Let George Do It:The Penthouse Roof / Dr._Wormsly, Bird_Watcher (04-19-1948)

Classic Streams: Old Time Retro Radio

The American radio drama series "Let George Do It" aired from 1946 to 1954. It was the brainchild of Owen and Pauline Vinson. Bob Bailey was the star of the show, playing the role of George Valentine, a private investigator. In 1954, Olan Soule took over the voice role. David Victor and Jackson Gillis wrote the scripts, and Don Clark directed them.

Initially, the episodes were more like sitcoms, with a live studio audience and laughs, but they eventually transformed into suspenseful private eye stories. The program was sponsored by Standard Oil of California, now known as Chevron. It aired on the West Coast Don Lee network of the Mutual Broadcasting System from 1946 to 1954. In its final season, it was also broadcast in New York on Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m.

Clients would reach out to George Valentine after reading his classified ad in the newspaper, which said something like, "Danger's my thing. If you can't handle the job, I'm your guy. George Valentine. Give me all the details!" The ad would change from episode to episode, but it always started with "Danger's my thing" and ended with "Give me all the details!"

George Valentine was a professional detective, and his secretary was Claire Brooks, also known as Brooksie. Frances Robinson, Virginia Gregg, and Lillian Buyeff voiced Brooksie at different times. As Valentine went about his detective work, he'd sometimes run into Brooksie's little brother, Sonny, played by Eddie Firestone, or the elevator man, Caleb, voiced by Joseph Kearns. Police Lieutenant Riley, played by Wally Maher, was a frequent guest. In the early episodes, Sonny was George's assistant, but later became a less regular character.

The show's announcer was John Hiestand. The background music was initially provided by Eddie Dunstedter and his full orchestra, but as television took over as the main source of home entertainment, radio budgets got tighter, and Dunstedter's orchestra was replaced by an organ, which he also played.