Rex Stout's armchair detective, Nero Wolfe, returned to radio in 1950 with a series of New Adventures that aired on NBC radio. Film star Sydney Greenstreet ("Casablanca", "The Maltese Falcon") was cast as Wolfe, with a number of actors filling the role of Wolfe's associate, Archie Goodwin.
Aside from solving murders, Wolfe had two passions in life--beer and orchids. On the other hand, he wasn't exactly in prime physical condition, such that he had Goodwin doing his legwork for him, and rarely went into the field himself.
On a lark, I acquired a 4-CD collection of the series not long ago. One disc is playing as I write. For now, though, let's take a trip to October 1950, and "The Case of the Care Worn Cuff":
Rex Stout had written 33 Nero Wolfe novels, but one wonders what he'd think if someone wanted to acquire the rights to the character today.
Rating: A-.
Stout reportedly hated the first attempts to put Wolfe on film and refused movie/TV rights for the rest of his long life. The A&E series from several years ago is pretty good and admirable for sticking to Stout's premise that Wolfe and Archie stay the same age no matter when the story is set. The few Wolfe novels I've read are pretty good, too.
ReplyDeleteI had read of Stout's dislike for movies & television in the "liner notes" in the CD set I have. Maybe someone should've asked him if he'd be interested in making those movies himself......
ReplyDeleteRex Stout had no interest in watching movies, let alone making them.
ReplyDeleteIn his later years, he only got a TV set when his health precluded him from attending baseball games in person.
After his death, Stout's daughters were more open to Hollywood overtures - thus the several Wolfe appearances on TV in recent years.
Hmmmm, that does explain a few things. Thank you, Mike.
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