Radio Recap: I Deal in Crime

I Deal in Crime was a radio mystery program that aired on ABC from January 21, 1946 to October 18, 1947. The series starred William Gargan as private detective Ross Dolan. It was brought back on Mutual as Ross Dolan, Detective and ran from October 25, 1947 until September 4, 1948.

There are only 3 surviving episodes of I Deal in Crime and zero episodes of Ross Dolan, Detective. Based on the three episodes, I found it to be fairly typical of the genre. Dolan is a very typical tough-guy detective and he gets hit over the head about once per half hour.

The program's greatest strength and failing is, I think, Gargan himself. Gargan had a good voice that was appropriate for the genre; he made much of his career playing tough guys. And yet, he wasn't leading man material. I find his radio delivery to be too sleepy, too disinterested. He sounds bored while reading his lines, somehow detached from the drama surrounding him. He followed up this series with another program, Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator which I find to be about the most boring private eye program in radio. If you like your radio with a tall glass of warm milk, then you probably like Barrie Craig and if so, I Deal in Crime is also fit for your consumption.

You can hear the 3 surviving episodes of I Deal in Crime at the Internet Archive.