In the wake of Dragnet's success for NBC (after having been rejected by CBS), radio audiences more and more craved authenticity from their crime dramas. Programs like Gang Busters (1936-1957) and This is Your FBI (1945-1953) claimed to be based on authentic cases, but were less realistic and adult in tone than the true crime series of the 1950s. Most of the scores of earlier hard-boiled detective shows were often utterly implausible, even when enjoyable. As they often did, in the summer of 1950, CBS and NBC went head to head with two similar programs that aimed to up the authenticity stakes, Somebody Knows and Wanted.



*****

SOMEBODY KNOWS



Somebody Knows debuted on 6 July, 1950 as that year's summer replacement for Suspense (1942-1962). Through narration and dramatizations, the known facts of unsolved crimes were presented and listeners who provided information leading to the conviction of a criminal in one of the profiled cases would get $5,000 for their effort (more than $47,000 in 2013, adjusted for inflation). Unable to find a sponsor, independent series creator Jimmy Saphier put up $40,000 of his own money. In a promotional interview Sapphier stated, "I don't care if we only have one listener. As long as he's the guy who knows who did it--and will rat on his pals."

Sidney Marshall. The announcer was Frank Goss. The music director was Milton Charles. It was directed by James Sasser and the prolific Jack Johnstone (The Man Called X, Richard Diamond Private Detective, Hollywood Star Playhouse, Tums Hollywood Theater, The Six Shooter, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar), who also narrated.



Unfortunately for fans, the series only ran for eight episodes. Even worse, only two episodes are currently in circulation, episodes three and eight.





SOMEBODY KNOWS EPISODE LOG



"The Unsolved Murder of Mrs Gladys Kern" (6 July, 1950)

[Title Unknown] (13 July, 1950)

"The Case of Joseph P. Bohanak" (20 July, 1950)

"The Unsolved Killing of Frank J. Christenson, Attorney" (27 July, 1950)

"The Unsolved Murder of L.L. Lambert, Dallas Salesman" (3 August, 1950)

"The Unsolved Murder of Samuel I. Paris, Boston Cab Driver" (10 August, 1950)

"The Unsolved Murder of Mrs Jean Long" (17 August, 1950)

"The Black Dahlia Case" (24 August, 1950)





*****

WANTED



The series was written by. The announcer was. The music director was. It was directed byand the prolific, and), who also narrated.Unfortunately for fans, the series only ran for eight episodes. Even worse, only two episodes are currently in circulation, episodes three and eight."The Unsolved Murder of Mrs Gladys Kern" (6 July, 1950)[Title Unknown] (13 July, 1950)(20 July, 1950)"The Unsolved Killing of Frank J. Christenson, Attorney" (27 July, 1950)"The Unsolved Murder of L.L. Lambert, Dallas Salesman" (3 August, 1950)"The Unsolved Murder of Samuel I. Paris, Boston Cab Driver" (10 August, 1950)"The Unsolved Murder of Mrs Jean Long" (17 August, 1950)(24 August, 1950)

radio verite. Instead, the show's creator, Walter McGraw, and his wife, Peggy, recorded the voices of DAs, newspapermen, police, prison officials, witnesses, etc. The real gimmick, however, was that each episode featured a purported underworld figure familiar with the subject anonymously sharing his view of the criminal at large. Most of the subjects were familiar to anyone who follows the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Meanwhile, NBC's Wanted debuted the night after Somebody Knows, on 7 July. Unlike Somebody Knows, it avoided dramatizations all together, going instead for. Instead, the show's creator,, and his wife,, recorded the voices of DAs, newspapermen, police, prison officials, witnesses, etc. The real gimmick, however, was that each episode featured a purported underworld figure familiar with the subject anonymously sharing his view of the criminal at large. Most of the subjects were familiar to anyone who follows thelist.