When Dashiell Hammett's "The Adventures of Sam Spade" made its debut over CBS in August of 1946, personable Howard Duff, a comparative unknown in Hollywood circles, was assigned the title role. The selection of young Duff for the hard-hitting detective was perfect casting, his success was immediate, and Hollywood began predicting important things to come for this new personality. Almost immediately the radio program became popular earning a steady weekly following of radio listeners who tuned in each week to enjoy the mysteries (occassionally adapted from Hammett short stories). The enormous success of the Sam Spade radio program spawned a series of comic strips, magazine articles and radio cross-overs, not to mention numerous radio programs attempting to cash in on the Sam Spade craze by offering Sam Spade imitators. By 1948, the threat of communism and Hammett's leanings were starting take its toll on the radio program. Bob Tallman and Gil Doud, the major script writers for the series, walked away from mental fatigue. The network wanted Hammett's name removed from the program. Duff's name appeared in the notorious "Red Channels" publication. Ultimately, the series was doomed. This book documents the entire history of the radio program, including all spin-offs, spoofs, Spade cross-overs, a complete episode guide for each and every radio broadcast with lengthy plot descriptions and trivia, an unusued radio script is reprinted, and much more.
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About the Author
Martin Grams Jr. is the author of numerous books on old-time radio and old-time television. THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS COMPANION, INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES: BEHIND THE CREAKING DOOR, THE I LOVE A MYSTERY COMPANION, THE SOUND OF DETECTION: ELLERY QUEEN'S ADVENTURES ON RADIO, and many others. Presently a member of RHAC, SPERDVAC, and other old-time radio organizations, he is the recipient of the 1999 Ray Stanich Award, the 2005 Stone/Waterman Award, and the 2005 Parley E. Baer Award. Author of numerous magazine articles, Martin presently spends time with his wife and is active in the annual Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention held annually in Maryland.
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More About the Author
Martin Grams is the author and co-author of more than 20 books, and contributed numerous appendixes and chapters for other books. His book on THE TWILIGHT ZONE was the winner of the 2008 Rondo Award for "Best Book of the Year." His recent book on THE GREEN HORNET has been well-received by critics. Martin is an active member of SPERDVAC, research consultant for a major film magazine and volunteers his time to help the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Convention held annually in Maryland every September.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Radio Adventures Of ... Sam Spade ... Martin Grams Jr. (2007)",
This review is from: The Radio Adventures of Sam Spade (Paperback)
OTR Publishing presents "THE RADIO ADVENTURES OF SAM SPADE", by Martin Grams Jr. --- I'm old enough to remember this show on my favorite radio stations in St. Louis, Missouri --- As Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade came to radio in a regular series, which featured a newcomer Howard Duff --- Spade had come to life via the pen of Hammett in 1930 with "The Maltese Falcon" in the hands of director John Huston, the novel became a screen classic in 1941 with none other than Humphrey Bogart as Spade --- The first radio adaptation of the film - that honor belongs to The Lux Radio Theater which brought The Maltese Falcon to radio in February 1943 with Edward G. Robinson as Sam Spade & Laird Cregar as Kasper Gutman.
Howard Duff proved to be an inspired choice and in the process was able to overcome two intimidating handicaps: the image of Bogart and the power of the novel --- Compared with Bogart's dour and straight-laced Spade, Duff was a hard-knuckled master of street-level whimsy and sarcastic comeback --- In the hands of noted radio director William Spier (from the Suspense Radio Show) who had toyed with the idea plus he had the unrivaled writing talents of Bob Tallman and Gil Doud, The Adventures of Sam Spade of the air was its own identity, owing little to the forces that had created it. Table of Contents (Title and Page Numbers) Introduction - 1 Chapter 1: The Printed Page - 3 Chapter 2: Sam Spade in Media - 10 Chapter 3: Sam Spade on Radio - 13 Chapter 4: Tallman and Doud - 31 Chapter 5: Lud Gluskin - 43 Chapter 6: The Fourth Wall - 49 Chapter 7: Lurene Tuttle - 53 Chapter 8: The Transcribed Episodes - 63 Chapter 9: The Sam Spade Caper - 69 Chapter 10: The Final Stretch - 79 --- The Episode Guide - 94 The Episode Guide: The ABC Series - 95 The Episode Guide: The CBS Series - 103 The Episode Guide: The NBC Series - 179 Introduction for "Babe Lincoln" - 215 An Executive Tells All - 217 Sam Spade Script: "The Persian" - 221 Selected Bibliography - 251 Index - 253 BIOS: Howard Duff Date of Birth: 24 November 1913 - Bremerton, Washington Date of Death: 8 July 1990, Santa Barbara, California SPECIAL FURTHER BREAKDOWN: 1. A history of the radio program. 2. A biography of Dashiell Hammett, Howard Duff and Lurene Tuttle. 3. The origin of the fictional character and the origin of the radio program. 4. Info about the Sunday funnies comic strip based on the radio series. 5. Information regarding the difference between the "live" radio broadcasts and the "transcribed" radio broadcasts. 6. How the radio series often broke the fourth wall and the inside-jokes. 7. The events leads leading up to producer/director William Spier's fight against the networks to keep the series on the air when Hammett's suspected Communist sympathies became public. 8. How and why Howard Duff was replaced by Steve Dunne. 9. A complete episode guide for each and every episode of the radio program, including plot descriptions, trivia and inside-jokes. 10.A reprint of "Babe Lincoln," a female detective that never came to be, and the Sam Spade connection. 11.A reprint of "The Persian," an unused Sam Spade radio script. Special footnote, you know a listener didn't have to be told: those clinking glasses as Sam opened his desk drawer and began dictating, meant another exciting adventure --- Sam dictated to his secretary, Effie Perrine (played by Lurene Tuttle) who was always flustered (possibly from Duff's ad-libbing?) and secretly in love with him --- Each case unfolded as a report - a caper - dated with the actual air date, signed and delivered to the client, the client's widow or the police --- Spade's license number 137596 was always included in the report which unfolded chronologically, with the scene shifting between Sam and Effie and the in-field dramatization of Sam's dictation. Duff made this his own unique character, the show had a style and class of its own --- And its wit and charm still holds up well today --- Much thanks to author Martin Grams Jr, for his thorough accounts of my collection on shows of Spade --- For all you ever wanted to know about Sam Spade on radio --- This is not to be missed, so stop by and pick up a copy from Amazon, you'll thank me later. Total Page: 270 Pages ~ OTR Publishing #ISBN-10: 097033107X ~ (6/14/2007)
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Could not ask for better,
By Malcolm Dolan "Malcolm Dolan" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Radio Adventures of Sam Spade (Paperback)
Very little is known about the radio program except for few recordings in circulation. Only 64 of the 220 plus broadcasts are known to exist according to Jim Cox's RADIO CRIME FIGHTERS book (McFarland, also available through Amazon). It is apparent the author had access to the entire collection of radio scripts because a detailed plot synopsis is included for each episode. Behind-the-scenes trivia reveals in-jokes within the scripts. There are script reprints for notable scenes. An essay written by producer/director William Spier is rerpinted. A brief radio script for a proposed program, BABE LINCOLN, featuring the Sam Spade character is also reprinted. Photos for covers of the Spade novels and short story collections, photos of Dashiell Hammett, photos of Howard Duff behind the microphone, photos of Lurene Tuttle and the cast add to the book's quality. Duff himself is quoted. Reprints of magazine and newspaper reviews. The correct titles and airdates, dates of recording for transcribed episodes are all included. A reference guide that was long overdue.
In early November 2007, Sam Spade fans requested the author to scan the radio scripts and make them available for free on the web. The author declined, citing reprinting the scripts would violate federally protected copyrights. A few chose to bad mouth the author and criticize his lack of involvement. Perhaps a coincidence but two people in the same month posting negative about the author on this web-site is suspicious. As a fan of the program who knows exactly what is worthy for my bookshelf and critical about good writing I verify my pleasure reading this. P.S. Word has it that the author recently secured permissions and that Bear Manor Publishing will be offering a collection of scripts in book form.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Martin Grams is simply a poor writer.,
By
This review is from: The Radio Adventures of Sam Spade (Paperback)
I'm not sure how Martin Grams, Jr. keeps getting book deals. His books are almost always on subjects about which I would love to read. However, his horrible grammar, terrible spelling, and generally poor grasp of the English language make reading his books exercises in frustration. The man simply can't write, and, apparently, his editing skills are equally poor. I have no doubt that his love of old-time radio and television is completely sincere, but the fact remains that he just doesn't have even the basic skills necessary to produce a coherent book.
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