ABC Mystery Time

About ABC Mystery Time

ABC Mystery Time was a captivating radio program that aired during the later years of the Golden Age of Radio, a period roughly spanning the 1920s to the 1950s when radio was the dominant form of home entertainment in the United States. This era saw families gather around their radios to enjoy a variety of genres, including comedies, dramas, and mysteries, with the latter being a particularly popular staple. ABC Mystery Time fit perfectly into this landscape, delivering suspenseful tales that kept listeners on the edge of their seats. The show, which aired in the late 1950s, came toward the tail end of the Golden Age, a time when television was beginning to eclipse radio as the primary medium for scripted entertainment. Despite this shift, ABC Mystery Time stood out as a testament to the enduring appeal of audio storytelling. Hosted by Don Dowd, the program was known by various names over its run, including Masters of Mystery, Mystery Time Classics, and simply Mystery Time, though its official title remained ABC Mystery Time. It aired on Thursday nights, leveraging the convenience of magnetic tape—a relatively new technology at the time—to bring high-quality productions to its audience. Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/ Entertainment Radio | Broadcasting Classic Radio Shows | Patreon Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today’s politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio

Publisher

goldenclassics

Category

fiction · fiction

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Apr 2025

Latest episode

4 Apr 2025

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Apr 2025

   No One Will Ever Know

   Leonard Saint Claire's character Sam Parnell spirals into paranoia after a telegram reveals financial ruin, leading him to stage his death and hire a bodyguard to protect himself from an imagined assassin.

2. 

   4 Apr 2025

   Suicide Club

   Laurence Olivier stars in "The Suicide Club," a suspenseful tale where desperate men gamble with their lives in a secretive club, exploring themes of mortality and choice.

3. 

   4 Apr 2025

   Half an Hour

   Host Don Dowd presents James Barry's "Half an Hour," a dramatic radio adaptation starring Sir Ralph Richardson as Richard Garson, exploring love, wealth, and betrayal within a tumultuous marriage, revealing the consequences of choices.

4. 

   4 Apr 2025

   Picture of Dorian Gray

   Sir Laurence Olivier performs Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray," exploring themes of vanity and moral decay as Dorian's portrait reflects his hidden sins in this radio adaptation.

5. 

   4 Apr 2025

   Death Walked In

   Joseph Ruskall's "Death Walked In" melodrama unfolds a suspenseful tale of the Grimes family, Julie Smith, and unforeseen consequences, exploring themes of trust and betrayal in this episode.

6. 

   4 Apr 2025

   Death by Proxy

   This episode of "ABC Mystery Time" explores the radio drama "Death by Proxy," where a presumed-dead mining engineer uncovers a conspiracy involving his wife, a mysterious car accident, and a $30,000 life insurance policy.

7. 

   4 Apr 2025

   The Tale

   This episode of "ABC Mystery Time" presents a suspenseful narrative about a naval officer grappling with moral dilemmas during wartime, forcing listeners to question the blurred lines between justice and retribution.

8. 

   4 Apr 2025

   The Overcoat

   Host Don Dowd presents Nikolai Gogol's "The Overcoat," featuring actor Michael Redgrave, exploring themes of social status and human dignity in 19th-century Russia, revealing the tragic consequences of bureaucratic indifference.

9. 

   4 Apr 2025

   My Adventure in Norfork

   Host discusses A.J. Allen's "My Adventure in Norfolk," a suspenseful tale of a couple's eerie encounters and shocking discoveries in a remote Norfolk bungalow, exploring themes of deception and the supernatural.

10. 

    4 Apr 2025

    Four Time Loser

    George Coombs's hidden past as escaped convict Bennett Deal unravels when an old cellmate reappears, leading to blackmail, murder, and a desperate fight for his new life in this mystery episode.

11. 

    4 Apr 2025

    Four Fatal Jugglers

    Host Don Dowd presents a suspenseful radio drama, "Four Fatal Jugglers," exploring themes of betrayal, love, and revenge on a remote island where friends and family face hidden motives and dangerous intentions.

12. 

    4 Apr 2025

    Success Story

    Host Don Dowd presents "Success Story" by Robert E. Foster, a suspenseful melodrama about Charles's cunning plan involving manipulation and murder, revealing the dark consequences of ambition and deceit.

13. 

    4 Apr 2025

    Murder in Haste

    Host John Dowd presents Eleanor Beeson's "Murder in Haste," a suspenseful story about Albert Taylor, who assumes a new identity after a tragic accident but finds his past inescapable, exploring themes of guilt and deception.

Who has been a guest on ABC Mystery Time

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Laurence Olivier
• Sir Ralph Richardson
• Sir Laurence Olivier
• Michael Redgrave

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

274,124

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 60 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

86

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

0

Contact ABC Mystery Time

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.