OLD TIME RADIO - CRIME DRAMA   "Radio's Outstanding Theater of Thrills" enjoyed a twenty-year run on CBS, starting in 1942. Plays included adaptations of short stories and original scripts, mostly dark melodramas set in modern-day America. Along with "The Whistler" and "The Mysterious Traveler," it was the best of what could be called "radio noir." While the writing was uneven, the series boasted plenty of star power and fine performances. Neither the best nor the worst, the 20 half-hour programs in this anthology are typical of the program's first decade. Except for the sound quality, there's nothing dated in even the lesser selections. Only the musical punctuation, provided by a sizable ensemble, is at times over the top. These shows still pack a lot of punch. Y.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine