The Adventures of Sam Spade
Crime & Detective from Heritage Radio Vault. Sam Spade has a case to dictate and his secretary Effie has questions of her own. Dashiell Hammett's San Francisco detective becomes a radio…
Crime & Detective
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.
A client brings a problem. Philip Marlowe follows it into a Los Angeles where money buys protection and an honest answer can be dangerous. Raymond Chandler's private detective comes to radio with bruising action, sharp observation and a stubborn sense of decency.
OFFICIAL HERITAGE RADIO VAULT RECORDING
Listen to The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.
Load the official Spreaker player, then press Play. Audio stays paused until you choose to start it.
Open on Spreaker ↗Loading the player connects to Spreaker, which may use cookies and serve advertising. Spreaker privacy.
About the programme.
Marlowe earns his living by asking questions that other people would rather leave unanswered. The pleasure is in his voice as much as the puzzle: he notices the room, distrusts the easy explanation and keeps moving when a case turns ugly. Expect a solitary investigator rather than a cosy team of amateur sleuths.
Programme at a glance.
- Broadcast history
- 1947; CBS version 1948-1951
- Network or distribution
- NBC; CBS
- Programme cast
- Gerald Mohr, Van Heflin
- Main characters
- Philip Marlowe
Broadcast history.
Van Heflin led the NBC version in 1947. Gerald Mohr took over for the CBS production in 1948, which returned for a final summer run in 1951. Norman Macdonnell produced and directed the CBS series. These are distinct radio productions, so a familiar title alone does not identify a particular performance.
Where to begin.
Choose a complete case from the directory. There is no long origin story to master first. For a comparison with another Chandler interpretation, look for an explicitly identified Van Heflin recording rather than assuming every Marlowe performance stars Mohr.
Choose your next episode.
Showing 1-20 of 103 episodes. Order follows the captured public catalogue, not a verified original broadcast chronology.
Red Wind (1947)
30:48Who Shot Waldo
24:02The Young Mans Fancy
29:40A Seaside Sabbatical
29:21Life Can Be Murder
28:43The White Carnation
29:24The Final Payment
29:27Nether Nether Land
29:14The Collectors Item
29:38Heir For G-String
29:15The Big Book
29:21The Long Way Home
29:44The Medium Was Rare
29:15The Parrots Bed
25:17The Dear Dead Days
29:16The Dark Tunnel
29:38The Quiet Magpie
29:38The Soft Spot
29:18
You may also enjoy.
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Crime & Detective from Heritage Radio Vault. Dick Powell's Richard Diamond can take a punch, trade an insult and still have a song left for Helen Asher. This private-eye series brings a lighter…
Pat Novak, For Hire
Crime & Detective from Heritage Radio Vault. On the San Francisco waterfront, Pat Novak rents boats and takes jobs that are rarely as simple as promised. Jack Webb's clipped voice leads a crime…
In our curated collections: Detectives After Dark.
Questions about The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.
What is the premise of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe?
A client brings a problem. Philip Marlowe follows it into a Los Angeles where money buys protection and an honest answer can be dangerous. Raymond Chandler's private detective comes to radio with bruising action, sharp observation and a stubborn sense of decency.
Where should I begin listening?
Choose a complete case from the directory. There is no long origin story to master first. For a comparison with another Chandler interpretation, look for an explicitly identified Van Heflin recording rather than assuming every Marlowe performance stars Mohr.
When was this programme broadcast?
1947; CBS version 1948-1951. These are programme broadcast years, not the modern publication dates of these recordings.
How many episodes can I explore here?
103 Episode Guides are available for this programme, alongside 103 public Heritage Radio Vault recordings. The recording count can include alternative versions or supplementary material.
Programme history: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe - programme log ↗, Old Time Radio Researchers - programme and collection notes ↗. Recording counts come from the current public catalogue.
Fun facts.
- Van Heflin's NBC Marlowe and Gerald Mohr's CBS Marlowe belong to different productions. The familiar detective name does not identify a single radio cast.
Sources: The Adventures of Philip Marlowe - programme log ↗, Old Time Radio Researchers - programme and collection notes ↗.
Listener reviews.
Share your listening experience of The Adventures of Philip Marlowe.
Be the first listener to leave a review. Submissions are moderated before appearing.
Reviews are moderated before publication. No email address is collected.
Sources and recording notes.
Historical programme reference:
The Adventures of Philip Marlowe - programme log ↗Historical programme reference:
Old Time Radio Researchers - programme and collection notes ↗Modern recording information:
Official Heritage Radio Vault programme ↗Historical references describe the programme. Spreaker supplies the selected Heritage Radio Vault titles, artwork, recording lengths and modern publication information. Anonymous public catalogue evidence was checked 4 November 2026. Syndicated transmission dates and surviving versions can differ.
Original scripts, recordings, performances and music may carry rights belonging to their respective owners. For corrections or rights enquiries:
markwilliams@heritageradiovault.com