The Frustrated Phoenix Matter: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (April 27, 1954)

“The Frustrated Phoenix Matter” is an episode of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, the old-time radio show, first broadcast April 27, 1954. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

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

Characters: 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.

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.