Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar, Volume 1

Classic Radio Collection

By: Hollywood 360

Narrated by: Bob Bailey, full cast

First heard on network radio in 1948, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar chronicled the adventures of freelance insurance investigator Johnny Dollar, "the man with the action-packed expense account."

For 14 years, it was one of the most popular detective shows on the air, lasting until the final days of network radio drama in 1962. Each story started with a phone call from an insurance executive calling on Johnny Dollar to investigate an unusual claim. His investigations usually required him to travel to distant locales and often involved murder. The stories were recounted in flashback, as Dollar listed each line item from his expense account: "Item one, $3.75 cab fare to the airport."

Over the years, many actors portrayed Johnny Dollar, including Charles Russell, John Lund, and Edmund O'Brien. But in 1955 BobBailey took over as the series was switching to a new, dynamic format of 75-minute storylines told in five fifteen-minute installments, Monday through Friday. While other radio shows were waning in the mid-1950s, Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was at its peak. Experts place these adventures in with the best of the best of radio's golden age. This collection contains 30 15-minute episodes.

Public Domain (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Old time radio at its best!

Fun, descriptive, easy listening
Entertaining and draws you in.
Even my kids love to listen

Radio's John Corey

Johnny Dollar was the original smart, witty, wise-acre detective. He was Nelson deMille's John Corey before deMille conjured him up. These stories are serialized gumshoe adventures that have held up for over 50 years. There's loads of fun plus it's a learning experience in inflation to follow the tally of Dollar's expense account.

CD or Book? Hmmm!

Have several CDs of this great insurance investigation series but what a pain to drag out the portable player. Love hearing the audible right on my phone anytime, anywhere. And the casting and scripts are so crisp, clear and entertaining. Loved Johnny Dollar before and now can get the complete series on Audible to listen and relisten all the time. Love the Dollars!

Fun

Great fun for long drives when the music just isn't the ticket anymore. Turn it on and enjoy the ride.

The last and best of the radio detectives

Bob Bailey had a great voice with just a touch of Rod Serling thrown in. His delivery was great, lighter than his noir predecessors, but still tough. On the other hand he was thoughtful and sensitive at times as well. Through his narrative gimmick of the chronology of his expense account entries, he told some of the best detective stories ever told. The series also had great music, leading actors and supporting casts. Part of the literary lineage of insurance investigators from Double Indemnity to Johnny Dollar to V.I. Warshawski. If, like me, you never thought you could cheer for the insurance dicks you are in for a real treat. The five part series is also the best format, allowing for longer, more complex stories. With the last broadcast of Johnny Dollar, the golden age of radio ended (as per Greg Bell of Radio Classics on XM). I can hardly wait for the rest of the volumes to come out.