The Glass Donkey: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe (July 28, 1950)

“The Glass Donkey” is an episode of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe, the old-time radio show, first broadcast July 28, 1950. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

Listen to The Adventures of Philip Marlowe free, live around the clock: every episode, in the order it first aired. No sign-up.

What happens

Private detective Philip Marlowe learns that his old acquaintance Helen Lofton has been murdered—shot at close range on the stairs of her home with no apparent motive. Marlowe takes the case personally, discovering a mysterious glass donkey figurine with a missing hind leg at the crime scene, and begins investigating Helen's boss and recent acquaintances.

Los Angeles, including Marlowe's apartment, the police morgue, Helen's house on Sunset Boulevard, and Maffy's home on Ogden Drive.

Characters: Philip Marlowe, Helen Lofton, Lieutenant Matthews, Lila Hughes, Norman Maffy, Mrs. Maffy

Listen for: Marlowe's pursuit of a mysterious figure in Helen's backyard and his discovery of the broken glass donkey figurine, which may be connected to the murder.

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.