The Cronin Matter - Ep 2: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (December 6, 1955)

“The Cronin Matter - Ep 2” is an episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, the old-time radio show, first broadcast December 6, 1955. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

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.

Characters: 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.

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