Nightbeat was a radio drama series that aired on NBC from February 6, 1950 until September 25, 1952, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer and Wheaties. Frank Lovejoy starred as Randy (originally "Lucky") Stone, a reporter who covered the nightbeat for the Chicago Star, encountering criminals and troubled souls. Listeners were invited to join Stone as he "searches through the city for the strange stories waiting for him in the darkness."
Ripperologist editor Paul Begg offered this description of the series: Broadcast on NBC, Nightbeat... starred Frank Lovejoy as Randy Stone, a tough and streetwise reporter who worked the nightbeat for the Chicago Star, looking for human interest stories. He met an assortment of people, most of them with a problem, many of them scared, and sometimes he was able to help them, sometimes he wasn’t. It is generally regarded as a "quality" show, and it stands up extremely well. Frank Lovejoy (1914-1962) isn’t remembered today, but he was a powerful and believable actor with a strong delivery, and his portrayal of Randy Stone as tough guy with humanity was perfect. The scripts were excellent, given that they had to cover much in a short time. There was a good supporting cast, orchestra and sound effects. "The Slasher," broadcast on 10 November 1950, the last show of season one, has a very loosely Ripper-derived plot in which Stone searches for an artist.
Supporting actors included Joan Banks, Parley Baer, William Conrad, Jeff Corey, Lawrence Dobkin, Paul Frees, Jack Kruschen, Peter Leeds, Howard McNear, Lurene Tuttle, Martha Wentworth and Ben Wright.
The format was recreated, with Lovejoy as Stone, on an episode of the television anthology series, Four Star Playhouse ("Search in the Night" 5 November 1953).
The Ted Carter Murder Case Audition
Original Broadcast Date: 1949.05.19
The Elevator Caper Audition
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.01.13
Zero
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.02.06
Night As A Weapon
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.02.13
World All Of His Own
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.02.20
The Girl In The Park
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.02.27
Professors System Aka Number 13
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.03.06
Am I My Brothers Keeper
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.03.13
The Man Who Claimed To Be Dead
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.03.20
Flowers On The Water
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.03.27
The Night Is A Weapon
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.04.09
I Know Your Secret
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.04.10
A World All Of His Own
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.04.16
Tong War
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.04.17
Mentalo The Mental Marvel
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.05.01
Elevator Caper
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.05.08
The Night Watchman
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.05.15
I Wish You Were Dead
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.05.22
Harlen Matthews Stamp Dealer
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.05.29
The Girl From Kansas
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.06.05
Football Player And The Syndicate
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.06.12
Vincent And The Painter
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.06.19
Gus And Jimmy Reed
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.06.26
The Juvenile Gangster
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.06.26
Lorraine Adams Execution
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.03
Marty
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.03
Bill Perrin Amnesia Case
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.06
Old King Max
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.10
Twill Be The Death Of Me
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.10
Molly Keller
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.17
The Devil's Bible
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.24
City At Your Fingertips
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.07.31
Old Pop The Musician
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.08.07
Old Gunners Fight
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.08.14
The Doctors Secret
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.08.21
Old Home Week
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.09.04
The Hunted Becomes Hunter
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.09.11
Wanna Buy A Story
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.09.18
A Case Of Butter
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.09.25
Kenny Days Amnesia
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.10.06
Einar Pierce And Family
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.10.13
Judge Arnold's Daughter
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.10.20
Doctors Daughter
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.10.27
The Black Cat
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.11.03
The Slasher
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.11.10
The Expectant Father
Original Broadcast Date: 1950.12.28
Big John Mcmasters
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.03.04
Julie The Jukebox Girl
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.05.18
Fear
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.05.25
The Will Of Mrs Orloff
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.06.01
The Search For Fred
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.06.08
Otto The Music Man
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.06.15
Sanctuary
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.06.22
A Byline For Frank
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.06.29
Bill Perrin Amnesia Case
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.07.06
Antons Return
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.07.13
The City At Your Finger Tips
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.07.20
They
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.08.17
Mr And Mrs Carothers
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.10.26
Lost Souls
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.11.16
Five Days Off For Christmas
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.12.21
Expectant Father
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.12.28
Joys Of Fatherhood
Original Broadcast Date: 1951.xx.xx
Pay Up Or Die
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.01
Long Live The Clown
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.08
Death Of Riley
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.15
Johnny Liggets Wife Pauline
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.22
Target For A Week
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.22
The Jockey Brothers
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.05.29
Marvelous Machine
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.06.05
Dolly Graham Railroaded
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.06.19
Railroaded
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.06.19
Reformer
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.06.26
The Old Itch
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.07.03
Flight From Fear
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.07.13
Taste Of Peaches
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.07.17
Somebody Stop Anne
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.08.07
His Name Was Luke
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.08.14
John And Mary
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.08.21
The Man With The Red Hair
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.08.21
Bomb On The Denver Plane
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.04
Ellen
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.04
Larry The Understudy
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.11
Understudy
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.11
Policy Wheel Racket
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.18
The Bug Killings
Original Broadcast Date: 1952.09.25