Gang Busters was an American dramatic radio program heralded as "the only national program that brings you authentic police case histories." It premiered as G-Men, sponsored by Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

, on July 20, 1935.
After the title was changed to Gang Busters January 15, 1936, the show had a 21-year run through November 20, 1957. Beginning with a barrage of loud sound effects – a shrill police whistle, convicts marching in formation, police siren wailing, machine guns firing, and tires squealing – this intrusive introduction led to the popular catchphrase "came on like Gang Busters" – followed by a voice over a megaphone or loudspeaker announcing the title of that night's program: "Tonight, Gangbusters presents the Case of the —" and ending with more blasts from a police whistle.

The series dramatized FBI cases, which producer-director Phillips H. Lord

Phillips Lord

Phillips Haynes Lord was an American radio program writer, creator, producer and narrator as well as a motion picture actor, best known for the Gang Busters radio program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1957.-Early life:...

 arranged in close association with Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover

J. Edgar Hoover

John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...

.