The Case of the Exploded Alibi: Nick Carter, Master Detective (December 7, 1947)

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

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What happens

Nick Carter investigates the murder of Sam Hildered, the night watchman at an art museum, who is found shot three times in the Egyptian section. A valuable scarab from collector Tyler Vandivere's display has been stolen. Nick narrows his suspects to three known crooks with expertise in rare antiquities, but discovers that all three are currently imprisoned or missing, leaving the case seemingly without an obvious culprit.

A city art museum in the Egyptian section, and Nick Carter's office, during the early morning hours and following day in the post-war era.

Characters: Nick Carter, Patsy, Officer Bert, Sergeant Matty, Professor Steiner (museum curator), Sam Hildered (murdered night watchman), Doc Bradley, Tyler Vandivere (collector)

Listen for: Nick's keen observation of the murder weapon and the stopped watch that indicates the time of death; his method of eliminating suspects through criminal records and expertise requirements; the revelation that the three most likely thieves are all unavailable.

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.