"When your job is to walk into the darkness and discover what makes a city tick, you pick up some mighty strange friends; the winos dreaming of a Muscatell paradise in cold dark doorways, the petty larceny boys with their fast deals, the painted little dames defying the world with their brassy laughter, the homeless...the hopeless.
In the city, night is for the lost..."
In the city, night is for the lost..."
The above words are representative of the intros of the captivating radio drama Night Beat; terse, worldly, and more than a little bit cynical. They're spoken by Randy Stone, reporter for the fictional Chicago Star...brought to life in over a hundred crisp and atmospheric radio episodes. Stone was played by the spartan noir veteran Frank Lovejoy, most famous for his role in the film version of I was a Communist for the FBI. Lovejoy was perfect as a hard boiled reporter; even in casual conversation, Lovejoy sounds as if he's in an interrogation room with a bright white light behind him. He can be brutally sharp sometimes...there's something in his voice that digs into one's guts.
Randy Stone covered the titular night beat on the rough streets of 1940's/50's Chicago. He seemed, though cast in the role of an observer, very much a part of the dark and seedy environment he roamed; he was dry and jaded, and he comes across as if there isn't any kind of human degradation the he hasn't witnessed. In spite of that, Stone also has a deep humanity, which is the thing that divides him from the savagery of the people he encounters in every show. Frank Lovejoy pulls that balance off very well; he was the kind of guy who seemed to have a little of both in him, which showed throughout his acting life.
Randy Stone covered the titular night beat on the rough streets of 1940's/50's Chicago. He seemed, though cast in the role of an observer, very much a part of the dark and seedy environment he roamed; he was dry and jaded, and he comes across as if there isn't any kind of human degradation the he hasn't witnessed. In spite of that, Stone also has a deep humanity, which is the thing that divides him from the savagery of the people he encounters in every show. Frank Lovejoy pulls that balance off very well; he was the kind of guy who seemed to have a little of both in him, which showed throughout his acting life.
Beside a solid film career, with roles as varied as Humphrey Bogart's suspenseful classic, In a Lonely Place, war films, such as the fantastic Retreat, Hell!, Force of Arms, and Beachhead, to westerns, like Cole Younger, Gunfighter, and Charge at Feather River, Lovejoy also had a varied presence on television. He put his acting skills to work on a number of great shows, from the central role on the very good Night beat-style program Meet McGraw, and a recurring part on the series Man Against Crime (also known as Follow That Man). Anthology shows were also a hefty chunk of his paycheck; he showed up on dozens of them, from The Zane Grey Theater, to Climax!, and such varied spots as The Loretta Young Show and Playhouse 90.
To me, Frank Lovejoy did his best work on radio; the force he lent to Night Beat and his other legendary show, Gangbusters, made them two of the best dramas ever broadcast. Nigh Beat is amazing; If you've never listened to it, you're in for a treat!
Download Night Beat - The Night is a Weapon HERE
To me, Frank Lovejoy did his best work on radio; the force he lent to Night Beat and his other legendary show, Gangbusters, made them two of the best dramas ever broadcast. Nigh Beat is amazing; If you've never listened to it, you're in for a treat!
Download Night Beat - The Night is a Weapon HERE
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