Calling all Detectives

Quiz and Detective Show (1945-1950)

A very professionally created two-man operation, Calling all Detectives was originally a fun quiz show element to its detective sleuthery.

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Paul Barnes, master of many voices, played all characters. The only other man on the set was the sound effect man. Barnes plays Detective Browning. The show went like this: a short drama, a commercial break while Paul Barnes dials a random telephone number from the phone book, the listener tries to figure out the answer to the mystery, then Paul comes back and finishes the drama.

Apparently, some of these random calls did not quite hit the bullseye, so later Barnes decided it would be better to call only those who were listening to the program. Listeners sent in cards in hopes that their name would be drawn that week, and they would be able to sleuth that week's mystery on the air. Unfortunately once the show was syndicated, the impromptu live phone calls were cut. We have rare two episodes with the original caller!

Sponsored by Sealy Mattress company, this live show was a great success. When the show was later syndicated, the telephone calls and commercials were cut from the program.

For another interactive show, see: Are You a Genius?