Philo Vance is a fictional detective created by S.S. Van Dine in the 1920s and featured in crime novels, films, and radio shows. The radio series aired in the mid-20th century with José Ferrer initially portraying the character in 1945, followed by John Emery in 1946, and finally Jackson Beck from 1948 to 1950. Joan Alexander played Ellen Deering, Vance's secretary and right-hand woman. In contrast to the original novels, radio's Philo Vance is a more approachable and courteous gumshoe, using his intellect to solve crimes in a similar vein as Sherlock Holmes. Despite being a "soft-boiled" detective, Philo Vance remains a popular character in old-time radio.