Mr Chameleon

Mr. Chameleon is a CBS radio drama series created by Frank and Anne Hummert and produced by the Hummert Radio Factory. It ran on CBS from July 14, 1948, to 1951 or 1953.

The series starred Karl Swenson as a master of disguise who assumes a new identity in each episode in order to catch a criminal. The listening audience is always aware of who Mr. Chameleon is, no matter in which disguise he appears. According to the series’ opening, “Chameleon” is not a nickname or alias but the character’s actual surname, one which he has used since childhood. His motto is, “The innocent must be protected and the guilty must be punished.” The opening begins as follows:

"Born of a well-to-do famly, a college man, he tried from childhood to live up to the name he bore - Chameleon - by taking on the color of whatever situation in which he found himself, appearing in endless guises, finally entering the police force, where he became known as Chameleon - the man of many faces, and the underworld's most dreaded man. The listener invariably knows who Mr Chameleon is, no matter which disguise he assumes, but the criminal he is striking down, seldom does."

Mr. Chameleon was broadcast initially on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, replacing The Goldbergs. Sponsors of the program included Bayer Aspirin and others.

The Stars

Karl Swenson starred as the title character, Mr. Chameleon, a master of disguise who solves crimes by assuming different identities. Swenson was a prolific character actor who also played the role of Mr. Hanson on the television series Little House on the Prairie.

Frank Butler portrayed Dave Arnold, Mr. Chameleon’s police sergeant assistant.

Richard Keith was heard as the police commissioner.

The announcers were Roger Krupp and Howard Claney.

The program was directed by Richard Leonard and written by Marie Baumer.

The Victor Arden orchestra provided music and the theme tune was Masquerade.

Key Dates

• Mr. Chameleon debuted on CBS on July 14, 1948.
• The final episode was aired August 7th, 1953.

Other Information

The premiere episode of Mr. Chameleon, titled “The Dead Woman’s Eyes,” received positive reviews, with a trade publication stating that the cast “turns in graphic characterizations” and rating the overall production quality as “Grade A throughout.” However, the series received more mixed reviews as it progressed, with one reviewer describing it as “actually nothing but a night time soap opera in the camouflage of a weekly mystery series.”

Despite the mixed critical reception, Mr. Chameleon was often among radio’s highest-rated programs during its run. The series was sponsored by Bayer Aspirin and other sponsors. While the exact number of episodes produced is unclear, it appears that over 80 episodes were broadcast during the show’s five year run, of which we have 20 available on RUSC.

Mr. Chameleon was part of the extensive Hummert Radio Factory collection, which also included other popular radio series such as Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, Betty and Bob, Front Page Farrell, Ma Perkins, Just Plain Bill, and Stella Dallas. The Hummerts, known as the “parents of soap opera were known for their prolific output of radio dramas and soap operas during the golden age of radio.