Radio Works of William Gargan, & Charles McGraw

Hello MPIR Fans,

The mystery stream is featuring the radio works of William Gargan and Charles McGraw. Both actors were film and television actors with minor works in radio. However both actor's voices are very distinct and easily identifiable.

William Gargan (July 17, 1905 – February 17, 1979) was an American film, television and radio actor. Gargan's first movie was Rain later he played in Misleading Lady and had character roles in many Hollywood productions, including two appearances as detective Ellery Queen. He was cast in a number of stereotypical Irish parts in films playing policemen, priests, reporters, and blustering adventurers. In 1945 he played Joe Gallagher in The Bells of St. Mary's, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. In 1935, Gargan went to England and made several movies there. In 1940, Gargan was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joe, the foreman, in They Knew What They Wanted. On Radio, Gargan was best known for his role as private detective Martin Kane in the 1949–51 radio-television series, Martin Kane, Private Eye, sponsored by U.S. Tobacco. He also appeared as a private detective in the NBC radio show Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator, which ran from 1951 to 1955.

Charles Butters (May 10, 1914 – July 30, 1980), best known by his stage name Charles McGraw, was an American actor. McGraw made his first film in 1942 with a small, uncredited role in The Undying Monster. He developed into a leading man, especially in the film noir genre during the late 1940s and early 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks enhanced his appeal in that very stylistic genre. His first notable role was in The Killers (1946), which opens with McGraw and fellow heavy William Conrad as the two hitmen who terrorize a small-town diner in their search for Burt Lancaster. McGraw's other notable roles include "Honest Joe", the insurance investigator turned thief by love in the noir classic Roadblock (1951); the gruff detective assignedto protect Marie Windsor in The Narrow Margin (1952); righteous cop Lt. Jim Cordell in Armored Car Robbery (1952); Kirk Douglas' gladiator trainer in the epic Spartacus (1960); and "The Preacher" in the science-fiction cult classic A Boy and His Dog.  On Radio, McGraw starred and had bit parts across the dial. In episodes of Escape, Suspense, The Whistler, and The Hollywood Radio Theater, The Zero Hour.

To complete the play listing are episode of The Shadow, all for your listening pleasure.