Boston Blackie: The Merry-Go-Round Murder 05/14/1946

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

In this classic episode of Boston Blackie, the detective investigates a bizarre murder where millionaire John Van Dorn is found dead on a wo

Key takeaways

• The murderer, Mrs. Van Dorn, staged the scene by shooting her husband on the carousel after following him from another location.

Main topics

• Mystery
• Murder on a merry-go-round

Notable quotes

"There's a bullet in his head. Good morning, Inspector Faraday."

Conclusion

Boston Blackie solves the surreal murder by exposing Mrs. Van Dorn's d

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:00) Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating Speaker 5 (0:09) at choiceclassicradio.com. Speaker 5 (0:41) Blackie, this is the life. Alone with you and a handsome cab at 2 a.m. Who could want anything better? Speaker 2 (0:47) The horse, maybe. He may be smart and prefer his bed to the park. Speaker 5 (0:51) How'd you know Speaker 2 (0:52) it was 2 a.m.? Speaker 5 (0:52) I can tell by the stars. And the position of the moon. And besides, I just looked at my watch. Well, Speaker 2 (1:00) at least you impressed our driver. Listen to him chuckle. Speaker 3 (1:02) Well, I ain't impressed with her telling time of the moon and stars, son. I'm impressed because you're Boston Blackie. You see? You are, ain't you? Speaker 2 (1:11) Yes, but don't tell your horse. He might quit. Speaker 3 (1:14) And you must be Miss Wesley, ain't you, lady? My main fault is I'm curious. Yes, Speaker 5 (1:21) driver, I'm Miss Wesley. That's my main fault, too. Speaker 2 (1:25) In as much as it's 2 o'clock, Mary, I think we'd better head for the nearest exit of town. Let's get out of the park, driver. All Speaker 5 (1:32) right, Mr. Blackie. Oh, and I was just beginning to enjoy this. Wait Speaker 2 (1:37) a minute. I hear an organ somewhere. Speaker 3 (1:39) It's the merry-go-round over there. Speaker 5 (1:41) Oh, yes, it is. See the light shining through the trees? Speaker 2 (1:44) Yes, I do. The merry-go-round running wide open at 2 o'clock in the morning? This is crazy. Hold it, driver. Speaker 3 (1:49) Sure, sure. Hold. Hold now. Hold now. Hold up there. Wait here Speaker 2 (1:54) a minute, driver. Come on, Mary. Let's have a look. Speaker 5 (1:57) Oh, but I... The carousel Speaker 2 (1:59) shouldn't be running at this time of night. It should be closed up tight by sundown. Come on. Speaker 5 (2:03) All right. Speaker 2 (2:04) You'll wait for us, driver? Sure Speaker 5 (2:06) thing, Mr. Blackie. Sure thing. Speaker 2 (2:08) Here's a pass through the hedge, Mary. Speaker 5 (2:10) Yeah, I see it. Thanks. Speaker 2 (2:11) Hey. Look Speaker 5 (2:13) at the carousel. It's turning. Yeah, isn't that funny? Speaker 2 (2:15) I'll say. I wonder where the operator is. Speaker 5 (2:18) I don't know. There doesn't seem to be anybody. Mary, Speaker 2 (2:20) there's not a soul here. Nobody in sight. No, there Speaker 5 (2:22) doesn't seem to be. Now, I can't understand that, Blackie. The lights are on, the organ's playing, and the carousel is turning, and yet... Yet Speaker 2 (2:30) there isn't anyone around. Mary, I've got an idea that this merry-go-round in front of us has a mystery in back of it. Speaker 3 (2:44) And now, back to Dick Calmer as Boston Blackie. Speaker 1 (2:47) Enemy to those who make him an enemy. Speaker 3 (2:50) Friend to those who have no friend. Speaker 5 (3:00) Blackie, I don't get this at all. Speaker 2 (3:01) I don't either, Mary. But it gets me. Nobody's on any of the horses. Look, Speaker 5 (3:06) look. There is a man on one of the horses. There, you see? Coming around from his back. Oh, Speaker 2 (3:10) I see him. Speaker 5 (3:11) He'll be right in front of us in a minute. Speaker 2 (3:12) Hey, you! Speaker 2 (3:16) I'll jump on and wake him up. Speaker 5 (3:17) Careful, darling. Oh, don't worry. I used Speaker 2 (3:18) to hop only freight trains when I was a kid. Is Speaker 5 (3:22) the man on the horse asleep? Wait till I come around again and I'll tell Speaker 2 (3:25) you. What Speaker 5 (3:31) about the man? Speaker 2 (3:35) He's a wooden horse. There's a bullet in his head. Good morning, Inspector Faraday. Speaker 3 (3:57) Good Speaker 2 (3:58) morning, Inspector. This is Blackie. Speaker 3 (3:59) Morning. Speaker 3 (4:02) Hey, what's the idea? It's dark out. Speaker 2 (4:05) But it's still morning, pal. Three o'clock in the morning. Speaker 3 (4:07) Look, you. Can't I even get a good night's sleep? Speaker 2 (4:10) Oh, can you with a conscience as guilty as yours? But look, Faraday, I've got a little job for you. Speaker 3 (4:15) Well, save it for morning. By Speaker 2 (4:16) morning, I'll have it finished myself. Speaker 3 (4:18) What are you raving about, Blackie? Speaker 2 (4:20) Murder, Faraday. There's a body with a bullet in its head riding a wooden horse on the merry-go-round in the park. A body dressed in a riding habit. Speaker 3 (4:28) Blackie. You feel all right? Speaker 2 (4:30) Just fine, Faraday. Speaker 3 (4:32) Nothing's the matter with you at all? Speaker 2 (4:34) Not a thing. Speaker 3 (4:35) Then stop that nonsense and start talking sense. Speaker 2 (4:38) I don't blame you, Inspector Old Man. It sounds ridiculous even to me. And it'll sound more ridiculous when I tell you who the corpse is. Or was. Speaker 3 (4:47) Well? Speaker 2 (4:48) John Van Dorn, the millionaire sportsman. Speaker 3 (4:50) The best-known horseman in New York, and he's found dead on a wooden horse on a merry-go-round? Well, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Seems silly Speaker 2 (4:57) to me, too, Faraday, but believe me, I'm serious. He's going around and around and Speaker 3 (5:02) around. Mackey, you're not kidding. Speaker 2 (5:04) I'm dead serious, comma. But Van Dorn isn't dead serious, semicolon. He's dead, period. Speaker 2 (5:20) Yes? Good morning. Are you Peter Carson? Yes. You own the carousel in the park? Speaker 3 (5:25) Yep. I own it and I run it. What about it? Speaker 2 (5:28) I'm Boston Blackie. May I come in? Speaker 3 (5:29) Sure. Speaker 2 (5:30) Thanks. Speaker 3 (5:31) You want to know about John Van Dorn's murder, don't you? Speaker 2 (5:34) Yes, I do. You Speaker 3 (5:35) think I know something, huh? You Speaker 2 (5:37) might. What Speaker 3 (5:38) makes you think so? A Speaker 2 (5:39) little information I picked up at the Park Commission before I came to see you. Speaker 3 (5:42) You don't know anything about me. No? Speaker 2 (5:45) Well, I know your carousel was just about to be closed. Oh? And I know it was on a complaint from John Van Dorn that the Park Commission was going to close it. So? So you had a pretty good reason to kill Van Dorn, don't you agree? Speaker 2 (6:00) Uh, sit down. Speaker 3 (6:02) I'll tell you the little bit I know about this. Speaker 2 (6:05) You know, uh, just a little bit? Speaker 3 (6:08) Maybe you might think it's a lot. Speaker 2 (6:11) Let's hear it. Speaker 3 (6:13) Well, last night I... Speaker 2 (6:14) Never mind the knock on the door. Go on. Speaker 3 (6:16) Well, last night I Speaker 2 (6:17) was just... Speaker 3 (6:18) I'll talk to this guy, Blackie. Oh, good Speaker 2 (6:21) morning, Inspector. The police? Yes, Carson, but don't judge the entire force by Faraday here. He's a holdover from the days before the cops were required to think. Speaker 3 (6:29) Quiet, Blackie. Speaker 2 (6:31) Now, Carson, I'm investigating the murder of John Van Dorn. Speaker 3 (6:35)