The Line-Up is a hard-boiled police drama radio show that offers a realistic look into the daily lives and activities of policemen. Set in an unnamed city, the series begins with a police line up and revolves around the investigations of various cases, ranging from murders and kidnappings to thefts and obscene phone calls. While the cases are fictional, the show maintains a high level of realism akin to Dragnet, another popular police drama of the time. Each episode offers a mix of suspense, action, and humor as the police officers work relentlessly to solve the cases.

The Line-Up aired from July 6, 1950 to February 20, 1953 on CBS radio network. Bill Johnstone played the role of Lt. Ben Guthrie while Joseph Kearns and later Wally Maher portrayed Sgt. Matt Grebb. The show then transitioned to television, where it was set in San Francisco and aired from 1954 to 1960 with Warner Anderson as Guthrie. A film adaptation was also released in 1958, starring Anderson. The creators of the show often accompanied police on their jobs and sat in on line-ups to get ideas for the series, sometimes incorporating real stories alongside their fictional plots. The Line-Up was initially designed as a summer replacement for The FBI in Peace and War in 1950, but quickly gained its own popularity and time slot.

Sources: archive.org, otrcat.com