Rogues Gallery featured detective Richard Rogue and his often annoying alter ego, Eugor. Dick Powell was the first and most popular Richard Rogue followed by Barry Sullivan in the Summer of 1947 and Paul Stewart for the 1950-1951 series.
Rogue was everything a shamus should be, tough, strong, dashing, and funny. However, once every show, Rogue was knocked out in a fight or by someone slipping him a mickey. While he was out, Eugor (Rogue spelled backward) made his appearance. Eugor lived just below that mythical happy place, cloud nine, on cloud eight. During Rogue's visit to cloud eight, he often worked out the solution to his case in conversation with Eugor.
The show was sponsored by the F. W. Fitch company. The Fitch company sold Fitch Saponified Shampoo which was supposed to cure dandruff. Originally, the show was called "Bandwagon Mysteries," then "Rogue's Gallery" and finally, "Mystery Playhouse". It also appeared on all three networks.
I listened to all the episodes of Rogue's Gallery. Overall, a good OTR private eye show - although I could easily have done without the annoying "Cloud Eight" characters.
Also, there is a guy on several episodes, with a voice like Sheldon Leonard, always playing a "tough guy" crook of some kind or another. Not sure who that was.
It was weird to hear the audition episode with Barry Sullivan instead of Dick Powell. He performed to role almost like a parody of a "hard boiled" detective, and ended up sounding like a cross between Jimmy Cagney and Jack Webb as Pat Novak.
In Rogue's Gallery, I think it's hilarious that they actually draw attention to his getting hit on the head every time. It's a very cute addition to the character. I haven't quite figured out what the little voice in his head is, though.
You can't have dialogue without a second character. It's kind of a standard in radio to always have two characters in scene. Then the dialogue can explain what we can't see. Every main character had a sidekick. Thus was born Tonto, Kato, countless detective secretaries, Margo Lane, even the wonder dog, King.
Rogues Gallery featured detective Richard Rogue and his often annoying alter ego, Eugor. Dick Powell was the first and most popular Richard Rogue followed by Barry Sullivan in the Summer of 1947 and Paul Stewart for the 1950-1951 series.
Eugor lived just below that mythical happy place, cloud nine, on cloud eight. During Rogue's visit to cloud eight, he often worked out the solution to his case in conversation with Eugor.
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