The Strange Dr. Weird – The Man Who Knew Everything (1945)

Friends, I believe it is high time for another Retro Radio Memories offering, with something a little short and sweet for this go around – a 1945 episode of The Strange Dr. Weird entitled The Man Who Knew Everything. Clocking in just a tad over twelve minutes in length – The Strange Dr. Weird only ran a single season and from what I’ve read online it appears that some of the episodes of the show were edited down scripts from The Mysterious Traveler. As the series was written by both Robert A. Arthur as well as Jock McGregor who also wrote for The Mysterious Traveler that make sense – in addition Arthur was co-writer for another old time radio series we shared earlier this month, The Sealed Book. While there are certainly a handful of mysterious and spooky hosts for old time horror radio shows like Old Nancy from The Witch’s Tale, the titular character from The Whistler, and Raymond of Inner Sanctum to name a few – Dr. Weird has a leg up on the competition as he lives in a house overlooking a cemetery!

Dr. Weird was actually Maurice Tarplin, who also voiced the mysterious traveler along with characters on The Shadow, Boston Blackie, and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet to name a few roles. To my ears it sounds like he is sort of going for a Peter Lorre vibe with his take on the strange and mysterious Dr. Weird.

The synopsis for The Man Who Knew Everything concerns a nightclub performer who goes by Randor the Mystic and is employed at the Crystal Club, a mentalist who may be more than what he at first seems. At least that is what is believed by Randor’s press agent, a man by the name of Jerry Fenton – who goes so far to search the mind reader’s apartment. Jerry finds something interesting indeed – special pills that allow the older man to perceive the thought waves of another person. It isn’t much of a spoiler to say that Fenton has decided to take over the act himself – although will it turn out to be a case of careful what you wish for?

Turn down the lights if you are able and join us as we pay a visit to The Strange Dr. Weird on Retro Radio Memories and enjoy The Man Who Knew Everything!