HIGHLY RECOMMENDED The Whistler Files information page about the entire series, with links to shows, history, presentations, movies, and links to many other resources https://sites.google.com/view/the-whistler-files/home
The Whistler Project at the Internet Archive with links to audio of almost 600 episodes, video, articles, presentations, scripts, recreations of missing episodes, and much more https://archive.org/details/the-whistler-project
The Whistler ran for more than 800 broadcasts. Documentation of the series is lacking, especially for the casts of the episodes. Keen listening of the researchers allowed them to identify the voices of many previously undocumented cast members. There are other historical questions that now have answers as a result of the researchers determined collaboration to assemble details and insights together. Learn more about Karl Schadow, Keith Scott, Elizabeth Tankersley, "James Decker," and Dr. Joe Webb at
https://sites.google.com/view/whistlershownotes/home/whistler-researchers
The Whistler suddenly appeared in west coast radio timetables in May 1942. The program was heard on the air with no pre-show publicity, and no pre-broadcast buildup. That lack of promotion held true for many, many weeks... but the audience kept growing.
About 18 months later, Signal Oil decided to sponsor the show, paying for its entire production budget and providing input into its scripts and casting. It worked out so well that Signal sponsored the program for eleven years. You often hear bad stories about radio’s ad agencies and sponsors meddling and micromanaging program content. The backroom players responsible for The Whistler under Signal, however, knew their audience better than most other advertisers could for their own.
The Whistler became one of radio’s most successful franchises, spawning movies and a TV series, despite never having a durable long-lasting national broadcast presence. It is such a “strange tale” that its great success started without publicity or warning yet gathered listener momentum and grew to the broad recognition that it achieved.
The podcasts are available on many such services, and can also be accessed on The Good Old Days of Radio website https://goodolddaysofradio.com/ OR click the podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@thegoodolddaysofradio Episodes can be directly accessed below by clicking on the YouTube image when it is available.
Podcast # 509, release date 07/16/26
This recording is an extraordinary "new find" of the rare Whistler Chicago series that aired for more than a year on WBBM. It featured an all-Chicago cast broadcast live with an in-studio audience and sponsored by Meister Brau beer. The script was also used for the CBS Pacific Network broadcast, but that recording seems not to have survived.
There are extensive show notes for this episode. To access them, click here
Podcast # 511, release date 07/23/26
An early Howard McNear performance years before he would become "Doc" on Gunsmoke. Oh... and there's a mad scientist who is working on transplanting brain tissue between people near him. This early series episode had The Whistler being more like Inner Sanctum or Lights Out. Enjoy this odd episode from before The Whistler fully developed the style and format that would make it famous.
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 513, release date 07/30/26
Elliott and Cathy Lewis are in what might be their first joint appearance on The Whistler. A woman seems to be thrilled with the dangerous idea of being married to a murderer.
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 515, release date 08/06/26
Listen to Lurene Tuttle as she plays twins! One of them is a murderer who switches identities with her dead sister? Can she take over the deceased twin's romance without him realizing it?
Show notes, click here Be sure to catch some of the rehearsal and broadcast details that are unique to this episode.
Podcast # 517, release date 08/13/26
A rare broadcast when the series was a summer replacement for The Jack Carson Show to east and midwest stations. A man murders his wife... but the next day, she leaves a phone message for him at the office!
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 519, release date 08/20/26
A superb script co-written by Bill Forman, the man who played the Whistler.
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 521, release date 08/27/26
A jealous husband tries to frame his wife's dance partner for her murder. A little detail about the dancer that the husband missed exposes the scheme and the real killer.
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 523, release date 09/03/26
This episode is from the Household Finance Corporation (HFC) series. Top management was so unhappy with their sponsorship they demanded that CBS assign a different producer and use different scripts than the Signal Oil shows! Learn about the strange backstory and how it all happened.
There are extenive show notes for this episode. To access them, click here
Podcast # 525, release date 09/10/26
A marvelous performance by Whistler regular, Gerald Mohr. He's in cohoots with his wife's blackmailer, and that blackmailer gives the husband a share of the payments. He thinks he can outsmart his wife and the blackmailer until things start to turn against him.
Show notes, click here
Podcast # 527, release date 09/17/26
A broadcast from one of the final weeks of The Whistler. There's yet another husband having an affair, and the cover-up is exposed by the drawing of a dragon.
Show notes, click here