Premium Only Content

Rocky Jordan - 50-03-12 ep071-The White Beetle
The show was broadcast on CBS from October 31, 1948, to September 10, 1950, and then again from June 27, 1951, to August 22, 1951. The character of Rocky Jordan had been introduced to listeners in a similar show called A Man Named Jordan that was broadcast from 1945 to 1947 on the CBS West Coast network, but set in Istanbul, rather than Cairo.
In February 1951, it was announced CBS was in discussions to make a TV series based on the show starring George Raft made by Raft's company. However this never happened.
Cast
The two lead roles were those of Rocky Jordan and Captain Sam Sabaaya of the Cairo Police. For most of the show's history Jordan was played by veteran radio actor Jack Moyles, but he was later replaced by a movie star, George Raft, for the brief 1951 run.
Jay Novello played Sabaaya throughout the entire series. Other roles were played by members of Hollywood's Radio Row, and the announcer was Larry Thor.
Characters
Rocky Jordan
Rocky Jordan (Jack Moyles/George Raft) is the proprietor of the Café Tambourine, which is located, according to the announcer, "not far from the Mosque Sultan Hassan," though he is originally from St. Louis. During the course of the series, it is revealed that Rocky previously ran a Café Tambourine not only in Istanbul (known from the previous series, "A Man Named Jordan") but also in San Francisco and other locales.
As an American restaurateur in a North African country, Jordan is somewhat similar to the Rick Blaine character in the film Casablanca, though the Café Tambourine is apparently a much less salubrious venue than Rick's Bar. The announcer describes it as being "Crowded with forgotten men, and alive with the babble of many languages". Each episode sees Jordan confronted with a "crime, a mystery, a beautiful woman, or a combination of the three".
Precisely why Jordan is now in Egypt rather than Istanbul (as in the previous series) is never mentioned and the reason for being unable to return home to the United States is deliberately left vague, though it is hinted at throughout the course of the series that some occurrence in St. Louis prevents him from doing so.
Sam Sabaaya
Sam Sabaaya (Jay Novello) is the police captain who apprehends the criminals at the end of each adventure.] Sabaaya is portrayed as a diligent and competent policeman, usually as Jordan's friend and ally but sometimes as his foil. He is an Egyptian Muslim, is married, and has four children.
Other characters
Two further characters appear in some but not all episodes, Chris (voiced in most episodes by Lawrence Dobkin) and Sergeant Greco (Lou Krugman). Chris is the bartender at the Café Tambourine, while Greco is one of Sabaaya's underlings. Greco has a particular dislike of Jordan, and invariably tries to make his life difficult, often by arresting him as the chief suspect in whatever crime Jordan is trying to solve. He's also ambitious and eager for promotion.
Style
A deliberately Eastern feel was created by careful use of music and sound effects, and the writers Larry Roman and Gomer Cool took care that the characters used the names of real streets in Cairo. Much of the information the writers used for this came from a book called the Pocket Guide to Egypt that the US Army had produced for servicemen sent there during the War. The Oriental-sounding music composed for the show by Richard Aurandt is considered to be of exceptional quality.
-
LIVE
Russell Brand
1 hour agoTommy Robinson: Silenced – Watch With Us - SF604
16,821 watching -
LIVE
Dr Disrespect
2 hours agođź”´LIVE - DR DISRESPECT - WARZONE VERDANSK - EXTREME CHALLENGES
3,573 watching -
LIVE
Sean Unpaved
1 hour agoUnder the Helmet: Uncovering NFL Collusion
113 watching -
LIVE
RalliedLIVE
34 minutes agoSHOTTY BOYS VS WARZONE
418 watching -
1:03:53
Timcast
2 hours agoDemocrat Party IN CHAOS As Communist Win BACKFIRES, NYC Market TANKING
167K52 -
2:02:32
Steven Crowder
4 hours agođź”´Daddy's Home: Trump's NATO Dominance is Breaking Brains Worldwide
350K186 -
LIVE
Viss
2 hours agođź”´LIVE - Teaching You Tactics to Improve Your Battle Royale Skills! - PUBG
99 watching -
LIVE
Side Scrollers Podcast
2 hours agoPirateSoftware Situation, Twitch BANS mang0, “White Man Bad” CRASH OUT | Side Scrollers Live
456 watching -
39:25
Stephen Gardner
20 hours ago🔥Biden Aid CONFESSES to Congress + Joe Rogan HUMILIATES Bernie Sanders!
16.7K43 -
LIVE
Major League Fishing
2 days agoLIVE! - Bass Pro Tour: Stage 6 - Day 1
236 watching