Rowdy Dowser Caper: The Adventures of Sam Spade (April 20, 1951)

“Rowdy Dowser Caper” is an episode of The Adventures of Sam Spade, the old-time radio show, first broadcast April 20, 1951. Listen free on Stupid Potato.

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What happens

Detective Sam Spade travels to the remote valley town of North Tacaloma to investigate a case for his old acquaintance Wendell Wisby, a former magician now employed at the Second National Bank. A bank cashier named Percy Snatcher has disappeared along with $53,000, last seen Friday night trying to start his car on Main Street. Spade must untangle the mystery of Snatcher's whereabouts and recover the missing money.

North Tacaloma, California, a remote valley town with farms, a bank, and the Atomic Auto Courts and Restaurant.

Characters: Sam Spade, Wendell Wisby, President Urban Root, Percy Snatcher, Aunt Wistful (Mrs. Snatcher), Alonzo P. Scoggins (the Dowser), Charity Fid, Millie

Listen for: A mystery involving a disappeared cashier, a dowsing rod, a burning barn, a pink convertible, and accusations of embezzlement and 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.