On This Day, August 31: I Love a Mystery and Call the Police
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial story metadata, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts…
August 31 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial story metadata, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 31 across American network mystery serials and police procedurals, five serialized adventures from Carlton E. Morse's I Love a Mystery spanning Battle of the Century (1939), The Decapitation of Jefferson Monk (1943), The Temple of Vampires (1944), Murder in Turquoise Pass (1950), and Murder Hollywood Style (1951), alongside Joseph Julian in Call the Police for Lever Brothers (1939–1951):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres & Serial Arc | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Battle of the Century (Part 2)" | NBC Red (KPO) 1939-08-31 8:15 PM PST |
Sustaining Mystery Serial |
Michael Raffetto, Yarborough | Carlton E. Morse (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Mystery", "Serial", "Carlton E. Morse", "Jack and Doc"]Arc: Battle of the Century (Part 2) |
Jack, Doc, and Reggie discover sinister clues suggesting that an upcoming prizefight is rigged by murderous gambling syndicates. |
| "The Decapitation of Jefferson Monk (Part 2)" | CBS (WCBS) 1943-08-31 7:00 PM EWT |
Procter & Gamble Ivory Bar / Oxydol |
Michael Raffetto, Yarborough | Carlton E. Morse (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Mystery", "Serial", "Carlton E. Morse", "Jack and Doc"]Arc: The Decapitation of Jefferson Monk (Part 2) |
Terrified bookkeeper Jefferson Monk hires the A-1 Detective Agency after receiving a chilling death prophecy threatening his beheading. |
| "The Temple of Vampires (Part 8)" | CBS (WCBS) 1944-08-31 7:00 PM EWT |
Procter & Gamble Ivory Soap / Dreft |
Michael Raffetto, Yarborough | Carlton E. Morse (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Mystery", "Serial", "Carlton E. Morse", "Jack and Doc"]Arc: The Temple of Vampires (Part 8) |
Trapped in an ancient Aztec ruin deep in the Nicaraguan jungle, Jack and Doc battle nocturnal vampire bats and subterranean traps. |
| "Murder in Turquoise Pass (Part 9)" | Mutual (WOR) 1950-08-31 7:45 PM EDT |
Sustaining Mystery Serial |
Russell Thorson, Jim Boles | Carlton E. Morse (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Mystery", "Serial", "Carlton E. Morse", "Jack and Doc"]Arc: Murder in Turquoise Pass (Part 9) |
The A-1 detectives navigate a deserted desert ghost town while pursuing an armed sniper guarding a hidden turquoise mine. |
| "Murder Hollywood Style (Part 15)" | Mutual (WOR) 1951-08-31 10:15 PM EDT |
Sustaining Mystery Serial |
Russell Thorson, Tony Randall | Carlton E. Morse (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Mystery", "Serial", "Carlton E. Morse", "Jack and Doc"]Arc: Murder Hollywood Style (Part 15) |
Jack Packard uncovers the studio executive behind an extortion and poisoning plot targeting a glamorous Hollywood starlet. |
| "The Case of the Murder Concerto with Joseph Julian" | NBC (WEAF) 1948-08-31 9:00 PM EDT |
Lever Brothers Rinso / Lifebuoy |
Joseph Julian, Tompkins | Peter Barry (Writer) | ["Police Procedural", "Detective", "Mystery", "Joseph Julian", "Lever Brothers"] |
Commissioner Bill Grant investigates the murder of an orchestral conductor whose fatal shooting was timed to coincide with a crashing cymbal climax. |