form y separately published work icon The Van Smeeton Case single work   radio play   crime  
Note: Probably by Ron Ingleby, but not confirmed,
Issue Details: First known date: 1950... 1950 The Van Smeeton Case
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'“THIS is Miss Van Smeeton speaking” are the words that usher in one of Larry Kent’s strangest cases. Kent is the private detective with a weakness for pretty girls who comes from the United States to Australia to fight crime.

'Mrs. Van Smeeton is a wealthy Sydney resident who owns the fabulous Eastern Star —a diamond neck lace worth £150,000. Larry is engaged to protect it when Mrs. Van Smeeton wears it to a ball she is giving in her North Shore home. His devotion to duty is somewhat strained by the presence of his employer’s lovely niece. Nevertheless, he recognises among the guests a confidence man well known to the police.

'He is consequently not surprised when the lights of the house go out and the necklace is stolen, although it is not found in the possession of the crook or any of the other guests. He is profoundly shocked, however, when on arriving home he finds the necklace in his pocket.'

Source: 'Commercial Radio Plays of the Week', ABC Weekly, 15 April 1950, p.27.

Production Details

  • Produced on 2UE on Wednesday 19 April 1950, from 8:30pm.

    Cast: Ken Wayne (Larry Kent), with Dinah Shearing, Alan White, Harry Howlett, Dennis Glenny, and Norton Howarth.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • Sydney, New South Wales,: 2UE , 1950 .
      Series: form y separately published work icon I Hate Crime Larry Kent : I Hate Crime; Rola Show : Larry Kent Ron Ingleby , Sydney : Macquarie Network Radio 2UE Sydney Ltd , Z1750974 1949 series - publisher radio play detective

      'Larry Kent is a crime investigator. As a newspaperman in New York, he becomes interested in crime detection and sets up in business in Australia. He has a nose for danger and a habit of playing hunches. A light touch to offset the serious theme of the plays is his eye for a pretty figure, and a favourite occupation of, as he puts it, "Watching the blondes go by" (Australian Radio Series 1930s - 1970s, p.99)

Last amended 14 Jul 2020 11:03:22
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  • North Sydney, North Sydney - Lane Cove area, Sydney Northern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales,
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