You're walking alone on the street at night, but then you hear another set of footsteps and a haunting tune being whistled by an unseen stranger. Fritz Lang used an similar premise in his 1930s German movie with Peter Lorre playing M, a psychopathic murderer of children. But the American radio series was even creepier. The unseen Whistler didn't kill anyone (that we know of), but he certainly loved watching murders take place, narrating them for us, and chuckling at the suffering of others instead of doing anything to stop it. Unlike M, he was never caught. He kept walking the streets every week for thirteen long years, whistling his ominous thirteen notes and telling us another tale of bizarre fate. Perhaps Fate is who the Whistler really was? He never provided any sir name, and the killer was usually punished by some twist of fate that only The Whistler seemed to expect. It is very likely The Whistler was inspired by The Shadow, which began nearly a decade earlier.
Like the Shadow, the Whistler seemed to enter and exit the criminal underworld without ever being seen. He would watch the evil doers carry out their schemes, yet they never saw him, even though he would tell us what they were thinking in their presence. His voice sounded equally sinister to The Shadow, too. It was was a slithering tenor, hissing the "s's" and often laughing "heh-heh-heh-hehheh!" at the foolishness of the guilty. Both series had similar opening lines: The Shadow "knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men", whereas The Whistler "knows many strange tales hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows."
When Bill Forman served 1/2 year in the military, Marvin Miller substituted as The Whistler. Also like The Shadow, several different actors played the title role over the course of The Whistler series. Bill Forman played it the most, but his announcer (Marvin Miller) substituted for him during the six months of his army duty (Buxton, 256). Gale Gordon and Joseph Kearns voiced the Whistler in earlier days, while Everett Clarke played the character in 1947 and Bill Johnstone did in 1948 (Dunning, 719). The last similarity was the saddest one. Both series ended about the time frame (in the mid 1950s). Crime increased in the following decades, maybe because the guilty felt they were no longer being watched and could get away with murder. Or could it be that the Whistler is saving up some more great stories to tell us about in the future?
╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍╍
1 Retribution - 29:32
2 Shrunken Head - 29:30
3 Notes in the Night - 29:58
4 Death Has a Thirst - 29:33
5 The Letter - 29:30
6 House of Greed - 29:33
7 Mirage - 29:31
8 Fog - 29:32
9 Jealousy - 29:31
10 Urge to Kill - 29:32
11 Malice - 29:30
12 Death Comes at Midnight - 29:32
13 The Alibi - 29:31
14 Apparition - 29:33
15 The Other Woman - 29:30
16 Avarice - 29:32
17 The Accounting - 29:31
18 Double-Cross - 29:33
19 The Weakling - 29:31
20 The Nemesis - 29:03
21 The Thief - 29:48
22 Mind over Matter - 29:08
23 The Confession - 30:16
24 In the Dark - 28:25
25 Legacy of Death - 29:33
26 Whistler_43-02-21_ep041_Fool's_Gold - 29:31
27 The Penalty - 29:33
28 The Killers - 29:31
29 Death Has a Thirst - 29:32
30 The Man Who Waited - 29:31
31 Shadow of a Mind - 29:33
32 Justice - 29:31
33 House of Fear - 29:19
34 The Blank Wall - 29:18
35 The Avengers - 29:33
36 An Eye for an Eye - 29:31
37 Death in the Air - 29:33
38 Destiny - 29:31
39 Tangled Web - 29:33
40 Blind Alley - 29:31
41 Mirage - 29:32
42 Patients for the Doctor - 29:33
43 Death Demands a Payment - 29:42
44 The Doctor Prescribes Death - 29:33
45 Last of the Devereaux - 29:31
46 Till Death Do Us Part - 27:36
47 Practically Foolproof - 29:33
48 Local Storm - 28:46
49 Black Magic - 29:33
50 Married to Murder - 29:36
51 Not If I Kill You First - 29:33
52 Finders Weepers - 28:49
53 The Tale The Dead Man Told - 29:33
54 44-10-23 Death Carries A Lunch Kit - 28:58
55 Death Carries a Lunch Kit - 29:23
56 The Beloved Fraud - 29:41
57 Beware the Bridegroom - 29:31
58 Death Sees Double - 29:33
59 Death Walks a Tightwire - 29:50
60 Doctor Operates in Crime - 29:31
61 Lie or Consequences - 28:27
62 Windfall - 28:51
63 Christmas Bonus - 29:33
64 Two for the Money - 29:31
65 Whistler_45-01-08_ep137_The_Body_Wouldn't_Stay_in_the_Bay - 29:33
66 Murder Has a Signature - 29:31
67 Seascape - 28:44
68 Murder on Paper - 29:33
69 Murder Is Legal - 29:31
70 The Dead Man Laughed - 29:33
71 Murder Opens A Gate aka Gateway To Danger - 29:31
72 Danger Is a Beautiful Blond - 29:53
73 Death Marks the Double Cross (Mystery Theater Version) - 30:18
74 Murder Will Shout - 29:33
75 Return of the Innocent - 29:30
76 To Rent Danger - 29:50
77 Meet Mr Death - 29:33
78 Whistler_45-04-30_ep153_The_Master's_Tree - 29:31
79 Accident-According to Plans - 29:32
80 The Man Who Bought Death - 28:54
81 Escape to Danger - 29:31
82 Murder Is Blind - 29:33
83 Death Pays a Visit - 29:31
84 Blueprint for Suicide - 29:33
85 Death Watch - 29:31
86 Deadly Innocent - 29:33
87 Highway of Escape - 29:30
88 Pattern for Terror - 29:33
89 Let George Do It - 29:31
90 Summer Thunder - 29:35
91 The Man Who Came to Murder - 29:31
92 What Makes a Murderer - 29:47
93 X Marks the Murderer - 29:30
94 Whistler_45-08-27_ep170_I'll_Trade_You_Murder - 30:36
95 Ambition Perilous - 30:25
96 Phone Call from Death - 29:33
97 Sing a Song of Murder - 29:31
98 The Man Who Died Twice - 29:33
99 Death Wears a White Robe - 29:38
100 Death Laughs Last - 29:31
101 House on Sycamore Road - 29:33
102 One Man Jury - 31:12
103 Final Return - 29:31
104 Harvest of Death - 29:33
105 The Seeing Eye - 29:31
106 Coincidence - 29:33
107 The Stray Dream - 29:31
108 Poison Is Quicker - 29:33
109 The Cistern - 29:30
110 Lucky Night - 29:33
111 Miracle on 49th Street - 29:31
112 The Thin Line - 29:33
113 Hit and Run - 21:58
114 Treasure Hunt - 29:39
115 The Strange Sisters - 28:35
116 Panic - 29:15
117 Six Letter Word for Death - 29:33
118 Murder in Haste - 32:47
119 Whistler 46-02-25 (196) Murder in Haste (AFRS) - 24:58
120 Decision - 29:33
121 Boomerang - 29:31
122 Whistler_46-03-18_ep199_The_Master's_Touch - 29:27
123 The Trigger Man - 29:33
124 Three Times a Sinner - 29:31
125 Terror Stricken - 29:33
126 Smart Boy - 29:31
127 Waterford Case - 29:18
128 Bright Horizon - 24:32
129 Broken Chain - 29:13
130 The Judas Face - 29:22
131 Quiet Sunday - 27:36
132 Affair at Stoney Ridge - 29:27
133 Blind Bet - 28:12
134 Solid Citizen - 29:00
135 Confession - 28:59
136 Custom Built Blond - 29:37
137 The Sell-Out - 29:38
138 Bullet Proof - 28:48
139 Stolen Murder - 28:50
140 Delivery Guaranteed - 29:31
141 Broken Chain (East Coast Broadcast) - 29:13
142 Stranger in the House - 29:33
143 Witness at the Fountain - 29:31
144 A Brief Pause For Murder (East Coast Broadcast) - 28:48
145 The Brass Ring - 29:26
146 A Present for Ricky - 29:33
147 Weak Sister - 29:31
148 Masquerade - 29:33
149 Backfire - 29:31
150 The Deadly Penny - 29:33
151 Two Year Plan - 29:30
152 With My Own Eyes - 26:35
153 Next Year Is Mine - 29:32
154 Murder on Rourke Island - 29:31
155 Dear Roger - 29:33
156 The Choice - 29:31
157 Last Curtain - 29:33
158 Night Melody - 29:31
159 Seven Steps to Murder - 29:32
160 Safety in Numbers - 29:31
161 Seven Steps To Murder (East Coast Broadcast) - 21:21
162 Whistler_47-02-17_ep247_A_Woman's_Privilege - 29:33
163 Eight to Twelve - 29:31
164 Blue Legend - 29:33
165 Murder of Byron Blake - 29:30
166 Mavis Cameron Disappears - 29:33
167 The Lady and the Knife - 29:31
168 The Blank Wall - 29:32
169 Whistler_47-04-07_ep254_The_Sheriff's_Assistant - 29:31
170 Maid of Honor - 29:33
171 Backlash - 29:31
172 The Black Book - 29:33
173 Windfall - 29:31
174 18 Bowden Lane - 29:47
175 Hasty Conclusion - 29:33
176 Fateful Friday - 29:31
177 Whistler_47-06-02_ep262_Caesar's_Wife - 29:33
178 Juggernaut - 29:31
179 Ambassador of Death - 29:32
180 The Gentle Way - 29:31
181 The Two Lives of Colby Fletcher - 29:31
182 Beyond Reasonable Doubt - 29:20
183 Borrowed Byline - 29:40
184 Dark Future - 29:31
185 Whispered Verdict - 29:33
186 Girl Next Door - 29:31
187 Curtain Call - 29:32
188 The Eleventh Hour - 29:30
189 Bridge on Black Mountain - 29:35
190 Sleep My Pretty One - 29:33
191 Career Man - 29:31
192 Man of Distinction - 29:13
193 A Case for Mister Carrington - 29:31
194 The Back Door - 29:33
195 The Big Prison - 29:30
196 Dark Moon - 29:22
197 The Body Off Billingsgate - 29:31
198 Wedding Gift - 29:31
199 Murder in Haste - 29:33
200 Decision - 29:31
201 The First Year - 29:33
202 Comeback - 29:39
203 Silent Partner - 29:33
204 Twelve Portraits of Marcia - 29:31
205 Night Final - 29:33
206 Undertow - 29:31
207 Money Is The Root Of All Evil - 29:33
208 Quiet Suicide - 29:31
209 Meeting on Tenth Street - 29:33
210 Boiling Point - 29:31
211 Return Engagement - 29:32
212 The Human Catalyst - 29:31
213 The Dark Room - 29:33
214 Bird of Prey - 29:31
215 What Makes a Murderer - 29:33
216 Till Death Do Us Part - 29:31
217 Silent City - 29:33
218 Tough Guy - 29:31
219 Chain Reaction - 29:33
220 Murder on Margin - 29:33
221 Stranger in the House - 29:31
222 Concerto of Death - 29:33
223 Small Town Girl - 29:31
224 Fatal Appointment - 29:31
225 Farewell Party - 29:32
226 Lady from the Sea - 29:31
227 Question of Murder - 29:53
228 Enough Rope - 26:14
229 Bright Future - 29:33
230 Trio of Rogues - 29:31
231 Payment in Full - 29:31
232 Whistler_48-09-15_ep327_Uncle_Ben's_Widow - 29:20
233 Still Death - 29:31
234 Conspiracy - 29:33
235 Big Gamble - 29:31
236 Whirlpool - 29:32
237 Package for Emily - 29:31
238 Search for an Unknown - 29:33
239 Letter from Yesterday - 29:31
240 Cover Up - 29:33
241 Nightmare - 29:31
242 The Lovely Look - 29:24
243 Murder in Paradise - 25:11
244 Hired Alibi - 29:36
245 Stormy Weather - 29:31
246 The Hangtree Affair - 29:33
247 Delayed Christmas Present - 29:31
248 Man on the Roof - 29:20
249 Tell Tale Brand - 29:30
250 Shakedown - 25:48
251 Impulse - 29:33
252 All Damage Covered - 29:49
253 The Cheat - 29:31
254 The Cheat - 26:37
255 Last Curtain - 29:48
256 Ticket to Paris - 29:30
257 Grave Secret - 29:51
258 Grave Secret - 26:26
259 Search for Maxine - 29:31
260 Death of Mr Penny - 29:33
261 Death of Mr Penny - 25:24
262 Beyond the Wall - 29:31
263 Beyond the Wall - 25:13
264 The Rawhide Coffin - 25:49
265 Murder at Twin Pines - 25:31
266 Sleep My Pretty One - 29:33
267 A Mask for Kinsella - 29:21
268 Solid Citizen - 29:33
269 Solid Citizen - 25:35
270 Danger Is a Beautiful Blond - 29:35
271 Golden Opportunity - 29:30
272 Fatal Fraud - 29:31
273 Deal with Death - 29:06
274 Letter to Melanie - 30:47
275 Perfect Alibi - 29:29
276 That Physical Fact - 29:26
277 Final Decree - 29:29
278 Panic on Mulberry Street - 29:26
279 Front Man - 29:29
280 Front Man - 26:02
281 Death in Sixteen Millimeter - 29:26
282 Death in Sixteen Millimeter - 25:53
283 The Hermit - 29:29
284 Brotherly Hate - 29:27
285 The Trigger Man - 29:29
286 Best Friend - 29:26
287 The Confession - 29:33
288 The Eager Pigeon - 29:31
289 Smart Girl - 29:33
290 Brief Pause for Murder - 29:31
291 Poor Henry - 29:33
292 Incident at Arroyo Grande - 29:31
293 Whistler_49-10-02_ep383_A_Woman's_Privilege - 29:33
294 A Rose For Pamela - 29:33
295 Best Man - 28:14
296 Debt of Honor - 29:53
297 Ticket to Murder - 29:28
298 The New Mrs Devlin - 29:36
299 Incident at Pebble Cove - 29:30
300 Letters from Aaron Burr - 29:27
301 Clever Mister Farley - 25:42
302 Impulse - 23:02
303 Swan Song - 29:36
304 Patroness of Murder - 29:38
305 Letter from Cynthia - 29:38
306 Evening Stroll - 29:21
307 Return to Riondo - 22:42
308 Escape to Skull Island - 28:59
309 The Go-Between - 29:10
310 Burden of Guilt - 29:19
311 Whistler_50-02-05_ep401_Ladies'_Man - 25:15
312 Desert Reckoning - 29:24
313 Five Cent Call - 28:49
314 Appointment for Murder - 30:31
315 Chinese Elephant Puzzle - 29:22
316 The Chinese Elephant Puzzle - 28:30
317 Strange Meeting - 29:27
318 Oriana Affair - 29:24
319 Lady in the Snow - 29:16
320 Lady with a Key - 29:16
321 Dark Voyage - 29:23
322 Murder in Mind - 29:24
323 Return with the Spray - 29:34
324 Gratitude - 26:03
325 Fatal Error - 29:28
326 Blue Alibi - 29:22
327 Blue Alibi - 25:44
328 The Return - 29:33
329 Whistler_50-06-04_ep418_Caesar's_Wife - 29:31
330 Rebound - 28:36
331 Jessica - 29:09
332 Manhunt - 29:26
333 Quiet Sunday - 29:25
334 Devoted Couple - 29:35
335 Attorney for the Defense - 29:45
336 Attorney for the Defense - 24:36
337 The Cliffs at Weyrum - 30:14
338 With My Own Eyes - 27:01
339 Double Exposure - 29:34
340 Finale - 29:22
341 Undercurrent - 30:17
342 Whirlwind - 30:16
343 Golden Penny - 30:07
344 Deadly Rumor - 29:36
345 That Hemsley Affair - 29:09
346 Dear Diary - 27:03
347 Fatal Action - 29:31
348 Fatal Action - 26:53
349 Smart Boy - 28:56
350 The Wall - 29:28
351 The Intruder - 29:30
352 Just Like a Man - 29:49
353 A Friendly Case of Blackmail aka Hit And Run - 29:45
354 Warm Reception - 29:14
355 Till Death Do Us Part - 29:25
356 The Lady With the Knife - 29:31
357 Clock on the Tower - 29:20
358 Flee from Evil - 29:27
359 Three Wise Guys - 29:23
360 The Big Jump - 29:32
361 Hit and Run - 29:58
362 The Little Things - 29:14
363 Treasure Hunt - 29:19
364 Trade Mark - 29:54
365 Murder over Burma - 29:46
366 Spell in Green - 29:13
367 Man in the Storm - 29:23
368 Murder Arrangement - 29:16
369 Helping Hand - 29:18
370 High Death - 26:35
371 Jackson Street Affair - 29:13
372 His Own Reward - 29:26
373 Man in a Corner - 29:00
374 Whistler_51-04-08_ep462_A_Trip_to_Aunt_Sarah's - 29:02
375 Triple Cross - 29:29
376 Kind Thought - 29:20
377 Clayton Affair - 29:24
378 Two and One Makes Murder - 28:23
379 A Matter of Courtesy - 28:58
380 Custom-Made Murder - 29:08
381 Seattle Take Three - 29:37
382 Tall Thin Man - 29:42
383 Law of Physics - 28:14
384 The Man in the Trench Coat - 29:38
385 Murder of Byron Blake - 29:20
386 The House on Hainsley Boulevard - 29:47
387 The Witness - 29:27
388 Autumn Song - 29:46
389 Danger Is a Beautiful Blond - 29:20
390 Design for Murder - 30:01
391 Fateful Reminder - 29:49
392 She Never Would Be Missed - 29:47
393 Public Hero - 29:45
394 Guilty Conscience - 29:31
395 A Matter of Patience - 29:40
396 Two Smart People - 29:48
397 Partners in Crime - 29:32
398 Alias Mister Alden - 29:39
399 Whistler_51-10-28_ep491_Doctor's_Wife - 29:48
400 Man on the Run - 29:54
401 Three Minus One Equals Murder - 29:53
402 The Clay Tree - 29:41
403 End of the Road - 29:52
404 The Other Hand - 29:49
405 Curiosity Killed the Cat - 29:46
406 Christmas Gift - 29:57
407 Fatal Step - 29:46
408 Episode at Thunder Mountain - 29:40
409 Bad Penny - 29:45
410 Borrowed Byline - 29:27
411 Borrowed Byline - 25:01
412 Shakedown - 29:47
413 Little Red Book - 29:43
414 Rose for Pamela - 29:19
415 A Matter of Time - 29:36
416 A Matter of Time - 30:18
417 Whirlpool - 29:50
418 Breakaway - 30:00
419 Marked Man - 29:58
420 Ski Master - 25:03
421 Homecoming - 29:31
422 Element X - 29:21
423 Saturday Night - 31:55
424 Lady In Waiting - 29:48
425 A Matter of Odds - 29:48
426 Determined Traveler - 29:22
427 Charming Hostess - 26:35
428 Man in the Way - 29:45
429 Last Message - 29:50
430 Night Flight - 29:47
431 Triple Play - 26:31
432 Whistler_52-07-27_ep530_You_Can't_Trust_a_Stranger - 29:44
433 Dark Island - 24:27
434 Final Papers - 24:08
435 The Secret of Chalk Point - 24:57
436 One Dark Night - 29:14
437 The Prosecutor - 30:10
438 The Calculator - 24:24
439 So Soon - 24:12
440 Christmas Bonus - 24:08
441 The Disappearing Woman - 25:12
442 Glass Dime - 26:21
443 Silver Service - 24:35
444 Death Claim - 24:16
445 Ticket to Nowhere - 23:30
446 Girl in Black - 21:50
447 Impulse - 23:37
448 Fading Star - 22:52
449 Perilous Meeting - 24:03
450 Lady on a Yacht - 24:18
451 Generous Host - 23:42
452 The Huntress - 23:55
453 Lonely Highway - 22:15
454 Fatal Fraud - 22:18
455 Whistler_54-01-24_ep606_Garvey's_Folly - 21:53
456 Dance Team - 23:39
457 Man from Calais - 22:09
458 Feature Story - 25:17
459 Hudson Bay Incident - 23:08
460 Escape to Doom - 24:57
461 Perilous Weekend - 22:37
462 Days Of Fear - 22:06
463 Spell in Green - 24:00
464 Gentlemen from Oxford - 24:36
465 She Wanted Too Much - 23:03
466 Whistler_54-05-23_ep623_The_Doll's_Name_Was_Suzy - 22:35
467 That Cutlerville Affair - 23:54
468 Round Trip Tickets - 22:21
469 Dark Pattern - 22:04
470 Whistler_54-07-18_ep631_Mister_Pettibone's_Last_Journey - 24:31
471 Anything for a Friend - 26:32
472 Borrowed Future - 25:28
473 Traveling Companion - 26:32
474 Quadrangle - 22:05
475 Song Team - 23:12
476 Stolen Letter - 24:57
477 Last Request - 30:17
478 The Prosecutor - 29:58
479 One Dark Night - 26:40
480 Whirlpool - 23:41
481 Element X - 21:11
482 Undercurrent - 23:43
483 Bright Boy - 24:33
484 The Alibi - 28:52
485 Seven Steps to Murder - 24:39
486 Backfire - 21:01
487 The Ambassador - 20:16
488 Incident at Chalk Point - 24:42
489 Letters from Aaron Burr - 24:25
490 The Lovely Look - 22:34
491 Night Melody - 23:23
492 A Case for Mister Carrington - 24:09
493 The First Year - 24:35
494 Whistler_55-06-09_ep678_A_Woman's_Privilege - 24:25
495 Lady in Waiting - 23:58
496 The Big Prison - 25:17
497 The Havana Lee - 21:38
498 Marked Man - 20:48
499 A Present for Ricky - 24:16
500 Little Red Book - 22:40
501 Design for Murder - 24:13
502 Whistler xx-xx-xx epxxx Kaleidoscope epAFRTS - 30:10
