Dragnet: The Big Drive (EP5099)

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate a series of forged payroll checks passed at Hollywood-area supermarkets. The checks were stolen from a neighborhood grocery store, and the swindler has been using a driver's license to establish his identity.Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 21, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe FridayVic Perrin as Sergeant Frank SmithHerb EllisCliff ArquetteVirginia GreggHal Gibney — announcerGeorge Fenneman — commercial spokesmanSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day:  Chuck D777, a Patreon supporter since September 2022Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of ourfriends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: When a young man is found beaten to death in a vacant lot, Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith face a baffling case with little physical evidence and no obvious motive. The victim seemed to have a promising future, a steady job, and no known enemies. But a late-night meeting at a billiard hall may hold the key to uncovering what happened—and identifying the men responsible.Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 14, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe FridayKen Patterson as Sergeant Frank SmithGwen DelanoJack KruschenSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Bettina, a Patreon supporter since May 2021Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate the robbery of an elderly diamond dealer who was lured to a hotel room and assaulted by a seemingly respectable businessman. With more than $150,000 in diamonds missing, the detectives struggle to locate the thief until a suspect is caught attempting to sell some of the stolen stones. However, the suspect's unusual appetite for fine dining complicates their efforts to uncover the truth.Original Radio Broadcast Date: August 7, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe FridayVic Perrin as Sergeant Frank SmithHerb EllisVic RodmanJohn Robinson — writerWalter Schumann — musicHal Gibney — announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day:Daniel, Patreon supporter since August 2024.Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Two armed bandits rob a Los Angeles café, leaving the elderly owner brutally beaten and one suspect wounded. Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner, Frank Smith, pursue the fugitive, but a promising lead falls apart when the victims fail to identify their suspect. Then a treasured diamond signet ring offers a new clue—and the robber’s own mistakes may be the key to bringing him to justice.Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 31, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe FridayHerb Ellis as Sgt. Frank SmithVic PerrinVirginia GreggHarry BartellRalph MoodyJim Moser, writerWalter Schumann, musicTechnical advice from the office of Chief W.H. ParkerCaptain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance Brasher, technical advisorsHal Gibney, announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Cheryl, a Patreon supporter since May 2022Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate the death of a 52-year-old music teacher whose body is discovered in an abandoned freight car, cradled in the arms of a young man who refuses to explain what happened. When the young man finally confesses to killing her, the detectives struggle to understand why he would murder a woman he claims to have loved deeply and who had devoted years to nurturing his musical ambitions.Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 10, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe FridayHerb Ellis as Sgt. Frank SmithVic PerrinHarry BartellJoyce McCluskeyJim Moser, writerWalter Schumann, musicTechnical advice from the office of Chief W.H. ParkerCaptain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance Brasher, technical advisorsGeorge Fenneman, announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day:Dolly, Patreon supporter since November 2025.Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: On the eve of the Fourth of July weekend, Joe Friday and Frank Smith are assigned to Accident Investigation and confront the devastating consequences of reckless driving when a 16-year-old takes his father’s car on a high-speed ride through Los Angeles. As the holiday begins, a succession of traffic calls illustrates how quickly carelessness, alcohol, and poor judgment can turn an ordinary drive into tragedy.Original Radio Broadcast Date: July 3, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe FridayHerb Ellis as Frank SmithVic PerrinStacy HarrisVic RodmanJim Moser, writerWalter Schumann, musicTechnical advice from the office of Chief W.H. ParkerCaptain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance Brasher, technical advisorsHal Gibney, announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Splinator, Patreon supporter since August 2024.Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate the abduction of an unidentified man from a downtown Los Angeles street. Bloodstains at the scene and an abandoned gray sedan suggest that the victim may have been seriously injured, but there are few clues to his identity or whereabouts. The investigation leads Friday and Smith through a missing car, conflicting stories, and two suspects with criminal records. As the detectives piece together the evidence, they must determine what happened to the missing man and whether he is still alive.Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 26, 1952Originating from HollywoodStarring:Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe FridayBarton Yarborough as Sergeant Frank SmithSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Rebecca — Patreon supporter since August 2024Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith are assigned to narcotics detail when a drug addict is arrested carrying a supply of high-grade heroin. The man refuses to reveal where he got the narcotics until the effects of withdrawal force him to talk. His information leads Friday and Smith to a bartender, a beer garden owner, and a larger narcotics operation that may be bringing European heroin into Los Angeles.Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 19, 1952.Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe FridayBarton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben RomeroSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Mirth, Patreon supporter since February 2021Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Bill Lockwood investigate a group of confidence men posing as authorized solicitors for legitimate charities and pocketing the donations they collect. An early arrest appears promising until the suspect proves he merely copied the scheme, leaving Friday and Lockwood searching for the experienced bunco artists whose fraud is depriving charitable causes of badly needed funds.Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 12, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe FridayKen Peters as Bill LockwoodVirginia GreggVic RodmanJim Moser, writerWalter Schumann, musicTechnical advice from the office of Chief W.H. ParkerCaptain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance Brasher, technical advisorsHal Gibney, announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Sergey, Patreon Supporter since May 2020Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and Frank Smith investigate the death of an unidentified woman found in a vacant lot, apparently the victim of chloroform poisoning. With no identification and little evidence beyond a chloroform-soaked handkerchief, the case takes an unusual turn when a stranger walks into police headquarters and insists that he murdered her.Original Radio Broadcast Date:June 5, 1952Originating from HollywoodCast:Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe FridayHerb Ellis as Frank SmithVic PerrinGil StrattonJack KruschenScript by Jim MoserMusic by Walter SchumannTechnical advice from the office of LAPD Chief W. H. ParkerTechnical advisors: Captain Jack Donahoe, Sgt. Marty Wynn, and Sgt. Vance BrasherHal Gibney, announcerSupport the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.netPatreon Supporter of the Day: Tony, Patreon Supporter since March 2023Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.netGive us a call 208-991-4783Become one of our friends on Facebook.Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectivesFollow us on Twitter@radiodetectives