Joshua Sharp
Created by Peter Berry?

"The Big Guy" was an unusual private investigator: a gentle giant and single parent of two adorable offspring. He got his nickname from his kids; his real name was JOSHUA SHARP and he was played on this NBC series by John Henry Calvin.

Josh Jr. and Debbie were, respectively, the voices of David Anderson and Denise Alexander. A group of familiar West Coast actors filled out the cast, including Bill Zuckert, Joseph Bell, and Linda Watkins.

Sharp took any case for the right fee and solved it with dispatch. His children occasionaly got him involved in cases he didn't choose. In fact, although the kids occasionally seemed to grab more mike time than one might hope for in a private eye series, they didn't really slow down the action much.

Unfortunately, the show didn't catch on with the listening public; it debuted in May 1950 and was pulled off the air by October. The writing may have been part of the problem; scripter Peter Berry occasionally referred to a "burglary" as a "robbery."

A total of three episodes have survived, including the first show and the last one.

RADIO

• THE BIG GUY
  (1950, NBC)
  First broadcast February 6, 1950
  Last broadcast April 1952
  Written by Peter Berry
  Starring John Henry Calvin as JOSHUA SHARP
  With David Anderson as Josh Jr.
  and Denise Alexander as Debbie
  Also starring Bill Zuckert, Joseph Bell, Linda Watkins

Contributed by Jack French.