
John Prentice cover for DC Comics' ''Gang Busters'' 47 (August-September 1955)
'''Gang Busters''' was an American dramatic
radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as '''G-Men''', sponsored by
Chevrolet, on
July 20,
1935.
After the title was changed to ''Gang Busters''
January 15,
1936, the show had a 21-year run through
November 20,
1957. Beginning with a barrage of loud
sound effects — guns firing and tires squealing — this intrusive introduction led to the popular
catch phrase "came on like ''Gang Busters''."
The series dramatized FBI cases, which producer-director Phillips H. Lord arranged in close association with Bureau director
J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover insisted that only closed cases would be used.
The initial series was on
NBC Radio from
July 20 -
October 12, 1935. It then aired on
CBS from
January 15, 1936 to
June 15,
1940, sponsored by
Colgate-Palmolive and ''Cue'' magazine. From
October 11, 1940 to
December 25,
1948, it was heard on the
Blue Network, with various sponsors that included
Sloan's Liniment,
Waterman pens and
Tide. Returning to CBS on
January 8,
1949, it ran until
June 25,
1955, sponsored by
Grape-Nuts and
Wrigley's chewing gum. The final series was on the
Mutual Broadcasting System from
October 5, 1955 to
November 27,
1957. It was once narrated by
Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr., former head of the
New Jersey State Police.
The radio series was adapted for
DC Comics,
Big Little Books and a 1942
movie serial. The 1952 ''Gang Busters'' TV series was reedited into two feature films, ''Gang Busters'' (1954) and ''Guns Don't Argue'' (1957).
Reference
★
Radio Lovers: ''Gang Busters'' (20 episodes)
★
Grams, Jr., Martin. ''Gang Busters: The Crime Fighters of American Broadcasting''. OTR Publishing, 2004. (excerpt)
External links
★
''Gang Busters'' Step In