Nero Wolfe (radio) - The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (ABC)

The Adventures of Nero Wolfe (ABC)

1943–1944, 30 minutes

Three actors portrayed Nero Wolfe over the course of the series. J.B. Williams starred in its first incarnation, broadcast Wednesdays on the New England Network (April 7–June 30, 1943). Santos Ortega assumed the role when the suspense drama moved to ABC on Mondays (July 5–September 27, 1943) and Fridays (January 21–July 14, 1944). Luis van Rooten succeeded Ortega in 1944, Nero Wolfe's last year on ABC.

"Santos Ortega played Wolfe," wrote John McAleer in Rex Stout: A Biography. "John Gibson was Archie. Gibson was breezy and Ortega wheezy — indeed, he opened the program with a wheeze, as his signature... Rex thought the actors were creditable but winced at the plots. He never listened to the broadcasts... Louis Vittes was the chief scriptwriter and wrote most of the scripts. None of Rex's story material was used. All characters beside Wolfe, Archie and Cramer were ABC's own. For the use of Wolfe and Archie, Rex received a weekly royalty.

"Differences between (ABC producer) Hi Brown and Edwin Fadiman, who represented Rex's radio, screen and television interests, as Nero Wolfe Attractions, Inc., prevented its later resumption on ABC," McAleer reported. "This fact Brown regretted. 'Nero Wolfe,' Brown says, 'is one of the strongest and most successful detective characters in all of fiction.'"

1. "The Case of the Bloodstained Orchid" (July 5, 1943)
2. "The Case of the Vacant Blonde" (July 19, 1943)
3. "The Case of the Noisy Ghost" (July 26, 1943)
4. "The Case of the Deadly Million" (August 2, 1943)
5. "The Case of the Stuttering Records" (August 9, 1943)
6. "Death Played a Dummy" (August 16, 1943)
7. "The Case of the Departed Guest" (August 23, 1943)
8. "The Case of the Murderous Signature" (August 30, 1943)
9. "The Case of the Allergic Blonde" (September 6, 1943)
10. "The Case of the Plastered Bride" (September 13, 1943)
11. "The Case of the Missing Mind" (September 20, 1943)
12. "The Case of the Red-Headed Baby" (September 27, 1943)
13. "The Case of the Traveling Pajamas" (January 28, 1944)
14. "The Case of the Superfluous Husband" (February 11, 1944)
15. "The Princess Charming Case" (February 18, 1944)
16. "The Case of the Bewildered Brothers" (February 25, 1944)
17. "The Case of the Two-Headed Dolls" (March 3, 1944)
18. "The Case of the Wandering Wife" (March 17, 1944)
19. "The Case of the Passionate Pigeon" (March 24, 1944)
20. "The Case of the Tattooed Terror" (April 7, 1944)
21. "The Case of the Lonely Corpse" (April 14, 1944)
22. "The Case of the Coy Cadaver" (April 21, 1944)
23. "The Case of the Dying Portrait" (April 28, 1944)
24. "The Case of the Million Dollar Baby" (May 5, 1944)
25. "The Case of the Tenth Tornado" (May 12, 1944)
26. "The Case of the Burning Book" (May 19, 1944)
27. "The Wrong Leg Murder" (May 26, 1944)
28. "The Case of the Invisible Murderer" (June 2, 1944)
29. No title available (June 9, 1944)
30. No title available (June 16, 1944)
31. No title available (June 23, 1944)
32. No title available (June 30, 1944)
33. No title available (July 7, 1944)
34. "The Last Laugh Murder Case (July 14, 1944)