Premium Only Content
Dragnet (Radio) 1953 (ep196) The Big Informant
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."
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."
-
LIVE
Game On!
11 hours agoOregon IN, Colorado OUT! CFB Playoff Committee makes a statement with latest rankings!
969 watching -
1:00:54
PMG
1 day ago $0.23 earned"Biden just allowed Ukraine to Attack Russia!!"
604 -
15:52
Degenerate Jay
21 hours ago $15.36 earnedThe Joker 2 Cast Knew The Movie Was Bad?
61.3K16 -
3:01
MoneyMindsTrading
14 hours ago $8.27 earned#1 Day Trader on Rumble : NVIDIA EARNINGS 🚀
64K5 -
3:13:12
Price of Reason
17 hours agoDisney CEO Bob Iger PANICS after Trump win? Is Landman any good? The Game Awards Announces Nominees!
72.4K15 -
2:51:40
Jerry After Dark
17 hours ago3 Point Contest | Presented By Ghost Energy
145K6 -
2:24:56
Kim Iversen
14 hours agoRussia Threatens To NUKE Ukraine | RFK Jr Called Science’s True Voice By Former CDC Chief
130K299 -
1:16:12
Savanah Hernandez
12 hours agoCorrupt Democrats attempt to stop Trump’s plan to fix America
114K92 -
53:12
Glenn Greenwald
14 hours agoImprisoned For Journalism: Jeremy Loffredo On His Detention In Israel, Censorship & More | SYSTEM UPDATE #368
130K118 -
51:42
Man in America
16 hours agoTrump, Elon, CBDCs, Digital Prison & the Great Taking w/ James Patrick
99.9K50