The Black Museum
Mutual
Mutual · 1940–1950
Broadcasts
53
Cadence
Fortnightly
Rated
PG
Since
1940
The run
- Network
- Mutual
- Years active
- 1940–1950
- Surviving broadcasts
- 53
- Genre
- detective
THE BLACK MUSEUM Opening in 1875, the Crime Museum at Scotland Yard is the oldest museum in the world purely for recording crime. The name "Black Museum" was coined in 1877 by a reporter from "The Observer", a London newspaper, although the museum is still referred to as the Crime Museum. It is this museum that inspired The Black Museum radio series, produced in London by Harry Alan Towers. From Jay Hickerson's "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All Circulating Shows" , the earliest US broadcast date was January 1, 1952. Thirty nine shows, from the full syndication of fifty two shows, aired over Mutual stations from January 1, 1952 through June 24, 1952 and September 30, 1952 through December 30, 1952. This may be the earliest broadcast of the series worldwide. It was later broadcast over Radio Luxembourg starting May 7, 1953. Digitised by the Old Time Radio Researchers and streamed from the Internet Archive item “OTRR_Black_Museum_Singles”; these recordings are in the public domain.
Source collection
Old Time Radio Researchers Group
Rights
Public domain — no renewed US copyright
Cataloguing
Air dates and notes from the Archive item record
The shape of the run
What survives, year by year
0 dated broadcasts across 11 years on the air, with 11 years where nothing is known to survive. Brightness is transfer quality; empty cells are months lost to time.
Episodes
Start here
Listen to the run in order
Restored broadcasts from NaN, in original transmission order.
- 1. Orson Welles Biography · Date unknown
- 2. The Brass Button · Date unknown
- 3. The Claw Hammer · Date unknown
- 01
Orson Welles Biography
Date unknown · 6 min
- 02
The Brass Button
Date unknown · 29 min
- 03
The Claw Hammer
Date unknown · 25 min
- 04
The Hammerhead
Date unknown · 23 min
- 05
The Notes
Date unknown · 25 min
- 06
The Pink Powder Puff
Date unknown · 29 min
- 07
The Tan Shoe
Date unknown · 24 min
- 08
The 22 Caliber Pistol
Date unknown · 29 min
Also on Mutual
Mutual in 1940–1950
Other series the network carried while The Black Museum was on the air.
Same seasons
detective on the air then
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