Friday, February 16, 2024

Broadway is my Beat




Broadway is my Beat is a love affair during the 1940's. The golden age of radio had found a new following in the crime drama genre, and managed to churn out several note-worthy serializations. One of the more popular old time radio shows of the period was Broadway is my Beat which featured the talented Larry Thor as Detective Danny Clover. Clover truly loved his beat on the colorful and gritty streets of Broadway and it shined through in his passion and dedication to his job. He tirelessly patrolled the city streets and instilled fear into the hoodlums and villains that threatened the peace. Remarkably enough, the program enjoyed a lengthy run from 1949-1954, unlike its other contemporaries who only lasted for a season. This old radio show was first produced in New York City, however, it was later moved to Hollywood under the directorship of Elliot Lewis. As a resident New Yorker himself, Lewis infused the show with an amazing mix of sounds and effects that effortlessly brought the vibrant and lively world of Broadway is my Beat to life on the radio.

Danny Clover made his living as a superb police officer who truly loved his beat on Broadway and the colorful people who called it home. It was his development on the hard streets of Broadway as a youngster that made him such a threat to the villains, who were bogged down in their shabby homes during the day, scheming of ways to disturb the tranquility of the law-abiders.

Broadway is My Beat was first produced in New York City itself but later moved to Hollywood under the direction of Elliot Lewis. Having been a resident of NYC, Elliot Lewis stressed using the the sound of the city in the radio show from honking horns to loud mouth pedestrians to dribbling rain drops. Broadway is My Beat was known to utilize multiple sound effect artists to recreate the big city's noisy atmosphere.

Broadway is My Beat used gritty dialogue typical of hardboiled detective radio dramas of the era. The show is full of tough talk and descriptive monologues.

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