The Case of the Bearded Queen: Nick Carter, Master Detective (September 7, 1947)

“The Case of the Bearded Queen” is an episode of Nick Carter, Master Detective, the old-time radio show, first broadcast September 7, 1947. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

A new car stolen from reporter Scubby Wilson leads Nick Carter to investigate a gang of teenage car thieves. When Danny Walker, a former member of Nick's downtown boys club, is arrested for the theft, Nick discovers the boy has quit the club and fallen in with criminals. Nick visits a garage run by the friendly old man Pops Bainbridge, where neighborhood kids hang out, and uncovers a mysterious clue: playing cards with a bearded queen drawn on them.

A city with a downtown boys club, police station, and a garage on West Pine Street where neighborhood teenagers gather.

Characters: Nick Carter, Patsy Vaughn, Scubby Wilson, Danny Walker, Sergeant Brady, Pops Bainbridge, Joe Ferney

Listen for: The mysterious playing cards with the bearded queen drawn on them, and Nick's attempts to get Danny Walker to reveal who is behind the car theft ring.

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.