“Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” – that was both the title and the closing phrase of each episode of this well-loved crime drama, which aired on CBS for over 800 episodes and 13 years. The setup was always a big insurance settlement that will have to be shelled out… unless “America’s fabulous freelance insurance investigator” can crack the case open – which he invariable does.

Project Audion’s transcribed-live episode recreates the fourth-ever show from March 11, 1949, before the more-familiar cliches of the series took over.

Charles Russell played Johnny Dollar 73 years ago, but OUR transcontinental cast includes:

JOHNNY DOLLAR: Kim Titus, TX

ANNOUNCER: Geoffrey Mark, CA

LOUISA PEPPER: Jan Welch, NC

MYRTLE PEPPER: Rhiannon McAfee, CA

SHANTY BRENNAN: Greg McAfee, CA

CARTER LACEY: Tom Konkle, CA

It was directed by Joe Mendell from England, and Production was by Larry Groebe in Dallas Texas