On This Day, September 5: The Fat Man and Nick Carter
Also featured: Nightfall.
September 5 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on September 5 across Dashiell Hammett's heavyweight sleuth in The Fat Man starring J. Scott Smart for Pepto-Bismol (1947), coded crossword mysteries on Nick Carter, Master Detective starring Lon Clark (1954), Canadian supernatural dread on Nightfall (1980), wartime paper conservation appeals from the War Production Board (1945), counter-espionage rumor busting on Troman Harper, Rumor Detective (1943), and artistic biography on Tower Playhouse (1972), Troman Harper (1943), J. Scott Smart (1947), and Lon Clark (1954):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "A Bargain for Murder with J. Scott Smart" | ABC (WJZ) 1947-09-05 8:00 PM EDT |
Norwich Pharmacal Co. Pepto-Bismol Relief |
J. Scott Smart & Begley | Dashiell Hammett (Creator) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "The Fat Man", "J Scott Smart", "Pepto Bismol"] |
Brad Runyon investigates a discounted department store jewelry sale that masked a deadly underworld plot to fence stolen diamonds. |
| "The Case of the Crossword Puzzle Clue with Lon Clark" | Mutual (WOR) 1954-09-05 4:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Detective Mystery |
Lon Clark & Manson | Jock MacGregor (Director) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Nick Carter", "Lon Clark", "Mutual"] |
Nick Carter decodes encrypted crossword puzzle definitions in a daily newspaper to intercept a syndicate of diamond smugglers. |
| "The Willoughby Obsession with CBC Players" | CBC Radio 1980-09-05 |
Sustaining Canadian Supernatural |
CBC Dramatic Cast | Bill Howell (Creator) | ["Horror", "Anthology", "Nightfall", "CBC", "Supernatural"] |
An antique collector purchases an 18th-century portrait and becomes consumed by a haunting malevolent spirit demanding revenge. |
| "Paper Shortage Conservation Appeal" | Syndicated / OWI 1945-09-05 |
War Production Board Resource Conservation |
Government Announcers | OWI Domestic Radio Bureau | ["Public Service", "History", "War Production Board", "WWII", "Home Front"] |
Federal war production officials urge American households and businesses to continue salvaging waste paper for post-war shipping packaging. |
| "The Sabotage Rumor at the Shipyard with Troman Harper" | Mutual (WOR) 1943-09-05 7:15 PM EWT |
Sustaining Wartime Counter-Propaganda |
Troman Harper & Cast | Mutual News Department | ["Public Affairs", "Docudrama", "Troman Harper", "Rumor Detective", "Mutual"] |
Rumor detective Troman Harper traces malicious false shipyard contamination gossip designed by enemy agents to stall defense production. |
| "Rembrandt with Springbok Radio Players" | Springbok Radio 1972-09-05 |
Sustaining Biographical Drama |
SABC Dramatic Troupe | SABC Drama Department | ["Biographical", "Drama", "Tower Playhouse", "Rembrandt", "Springbok"] |
A biographical radio play chronicling master painter Rembrandt van Rijn's creative triumphs, bankruptcy, and enduring artistic integrity. |