Bluebeard Caper: The Adventures of Sam Spade (August 8, 1948)

“Bluebeard Caper” is an episode of The Adventures of Sam Spade, the old-time radio show, first broadcast August 8, 1948. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Sam Spade is hired by Ned Towers to investigate Jefferson Davis Calhoun, a man engaged to Ned's sister Sylvia. Ned believes Calhoun is a serial killer who has murdered three previous wives under different aliases and collected their insurance money. Sam must determine if Calhoun poses a genuine threat to Sylvia and uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths.

San Francisco in 1948, including Sam's detective office, Sylvia's apartment, and Colonel Carlisle's Carnival near the Cow Palace.

Characters: Sam Spade, Sylvia, Ned Towers, Colonel Jefferson Davis Calhoun, Dr. Mandel

Listen for: The revelation that Sylvia is actually a talented stunt performer who has faked her deaths as part of an insurance scheme with Calhoun, and the twist that there are three identical sisters performing in the carnival.

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.