Original music by Frank De Vol included the theme for the first and second seasons. The third season featured a jazz score by Pete Rugolo, including a new theme. The final theme was by Richard Shores. At one point during the three-year run, the show's setting was moved from New York City to Los Angeles.
Richard Diamond, Private Detective was a detective drama which was on radiofrom 1949 to 1953 and on television from 1957 to 1960
Here is a sample of the online episodes currently available at
The Old Time Radio FanDick Powell starred in the Richard Diamond, Private Detective radio series as a rather light-hearted detective who often ended the episodes singing to his girlfriend, Helen. It began on NBC April 24, 1949, picked up Rexall as a sponsor April 5, 1950, and continued until December 6, 1950. The shows were written by Blake Edwards.
With Camel as a sponsor, it moved to ABC from January 5, 1951, to June 29, 1951, with Rexall returning for a run from October 5, 1951, until June 27, 1952.
Substituting for Amos 'n' Andy, it aired Sunday evenings on CBS from May 31, 1953 until September 20, 1953.
Because Dick Powell was known for musical comedies prior to his appearance as Philip Marlowe in Raymond Chandler's Murder, My Sweet (1944) and because he was a detective who sang in Richard Diamond, Private Eye, some regard this radio series as an influence on the character of Philip E. Marlow (Michael Gambon) in Dennis Potter's Chandleresque The Singing Detective (1986).
Richard Diamond, Private Detective television
David Janssen as Richard Diamond
4 seasons (77 episodes, 1957-1960)
30 min/black & whiteRichard Diamond is an ex-New York City policeman who quit the force to become a private detective who walks the mean streets of New York, then later packs up and moves to Los Angeles, where he tools around in a convertible with a car phone. His sexy receptionist Sam, whose face we never see, minds the office, while Diamond solves his cases.
His friend, Lieutenant McGough, was also good for information on the case he was working on. In February 1959, Diamond moved to Hollywood and found a girlfriend, Karen Wells. He also acquired an answering service where
"Sam" took his messages. His secretary Sam was shown only from the waist down to display her beautiful legs. Initially, these were the legs of Mary Tyler Moore, but later, the legs of other actresses were seen.Powell's company, Four Star Television, produced the TV series, which premiered on CBS but was later telecast on NBC.
