The Dude from Manhattan: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (July 2, 1949)

“The Dude from Manhattan” is an episode of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, the old-time radio show, first broadcast July 2, 1949. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Philip Marlowe arrives at Rainbow Ranch, a guest dude ranch operated by his old acquaintance Buck Lawson, expecting a quiet vacation in the Arizona desert. When a temperamental black stallion named Thunder causes trouble and Marlowe witnesses a heated argument between guests Mr. and Mrs. Morton over a lost emerald, he finds himself drawn into the ranch's personal conflicts despite his intention to rest.

Rainbow Ranch, a guest dude ranch in the Arizona desert, featuring cabins, stables, a bar, and bunkhouse

Characters: Philip Marlowe, Buck Lawson, Virgil Sawyer, Mr. Morton, Mrs. Morton, Mr. Doherman

Listen for: Marlowe's casual involvement in the Mortons' marriage troubles and the mystery surrounding the lost emerald; the tension over the dangerous black stallion Thunder and why Virgil Sawyer is leaving the ranch

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.