The Bald Head Case: Richard Diamond, Private Detective (September 20, 1950)

“The Bald Head Case” is an episode of Richard Diamond, Private Detective, the old-time radio show, first broadcast September 20, 1950. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Richard Diamond investigates the death of John Wiley, found with a broken neck on a vibrating table at Pat Stens' hair salon. With only the salon staff and two customers present, Diamond must determine which of them killed the wealthy man. The investigation reveals Wiley was a blackmailer, and Diamond discovers a connection between the victim and one of the salon workers.

New York City, primarily at Pat Stens' hair salon and surrounding locations including a sanitarium in New Jersey

Characters: Richard Diamond, Pat Stens, Lieutenant Walt, John Wiley, Mary Carol, Robert Wells, Jacob Green, Lillian Wooster (Baker)

Listen for: The clever trap Diamond sets by getting Lillian to work on him while on the vibrating table, where she reveals her knowledge of blackmail and her motive through her bitter comments about her father's suicide.

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.