Death Plays the Lead: Nick Carter, Master Detective (December 3, 1944)

“Death Plays the Lead” is an episode of Nick Carter, Master Detective, the old-time radio show, first broadcast December 3, 1944. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Nick Carter investigates the murder of Margot Craven, a leading lady in a USO Theater production at an Army training camp, who is shot in her dressing room during a show. With multiple suspects—including her husband Ross, theater director Dexter who loved her, and actor Carl Shaw—Nick must uncover who fired the fatal shot and uncover a possible spy ring connected to the crime.

A USO Theater at an Army training camp during a rainy evening performance

Characters: Nick Carter, Patsy, Scubby, Major Wayne, Mr. Dexter, Margot Craven, Ross Craven, Patty Bird

Listen for: The clue that breaks the case as Nick pieces together the contradiction in the suspects' stories and discovers who had access to Margot's gun

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.