THE GREEN HORNET

The Green Hornet is an American radio adventure series created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker with input from radio director James Jewell. The series detailed the adventures of Britt Reid, debonair newspaper publisher by day, crime-fighting masked hero at night. Distinguished by its use of classical music for themes and for bridges between scenes, The Green Hornet was "one of radio's best-known and most distinctive juvenile adventure shows."

Though various incarnations sometimes changed details, in most versions the Green Hornet is the alter ego of Britt Reid, wealthy young publisher of the Daily Sentinel newspaper by day, who goes out in his masked "Green Hornet" identity at night to fight crime as a vigilante. Reid is accompanied by his loyal and similarly masked partner and confidant, Kato, who drives their technologically advanced car, the "Black Beauty." As the Green Hornet, Reid masquerades as a criminal to infiltrate the underworld, leaving behind criminals and any incriminating evidence to be found by the police.

The series originated on January 31, 1936, on WXYZ, the same local Detroit station that originated its companion shows "The Lone Ranger" and "Challenge of the Yukon." Beginning April 12, 1938, the station supplied the series to the Mutual Broadcasting System radio network, and then to NBC Blue and its successors, the Blue Network and ABC Network, from November 16, 1939, through September 8, 1950. Orange Crush sponsored its return in 1952 for a brief run from September 10 to December 5 of that year.