The Fifth Mask: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (September 8, 1950)

“The Fifth Mask” is an episode of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, the old-time radio show, first broadcast September 8, 1950. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Private detective Philip Marlowe is called to Vivian Barr's apartment by a frightened woman claiming a man named Fred Sears, burned in a hotel fire six months ago, has threatened her life. Marlowe refuses to take the case without more information, but when Vivian calls back insisting she'll tell him everything, he returns to find her murdered and a mysterious man named Douglas Peck fleeing the scene.

Hollywood and Los Angeles, present day

Characters: Philip Marlowe, Vivian Barr, Fred Sears, Pomeroy, Douglas Peck

Listen for: Marlowe's hard-boiled reasoning about why he won't work without facts; the discovery of Vivian's body and the cryptic note from Sears; Marlowe's pursuit of the fleeing suspect.

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.