Dick Powell stars as Private Detective Richard Diamond in his Ralph Chase case on
NBC Radio aired May 15, 1949.
Richard Diamond, Private Detective is an American detective drama, created by Blake
Edwards, which aired on radio from 1949 to 1953, and on television from 1957 to 1960.
Described as “a modern Robin Hood". Richard Diamond, Private Detective radio series
features a wisecracking former police officer turned private detective. Episodes typically
open with a client visiting or calling cash-strapped Diamond's office and agreeing to his
fee of $100 a day plus expenses, or Diamond taking on a case at the behest of his friend
and former partner, Lt. Walter Levinson. Diamond often suffers a blow to the head in his
sleuthing pursuits. Most episodes end with Diamond at the piano, singing a standard,
popular song, or showtune from Powell's repertoire to Helen Asher (his girlfriend) in
her penthouse at 975 Park Avenue.
Levinson was played variously by Ed Begley, Arthur Q. Bryan, Ted DeCorsia and Alan
Reed. Helen was played by Virginia Gregg and others. Another regular cast member was
Wilms Herbert as Walt's bumbling sergeant, Otis, who also "doubled" on the show as
Helen's butler, Francis.
Many of the shows were either written or directed by Edwards. Its theme,
"Leave It to Love", was whistled by Powell at the beginning of each episode.
(Wikipedia)
