All these episodes have been digitally restored and remastered. Each episode has had the major clicks, pops, and distortions removed while preserving the vintage sound.
- The Curse of Kali
"Rhoda" says Blackstone, "India is a queer place." Blackstone and his beautiful assistant must help a young maharaja who has been threatened by the Thugs of Kali. Can Blackstone's magic overcome the curse of Kali?
Blackstone ends the episode by teaching you how to look at the portrait of Washington on a dollar bill and predict if the serial number is odd or even. Originally broadcast 05/01/1949
- Footsteps in the Night
When does cleaning the shoes out of the prop closet lead to a story of ghosts? When you are Blackstone, of course! Can he find out who is behind the haunted riding boots?
After the adventure, Blackstone teaches a card trick that happens in Rhoda's hands that leaves her "completely flabbergasted" called Take It or Leave It. Originally broadcast 05/08/1949
- The Voodoo Treasure
Don discovers that when he lets Blackstone borrow his derby, everything from a cannonball to a rabbit soon come out! This leads to the story of Shark Island (an alternate name for this episode). Can Blackstone solve the mystery of this mysterious place?
Blackstone finishes the episode by teaching a trick with a hairpin and a knife where he appears to create magnetic properties. Originally broadcast 05/15/1949
- Four Keys to Crime
Rhoda shows Don a magic jewel box from Blackstone's act. This leads to a story of how Blackstone once used it to ferret out a thief for his friend the insurance detective.
The Bottle, The Match and The Coin is then taught to Rhoda, Don and you. Originally broadcast 05/22/1949
- The Knife from the Dark
Did jealousy cause a knife-throwing act turn to murder? It is a good thing that Blackstone and Rhoda are in the audience when tragedy befalls Carmo the knife-thrower and his lovely assistant, and wife, Juanita during his act. It is a bad night for knife throwers and their assistants...
Blackstone then teaches Don, Rhoda and you "Thieves in a Barn" using hats and crumpled paper. Originally broadcast 05/29/1949
- Death in the Crystal
Blackstone explains how he came into possession of Doctor Scorpio's crystal ball, which was used to predict Blackstone's death. You will hear just how close the prediction came to coming true!
The episode ends with the classic straw method of the cut and restored string. Originally broadcast 06/05/1949
Or buy all 56 episodes:
Blackstone Detective.
Listen along to the thrilling adventures of Blackstone, the Magic Detective. Each week he will solve a variety of mysteries with magic. Along with his main assistant, the beautiful Rhoda Brent (voiced by Fran Carlon) and their radio announcers Alan Kent and Don Hancock (or here and there John, played by Ted Osborne, who may be Rhoda's boyfriend) we get to hear thrilling inside stories about the mementos he has collected when solving fantastic crimes or the magic apparatus Blackstone has used to solve them. Then, Blackstone lets us in on the magic we can do at home and "reveal the guarded secrets of the world's greatest living magician!"
The truth is, of course, that they are all simple little tricks, sometimes little more than barbets. In fact, Blackstone is not even the real Blackstone but veteran radio actor Ed Jerome. Many episodes were written by Walter Gibson, though, with Nancy Webb penning the rest. These are great stories for magicians and anyone who appreciates the exciting, if sometimes a bit sensational, storytelling found in old time radio.
At one time, there were as many as 78 episodes. However, about two dozen have been lost over the years. This represents the most complete collection known to exist, minus the so-called Shark Island Story, which is sometimes represented as an episode from an unknown date. It is actually The Voodoo Treasure.
If you like these kinds of stories you might also be interested in The Blackstone Magic Comics which feature also Blackstone using his magic knowledge to defeat the thieves and other criminals.
