The Case:
The intrigue on the brittle pages of this 1930s radio script reaches beyond the suspenseful plot line.
From the text we gather that J. Edgar Hoover himself endorsed the creator to reveal the details of a true story. The first line reads: “Through Courtesy of J. Edgar Hoover … You are permitted to relate authentic story…The Lamar Bank Robbery.”
What does J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI have to do with this radio script? And how accurate are the events in the play?
History Detectives consults with a radio historian in Merrick, NY, digs up background with an historian at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC and talks with a J. Edgar Hoover biographer who helps to connect the dots.
Document: Special Agent Five
View the script for Special Agent Five, Episode IV, Part 1: "The Lamar Bank Robbery".
Season 8, Episode 9
Detective:
Gwen Wright
Location:Washington D.C., Virginia and West Virginia
Related Content
Technique:
Feature:
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Poison Pin
Are these prototypes for poison suicide pins carried by spy plane pilots during the Cold War?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
WPA Mural Studies
Are these unusual paintings part of the biggest job creation program in America's history?
-
Related Investigation
Lincoln Forgery
Could this piece of sheet music have come from Abraham Lincoln's private collection?
-
Related Investigation
Dempsey Fight Bell
Is this the bell that sat ringside at the world's first boxing superstar's legendary match?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Seadrome
Did floating airports dot the Atlantic before modern air travel?
-
Also with Gwen Wright
Shippen Golf Club
Was this the golf club used by John Shippen when he made sporting history in the 1896 U.S. Open?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.