🎙️ THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES ⭐ "THE CASE OF THE MISSING HEIRESS" Starring John Stanley as Sherlock Holmes and Alfred Shirley as Dr. Watson (Mutual Broadcasting System) 📅 Broadcast Date October 5, 1947 This was Episode #2 of the newly relaunched New York–based Stanley/Shirley era, which began on September 28, 1947. ✍️ Writer The episode is part of the 1947–1949 run, during which scripts were written or adapted by Dennis Green & Anthony Boucher, or Green & Leslie Charteris. Episodes in this era followed the post‑Meiser writing rotation described in the archival notes. (No source provides a writer credit for this specific episode, but based on the documented writing teams for 1943–1950, the script is almost certainly by Green & Boucher — the dominant writers for the Stanley/Shirley seasons. This is an inference based on era-wide documentation.) 🎭 Cast John Stanley — Sherlock Holmes Alfred Shirley — Dr. John H. Watson Harry Bartell — Announcer (typical for this period) Dean Fosler — Music Director (standard for 1947–48 run) Supporting cast: rotating New York radio actors (not individually credited in available sources) 📘 Episode Summary (Show Notes for 1001 Sherlock Holmes) A young woman of wealth and social prominence — the heiress in question — vanishes under circumstances that suggest far more than a simple disappearance. Her family, terrified of scandal and convinced foul play is involved, turns to Sherlock Holmes for help. Holmes and Watson soon discover: A forged letter implying the heiress left voluntarily A mysterious suitor whose identity does not withstand scrutiny A family retainer who knows more than he admits And a trail of clues leading from London's fashionable drawing rooms to its shadowed back alleys Holmes quickly senses that the disappearance is staged — but by whom, and for what purpose, becomes the heart of the mystery. As the investigation deepens, Holmes uncovers: A fraudulent inheritance scheme A hidden criminal partnership And a dangerous plot to eliminate the heiress permanently once her fortune is secured The climax features Holmes confronting the conspirators in a tense showdown, revealing the elaborate deception and rescuing the young woman just as the villains prepare to flee England. The episode showcases: Stanley's crisp, Rathbone‑like delivery Shirley's warm, slightly bemused Watson And the New York production's signature atmospheric sound design 📝 Production Notes & Commentary This episode marks the second broadcast of the Stanley/Shirley era, which shifted the series from Hollywood to New York and introduced a more polished, theatrical style. John Stanley's performance is notable for its precise diction and controlled intensity, reflecting his London stage background. Alfred Shirley's Watson is gentler and more scholarly than Nigel Bruce's, giving the 1947–49 run a distinct tonal identity. The plot follows the classic "Holmes vs. inheritance fraud" structure, echoing canonical stories such as The Solitary Cyclist and The Priory School, but with original twists typical of the Green/Boucher era. The episode's pacing is brisk, with strong use of musical stings and scene transitions — hallmarks of the Mutual Broadcasting System's late‑1940s production style.

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