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Dragnet

1950s radio detective show
from archive.org

Dragnet, the brainchild of Jack Webb, may very well be the most well-remembered, and the best, radio police drama series. From September, 1949 through February 1957, Dragnet's 30 minute shows, broadcast on NBC, brought to radio true police stories in a low-key, documentary style.

The origins of Dragnet can be traced to a semi-documentary film, "He Walked by Night" from 1948, in which Webb had a small role. Both employed the same Los Angeles Police Department technical adviser, used actual police cases and presented the case in "just the facts" manner that became a hallmark of Dragnet. It is interesting to note that Webb employed that format in other radio series, some pre-dating the film mentioned above.

Dragnet was a long running radio and television police procedural drama, about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a Dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in American media history. The series gave millions of Americans a feel for the boredom and drudgery, as well as the danger and heroism, of real life police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.

Actor and producer Jack Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting. He achieved both goals and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The shows cultural impact is demonstrated by the fact that even after five decades, elements of Dragnet are known to those who have never heard nor seen the program. The ominous four note introduction to the brass and tympani theme music, titled Danger Ahead, is instantly recognizable as well as the shows opening narration:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent."


The original Dragnet starring Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday ran on radio from June 3rd, 1949 to February 26th, 1957; and on television from December 16th, 1951 to August 23rd, 1959, and from January 12th, 1967 to April 16th, 1970. All of these versions ran on NBC. There were two Dragnet feature films, a straight adaptation starring Jack Webb in 1954, and a comedy spoof in 1987. There were also television revivals, without Webb, in 1989 and 2003.

Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program's format and eventually became comfortable with their characters. Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor. Gradually, Friday's deadpanned, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop's cop: tough, but not hard; conservative, but caring". Friday's first partner was Sergeant Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a long time radio actor

When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio's top rated shows. Webb insisted on realism in every aspect of the show. The dialogue was clipped, understated, and sparse -- influenced by the hard-boiled school of crime fiction. Scripts were fast moving, but didn't seem rushed. Every aspect of police work was chronicled, step-by-step. From patrols and paperwork, to crime scene investigation, lab work and questioning witnesses or suspects. Webb was a stickler for accurate details, and Dragnet used many authentic touches, such as LAPD's actual radio call sign, KMA-367, and the names of many real department officials, such as Ray Pinker and Lee Jones of the Crime Lab, or Chief of Detectives, Thad Brown.

Two announcers were used. Episodes began with announcer George Fennemen intoning the series opening:

"The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent."

Hal Gibney described the basic premise of the episode. For example, "Big Saint", from April 26th, 1951, begins with:

"You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to auto theft detail. A well organized ring of car thieves begins operations in your city. It's one of the most puzzling cases you've ever encountered. Your job -- break it."

The story usually began with footsteps and a door closing, followed by Joe Friday intoning something like:

"Tuesday, February 12th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Robbery Division. My partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrom, Chief of Detectives. My name's Friday."


Friday offered voice-over narration throughout the episodes, noting the time, date, and place of every scene as he and his partners went through their day investigating the crime. The events related in a given episode might occur in a few hours or might span a few months. At least one episode unfolded in real time, in "City Hall Bombing", from July 21st, 1949. Friday and Romero had less than 30 minutes to stop a man who was threatening to destroy the City Hall with a bomb. At the end of an episode, announcer Hal Gibney would relate the fate of the suspect. They were usually convicted of a crime, and sent to the state penitentiary or a state mental hospital. Murderers were often executed in the manner proscribed by law. Occasionally, police pursued the wrong suspect, and criminals sometimes avoided justice, or escaped, at least on the radio version of Dragnet.

Scripts tackled a number of topics, ranging from the thrilling (murders, missing persons, and armed robbery) to the mundane (check fraud and shoplifting) -- yet, Dragnet made them all interesting due to the fast moving plots and behind the scenes realism. In "The Garbage Chute", from December 15th, 1949, they even had a locked-room mystery. Though rather tame by modern standards, Dragnet, especially on the radio, handled controversial subjects, such as sex crimes and drug addiction, with unprecedented and even startling realism. The tone was usually serious, but there were moments of comic relief. Romero was something of a hypochondriac, and often seemed hen-pecked. Though Friday dated women, he usually dodged those who tried to set him up with marriage-minded dates.

Due in part to Webb's fondness for radio drama, Dragnet persisted on radio until 1957, as one of the last old time radio shows to give way to television's increasing popularity. In fact, the TV show would prove to be effectively a visual version of the radio show, as the style was virtually the same. The TV show could be listened to, without watching it, with no loss of understanding of the storyline.

NOTE: Updated Release! Version 3: Added numerous sound upgrades and alternative (AFRS or sponsored) versions of episodes (01-May-2013).

NOTE: Updated Release! Version 2.1: Added ARFS version of episode 194 "The Big Laugh", and removed erroneous episode 93 "The Big Trunk" and 94 "The Big Lover" (28-Nov-2009).

NOTE: Updated Release! Fixed Episode 301 "The Big Siege", added some AFRS episodes, and about a dozen other miscellaneous changes(19-Nov-2009).


From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. See "Note" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

  1. Production 2 aka Homicide aka The Nickel Plated Gun (unknown file size)
  2. Production 3 aka The Werewolf (unknown file size)
  3. Production 4 aka Homicide aka Quick Trigger Gun Men (unknown file size)
  4. The Helen Corday Murder (unknown file size)
  5. Red Light Bandit (27.1Mb)
  6. Attempted City Hall Bombing (unknown file size)
  7. Missing Persons - Juanita Lasky (27.4Mb)
  8. Benny Trounsel - Narcotics (unknown file size)
  9. Production 10 aka Homicide aka Maniac Murderer aka Mad Killer At Large (27.4Mb)
  10. Production 11 aka Sixteen Jewel Thieves (27.2Mb)
  11. Police Academy - Mario Koski (unknown file size)
  12. Dragnet_49-09-01_013_Auto_Burglaries_-_Myra,_the_Redhead (unknown file size)
  13. Eric Kelby - Body Buried In Nursery (unknown file size)
  14. Sullivan Kidnapping (unknown file size)
  15. James Vickers - Cop Killing - Tunnel Chase (unknown file size)
  16. Brick-Bat Slayer (unknown file size)
  17. Truck Hi-jackers - Tom Laval (16.8Mb)
  18. Dragnet_49-11-24_026_Mrs._Rinard,_Albert_Barry_-_Mother-In-Law_Murder (unknown file size)
  19. Spring Street Gang - Juveniles (unknown file size)
  20. George Quan - The Jade Thumb Rings (6.7Mb)
  21. 22 Rifle for Christmas (unknown file size)
  22. The Roseland Roof Murders (unknown file size)
  23. Max Tyler - Escaped Convict (unknown file size)
  24. The Big Man Part 1 (Narcotics) (unknown file size)
  25. The Big Man Part 2 (Narcotics) (unknown file size)
  26. Dragnet_50-02-02_035_Claude_Jimmerson,_Child_Killer (unknown file size)
  27. The Big Girl (16.8Mb)
  28. The Big Grifter (unknown file size)
  29. The Big Kill (26.9Mb)
  30. The Big Thank You (unknown file size)
  31. The Big Boys (unknown file size)
  32. The Big Gangster Part 1 (27.4Mb)
  33. The Big Gangster Part 2 (unknown file size)
  34. The Big Book (28.2Mb)
  35. The Big Watch (unknown file size)
  36. The Big Trial (unknown file size)
  37. The Big Job (16.8Mb)
  38. The Big Badge (16.8Mb)
  39. The Big Knife (unknown file size)
  40. The Big Pug (unknown file size)
  41. The Big Key (6.8Mb)
  42. The Big Fake (unknown file size)
  43. Dragnet_50-06-08_052_Big_Smart_Guy_AFRS#46 (unknown file size)
  44. The Big Smart Guy (unknown file size)
  45. The Big Press (unknown file size)
  46. Dragnet_50-06-22_054_Big_Mink_AFRS#48 (unknown file size)
  47. The Big Mink (unknown file size)
  48. The Big Grab (unknown file size)
  49. The Big Frame (unknown file size)
  50. The Big Bomb (unknown file size)
  51. The Big Gent Part 1 (unknown file size)
  52. The Big Gent Part 2 (16.8Mb)
  53. The Big Dare (unknown file size)
  54. The Big Actor (unknown file size)
  55. The Big Youngster (16.8Mb)
  56. The Big Chance (unknown file size)
  57. The Big Check (unknown file size)
  58. The Big Poison (unknown file size)
  59. The Big Make (unknown file size)
  60. The Big Pair (unknown file size)
  61. The Big Death (unknown file size)
  62. The Big 38 (unknown file size)
  63. The Big Quack (unknown file size)
  64. The Big Grandma (unknown file size)
  65. The Big Meet (unknown file size)
  66. The Big Church (unknown file size)
  67. The Big Mother (unknown file size)
  68. The Big Parrot (16.8Mb)
  69. The Big Betty (unknown file size)
  70. The Big Car (unknown file size)
  71. The Big Picture (unknown file size)
  72. The Big Break (unknown file size)
  73. 22 Rifle for Christmas (unknown file size)
  74. The Big Family (unknown file size)
  75. The Big Holdup (13.9Mb)
  76. The Big Jump (unknown file size)
  77. The Big Dance (unknown file size)
  78. The Big Tomato (unknown file size)
  79. The Big Children (unknown file size)
  80. The Big Cast (unknown file size)
  81. The Big Crime (unknown file size)
  82. The Big Couple (27.2Mb)
  83. The Big Partner (unknown file size)
  84. The Big New Years (unknown file size)
  85. The Big Ben (6Mb)
  86. The Big Friend (26.9Mb)
  87. The Big Threat (unknown file size)
  88. The Big Speech (27.1Mb)
  89. The Big Saint (unknown file size)
  90. The Big Casing (unknown file size)
  91. The Big Drills (unknown file size)
  92. The Big Blast (unknown file size)
  93. The Big Mailman (unknown file size)
  94. The Big Bindle (unknown file size)
  95. The Big Imposter (unknown file size)
  96. The Big Building (unknown file size)
  97. The Big Run (unknown file size)
  98. The Big Cliff (unknown file size)
  99. The Big Love (unknown file size)
  100. The Big Set-Up (unknown file size)
  101. The Big Sophomore (unknown file size)
  102. The Big Late Script (unknown file size)
  103. The Big Screen (unknown file size)
  104. The Big Winchester (unknown file size)
  105. The Big In-Laws (unknown file size)
  106. The Big Crazy (unknown file size)
  107. The Big 17 (unknown file size)
  108. The Big Waiter (unknown file size)
  109. The Big Sour (unknown file size)
  110. The Big September Man (unknown file size)
  111. The Big Want Ad (unknown file size)
  112. The Big Shoplift (27Mb)
  113. The Big Story Man (unknown file size)
  114. The Big Market (24.2Mb)
  115. The Big Lease (27Mb)
  116. The Big Hit and Run Killer (unknown file size)
  117. The Big Bungalow (unknown file size)
  118. The Big Hands (unknown file size)
  119. The Big Affair (6.9Mb)
  120. The Big Canaries (unknown file size)
  121. The Big Overtime (unknown file size)
  122. 22 Rifle for Christmas (unknown file size)
  123. The Big Sorrow (unknown file size)
  124. The Big Red Part 1 (unknown file size)
  125. The Big Red Part 2 (unknown file size)
  126. The Big Juvenile Division (unknown file size)
  127. The Big Almost No Show (unknown file size)
  128. The Big Honeymoon (26.9Mb)
  129. The Big Phone Call (27.1Mb)
  130. The Big Producer (unknown file size)
  131. The Big Plant (unknown file size)
  132. The Big Evans (27Mb)
  133. The Big Fire (27.1Mb)
  134. The Big Border (unknown file size)
  135. The Big Rose (unknown file size)
  136. The Big Streetcar (unknown file size)
  137. The Big Show (unknown file size)
  138. The Big Bunco (27.3Mb)
  139. The Big Elevator (unknown file size)
  140. The Big Safe (unknown file size)
  141. The Big Gamble (unknown file size)
  142. The Big Mail (unknown file size)
  143. The Big Shakedown (unknown file size)
  144. The Big Fourth (unknown file size)
  145. The Big Whiff (unknown file size)
  146. The Big Jules (unknown file size)
  147. The Big Roll (13.4Mb)
  148. The Big Trio (unknown file size)
  149. The Big Hate (26.8Mb)
  150. The Big Signet (unknown file size)
  151. The Big Impression (unknown file size)
  152. The Big Drive (unknown file size)
  153. The Big Paper (27.1Mb)
  154. The Big Test (27Mb)
  155. The Big Ray (unknown file size)
  156. The Big Tear (unknown file size)
  157. The Big Bull (27.1Mb)
  158. The Big Shot (unknown file size)
  159. The Big Brain (unknown file size)
  160. The Big Jolt (26.8Mb)
  161. The Big Lie (unknown file size)
  162. The Big Pill (unknown file size)
  163. The Big Number (unknown file size)
  164. The Big Light (unknown file size)
  165. The Big Dive (unknown file size)
  166. The Big Walk (unknown file size)
  167. The Big Guilt (unknown file size)
  168. The Big Shirt (unknown file size)
  169. The Big Mole (unknown file size)
  170. The Big Eavesdrop (unknown file size)
  171. 22 Rifle for Christmas (6.1Mb)
  172. The Big Mask Part 1 (6.8Mb)
  173. The Big Mask Part 2 (unknown file size)
  174. The Big Small (27Mb)
  175. The Big String (unknown file size)
  176. The Big Lay-Out (unknown file size)
  177. The Big Strip (unknown file size)
  178. The Big Press (unknown file size)
  179. The Big Tooth (unknown file size)
  180. The Big Smoke (unknown file size)
  181. The Big Want (unknown file size)
  182. The Big Laugh (unknown file size)
  183. The Big Laugh (AFRS) (unknown file size)
  184. The Big Impossible (unknown file size)
  185. The Big Informant (unknown file size)
  186. The Big Dream (unknown file size)
  187. The Big Chet (26.5Mb)
  188. The Big Compulsion (unknown file size)
  189. The Big Rip (unknown file size)
  190. The Big Scrapbook (26.9Mb)
  191. The Big Carney (unknown file size)
  192. The Big Joke (unknown file size)
  193. The Big False Move (unknown file size)
  194. The Big Gun Part 1 (7.1Mb)
  195. The Big Gun Part 2 (6.6Mb)
  196. The Big Will (unknown file size)
  197. The Big Lilly (26.8Mb)
  198. The Big Revolt (unknown file size)
  199. The Big Ham (unknown file size)
  200. The Big Bop (unknown file size)
  201. The Big Lift (27.1Mb)
  202. The Big Cab (unknown file size)
  203. The Big Slip (unknown file size)
  204. The Big Try (unknown file size)
  205. The Big Little Mother (unknown file size)
  206. The Big Plea (27.2Mb)
  207. The Big Paint (unknown file size)
  208. The Big Fraud (unknown file size)
  209. The Big Rain (unknown file size)
  210. The Big Kid (unknown file size)
  211. The Big Kid (unknown file size)
  212. The Big Flight (8.8Mb)
  213. The Big Present (27Mb)
  214. The Big Present (unknown file size)
  215. The Big Odd (unknown file size)
  216. The Big Odd (unknown file size)
  217. The Big Pick (unknown file size)
  218. The Big Pick (unknown file size)
  219. The Big Brink (unknown file size)
  220. The Big Brink (unknown file size)
  221. The Big Little Jesus (unknown file size)
  222. The Big Steal (26.6Mb)
  223. The Big Steal (5.9Mb)
  224. The Big Listen (unknown file size)
  225. The Big Listen (unknown file size)
  226. The Big Switch (unknown file size)
  227. The Big Switch (5.8Mb)
  228. The Big Bill (unknown file size)
  229. The Big Bill (unknown file size)
  230. The Big Bid (unknown file size)
  231. The Big Bid (unknown file size)
  232. The Big Filth (26.8Mb)
  233. The Big Filth (unknown file size)
  234. The Big Broad (16.9Mb)
  235. The Big Broad (unknown file size)
  236. The Big Sucker (unknown file size)
  237. The Big Sucker (unknown file size)
  238. The Big Pipe (unknown file size)
  239. The Big Pipe (23.3Mb)
  240. The Big TV (unknown file size)
  241. The Big TV (unknown file size)
  242. The Big Cup (unknown file size)
  243. The Big Cup (unknown file size)
  244. The Big Rod (unknown file size)
  245. The Big Rod (unknown file size)
  246. The Big Mustache (unknown file size)
  247. The Big Mustache (unknown file size)
  248. The Big Confession (unknown file size)
  249. The Big Confession (unknown file size)
  250. The Big Saw (unknown file size)
  251. The Big Saw (unknown file size)
  252. The Big Note (26.8Mb)
  253. The Big Note (unknown file size)
  254. The Big Net (unknown file size)
  255. The Big Net (unknown file size)
  256. The Big Lift (unknown file size)
  257. The Big Lift (unknown file size)
  258. The Big Stop (unknown file size)
  259. The Big Stop (unknown file size)
  260. The Big Look (unknown file size)
  261. The Big Look (5.9Mb)
  262. The Big Help (unknown file size)
  263. The Big Watch (unknown file size)
  264. The Big Cowboy (unknown file size)
  265. The Big Student (unknown file size)
  266. The Big Cat (unknown file size)
  267. The Big Customer (unknown file size)
  268. The Big Chick (6Mb)
  269. The Big Search (unknown file size)
  270. The Big Rescue (unknown file size)
  271. The Big Heel (5.9Mb)
  272. The Big Match (unknown file size)
  273. The Big Stand (unknown file size)
  274. The Big Stand (unknown file size)
  275. The Big Wish (unknown file size)
  276. The Big Cad (6Mb)
  277. The Big Shock (unknown file size)
  278. The Big Office (unknown file size)
  279. The Big Trunk (unknown file size)
  280. The Big Cut (unknown file size)
  281. The Big Cut (unknown file size)
  282. The Big Try (unknown file size)
  283. The Big Bible (unknown file size)
  284. The Big Bible (unknown file size)
  285. The Big Handsome Bandit (unknown file size)
  286. The Big Tar Baby (27.1Mb)
  287. The Big Tarbaby (unknown file size)
  288. The Big Mannikin (26.8Mb)
  289. The Big Mannikin (unknown file size)
  290. The Big Key (6Mb)
  291. The Big Locker (unknown file size)
  292. The Big Coins (unknown file size)
  293. The Big Dog (unknown file size)
  294. The Big Switch (unknown file size)
  295. The Big Gone (unknown file size)
  296. The Big Dig (unknown file size)
  297. The Big Lens (unknown file size)
  298. The Big Little Jesus (unknown file size)
  299. The Big Underground (unknown file size)
  300. The Big Mug (6Mb)
  301. The Big Complex (unknown file size)
  302. The Big Token (unknown file size)
  303. The Big Bounce (22.8Mb)
  304. The Big Bird (5.9Mb)
  305. The Big Gap (unknown file size)
  306. The Big Hat (unknown file size)
  307. The Big Slug (5.9Mb)
  308. The Big Set-Up (unknown file size)
  309. The Big Father (unknown file size)
  310. The Big Set (23.1Mb)
  311. The Big Set (unknown file size)
  312. The Big Talk (unknown file size)
  313. The Big Talk (unknown file size)
  314. The Big Death (unknown file size)
  315. The Big No Tooth (unknown file size)
  316. The Big Tie (unknown file size)
  317. The Big Deal (unknown file size)
  318. The Big Child (unknown file size)
  319. The Big Momma (unknown file size)
  320. The Big Revision (unknown file size)
  321. The Big Squealer (unknown file size)
  322. The Big Siege (unknown file size)
  323. The Big Sisters (unknown file size)
  324. The Big Sisters (unknown file size)
  325. The Big Limp (unknown file size)
  326. The Big Fall Guy (unknown file size)
  327. The Big Grab (unknown file size)
  328. The Big Convertible (unknown file size)
  329. The Big Rush (unknown file size)
  330. The Big Genius (unknown file size)
  331. The Big Bobo (unknown file size)
  332. The Big Housemaid (unknown file size)
  333. The Big Sheet (unknown file size)
  334. The Big Missus (unknown file size)
  335. The Big Beer (unknown file size)
  336. The Big Blonde (11.4Mb)
  337. The Big Fellow (unknown file size)
  338. The Big Ruling (unknown file size)
  339. The Big Daughter (unknown file size)
  340. The Big Close (unknown file size)
  341. 22 Rifle for Christmas (unknown file size)
  342. The Big Dream (unknown file size)
  343. The Big Scrapbook (unknown file size)
  344. The Big Present (unknown file size)

MP3 files hosted by archive.org.