delivers them to the house and then disappears. Johnny becomes convinced there is more to the case than a simple theft and recovery.
Connecticut and New York City, primarily at Mrs. Weatherwell's mansion in Birch Brook Road and police headquarters in Manhattan · Johnny Dollar, Les Wallers, Mrs. Weatherwell, Lynn Peters, Lieutenant Randy Singer
Listen for: The puzzle of why the jewels were stolen and then returned without explanation, and the identity and motives of the mysterious Lynn Peters
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: 809 The Tip-Off Matter (1962)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar visits a dying safe cracker named Turner McGacky in a prison hospital ward. McGacky reveals that $100,000 from an old heist is hidden in a safe on Long Island, with the combination split between two men: Pirelli, posing as a fisherman, and Danny Rutsiloff, a dangerous criminal who is being released from prison that very day. Dollar must race to find Pirelli before the deadly Rutsiloff does.
A state prison hospital ward in Weathersfield, Connecticut, and a remote area near Cupsague on Long Island, New York · Johnny Dollar, Turner McGacky, Danny Rutsiloff, Pirelli, Dick Spindell, Warden, Assistant Warden, Gas station attendant
Listen for: The tense prison scene where McGacky urgently warns Dollar about the dangerous combination of circumstances, and Dollar's quick pivot to finding Pirelli before Rutsiloff reaches him.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: Milford Brooks III (1948)
Johnny Dollar, a freelance insurance investigator, is hired by East Coast Underwriters to prevent Milford Brooks III, a young man insured for two million dollars, from committing suicide. Brooks has recently changed his policy beneficiary to Harold Hatcher, a notorious gambler, and is demanding a large loan from his insurance company. Dollar decides to give Brooks something to live for by arranging an evening in New York with an attractive woman named Butter.
Hartford, Connecticut and New York City · Johnny Dollar, Milford Brooks III, Austin Farnsworth, Harold Hatcher, Della, Butter
Listen for: Johnny Dollar's wise-cracking narration and expense account details; the physical comedy of Dollar sitting on the drunken Brooks; the budding romance between Dollar and Butter.
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Parakoff Policy (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar arrives in Benton to look into the Parakoff murder case. Harlan Wolf, partner and beneficiary of the deceased Parakoff, has been arrested for the killing, and East Coast Underwriters wants Dollar to prevent their $100,000 policy from going to pay for an execution. Dollar meets with Wolf's defense attorney Eric Bakker and then visits Parakoff's widow Marsha to learn what he can about the circumstances of the murder.
Benton, Ohio - at the Valley Hotel and the Parakoff home in the suburbs · Johnny Dollar, Eric Bakker, Harlan Wolf, Parakoff, Marsha Parakoff
Listen for: A murder investigation complicated by a stubborn widow and a prosecution playing dirty; the dynamic between an insurance investigator and a desperate defense attorney
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar: The Robert Perry Case (1949)
Insurance investigator Johnny Dollar is assigned as bodyguard to Robert Perry, a businessman who fears for his life. When a booby-trapped buzzer in Perry's desk kills him that morning, Johnny must determine whether this is murder or suicide, with multiple suspects including Perry's estranged wife Christine, his Dutch business partner Van Brueten, and his secretary Susan Gates.
New York City, primarily in the offices of Perry and Van Brueten, importers, in lower Manhattan, with a visit to Christine Perry's apartment on Sutton Place. · Johnny Dollar, Robert Perry, Susan Gates, Van Brueten, Christine Perry, Murphy
Listen for: The clever murder method using a rigged buzzer connected to a bomb in Perry's desk, Johnny Dollar's expense account narration, and the introduction of multiple suspects with motives related to money and a pending divorce.