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"Ladies and gentlemen…the story you're about to hear is true…"

Dragnet, a term which actually refers to the systematic and coordinated way searching for a wanted person, was also used to pertain to a police drama series that aired from September 1949 to February 1957 in NBC Radio. For 30 minutes per episode, the show featured real police stories in a simple, investigatory style.

The show was said to be inspired by a film called "He Walked by Night," which was released in 1948. In that film, Jack Webb, who portrayed Dragnet's main character Sergeant Joe Friday, was given a small role. Through the help of the Los Angeles Police Department, Webb was able to present true cases, which became the trademark of Dragnet. It narrates every facet of police work—from paperworks and patrols, to crime scene investigations, laboratory works, and interrogation of suspects and witnesses.

As the most popular and influential police series in the history of American media, Dragnet was able to provide its audience the impression of what a real police life could be like. It was well-liked by most radio listeners, as well as police officers. Due to its success, the series also had its television adaptation.

"From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action."

Click here to read more about Dragnet

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Please enjoy these 332 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
07.13.1954	big rescue	+ Dragnet. July 13, 1954. Program #256. , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Rescue". Two robbers hold up t... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
07.20.1954	big heel	+ Dragnet. July 20, 1954. Program #257. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Heel". A pair of unique tenni... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
07.27.1954	big match	+ Dragnet. July 27, 1954. Program #258. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Match". Charles Cain, the own... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.03.1954	big stand	+ Dragnet. August 3, 1954. Program #259. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Stand". Matthew Denton has b... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.10.1954	big wish	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Wish". John Colter, a teenager hooked on heroin, walks into the poli... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.17.1954	big cad	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Cad". A large quantity of morphine has been stolen. A pusher out fo... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.24.1954	big shock	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Shock". A "tunnel burglar" is digging through a sewer line and into... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.31.1954	big office	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Office". Friday and Smith spend the night working in the police bus... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.07.1954	big trunk	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Trunk". A divorcee named Josephine Allen has been murdered, and her... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.14.1954	big cut	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Cut". A jewelry store has been robbed of $5000 worth of watches. The... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.21.1954	big try	+ "The Big Try". Sponsored by: Chesterfield, Fatima. Jan Patachek, a refugee from Eastern Europe, i... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.28.1954	big bible	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Bible". Carl Hamlin has committed suicide...or has he? There's somet... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.05.1954	big handsome bandit	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Handsome Bandit". A tavern has been robbed and a couple shot. One o... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.12.1954	big tar baby	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Tar Baby". Ethel Cabot has been kidnapped, and her bartender-husban... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.19.1954	big manikin	+Program #270. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Mannequin". Jason Helmer is reported missing by his wi... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.26.1954	big key	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Key". A robber is specializing in drugstores taking money and narco... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.02.1954	big locker	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Locker". James Fedder tries to pawn an expensive emerald ring and i... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.09.1954	big coins	+ Program #273. A burglar sets the houses he robs on fire after taking the valuables. The cops hav... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.16.1954	big dog	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Dog". An old man is threatening to kill the man who poisoned his do... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.23.1954	big switch	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Switch". George Pilsen has been found beaten to death in bed..a mys... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.30.1954	big gone	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Gone". A flower shop is robbed and the hold-up men shot and killed.... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.07.1954	the big dig	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. A woman reports that her sister named Margaret Shayne has disappeared, and t... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.14.1954	the big lens	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Lens". Two men force their way into Mrs. Alston's car, kidnap, rob h... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.21.1954	big little jesus	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Little Jesus". A Christmas story. A Los Angeles Mission reports the... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.28.1954	big underground	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Underground". Paul Dereaux is the prime suspect in a series of burg... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT

1 2 3 … 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
07.13.1954	big rescue	+ Dragnet. July 13, 1954. Program #256. , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Rescue". Two robbers hold up t... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
07.20.1954	big heel	+ Dragnet. July 20, 1954. Program #257. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Heel". A pair of unique tenni... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
07.27.1954	big match	+ Dragnet. July 27, 1954. Program #258. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Match". Charles Cain, the own... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.03.1954	big stand	+ Dragnet. August 3, 1954. Program #259. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Stand". Matthew Denton has b... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.10.1954	big wish	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Wish". John Colter, a teenager hooked on heroin, walks into the poli... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.17.1954	big cad	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Cad". A large quantity of morphine has been stolen. A pusher out fo... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.24.1954	big shock	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Shock". A "tunnel burglar" is digging through a sewer line and into... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
08.31.1954	big office	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Office". Friday and Smith spend the night working in the police bus... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.07.1954	big trunk	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Trunk". A divorcee named Josephine Allen has been murdered, and her... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.14.1954	big cut	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Cut". A jewelry store has been robbed of $5000 worth of watches. The... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.21.1954	big try	+ "The Big Try". Sponsored by: Chesterfield, Fatima. Jan Patachek, a refugee from Eastern Europe, i... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
09.28.1954	big bible	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Bible". Carl Hamlin has committed suicide...or has he? There's somet... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.05.1954	big handsome bandit	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Handsome Bandit". A tavern has been robbed and a couple shot. One o... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.12.1954	big tar baby	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Tar Baby". Ethel Cabot has been kidnapped, and her bartender-husban... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.19.1954	big manikin	+Program #270. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Mannequin". Jason Helmer is reported missing by his wi... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
10.26.1954	big key	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Key". A robber is specializing in drugstores taking money and narco... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.02.1954	big locker	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Locker". James Fedder tries to pawn an expensive emerald ring and i... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.09.1954	big coins	+ Program #273. A burglar sets the houses he robs on fire after taking the valuables. The cops hav... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.16.1954	big dog	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Dog". An old man is threatening to kill the man who poisoned his do... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.23.1954	big switch	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Switch". George Pilsen has been found beaten to death in bed..a mys... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
11.30.1954	big gone	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Gone". A flower shop is robbed and the hold-up men shot and killed.... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.07.1954	the big dig	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. A woman reports that her sister named Margaret Shayne has disappeared, and t... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.14.1954	the big lens	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. "The Big Lens". Two men force their way into Mrs. Alston's car, kidnap, rob h... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.21.1954	big little jesus	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Little Jesus". A Christmas story. A Los Angeles Mission reports the... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT
12.28.1954	big underground	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Underground". Paul Dereaux is the prime suspect in a series of burg... INCLUDES RADIO SCRIPT

So enjoyed Dragnet on radio and of course watched every episode on TV. More than one HD channel here plays all of them.

Jeanette

Harry Bartell = always awesome.

John

Virginia Gregg was on everything! I love catching her in tv shows like "Dragnet."

Larisa

I wasn't expecting myself to enjoy Dragnet this much

Tyler

I love radio Dragnet!

Kristi

I like the radio version of "Dragnet" much more than the TV version.

Debra

The radio version is much edgier than the TV version.

Richard

they want you to make sure you get everything and make it much more exciting (say that fast)

Tyler

Harry Bartell, played many characters on Dragnet, both radio and TV as well as many other radio shows.

Walt

"This is the city. Los Angeles, California. I work here. I carry a badge. My name's Friday."

Rick

Excellent I love dragnet

John

My favorite show I love that and never tired to listen that again and again.

Andrew

I love that show

Michael

So enjoyed Dragnet on radio and of course watched every episode on TV. More than one HD channel here plays all of them.

Jeanette

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

Daniel

The Dragnets from the 1950's are very entertaining to me!

Mike

The Dragnet episodes "A .22 Rifle for Christmas" and "The Big Little Jesus" l recommend to here these episode in Christmas. my favorite.

John

I loved this old show, During the noon hour in our LA high school they would often play the Dragnet theme on a loud speaker. It was very popular!

Diana

Dragnet is really good. Good stories, acting and great sound effects.

Dan

Lately I have been listening to and enjoying the Dragnet radio shows. Dragnet had an almost seamless conversion to TV. I still enjoy both. At least some of the Dragnet episodes were the same script on both radio and television (with some narration added to radio to explain the action). The "Baby Jesus" story is one example that's easy to find in audio and video.

Ted

Recycling of scripts was more common among series in that era than it is now. Gunsmoke had many reused scripts both on the radio and also on TV. I prefer that to what latter came to be known on TV as the Montage Episodes .

Tom

Featuring all 309 existing programs as broadcast on NBC from 1949 to 1955 (excluding repeats). You will find this set has the best sound, as well the most complete set of programs available anywhere. Another feature in this set, is many of the programs are in high code to take advantage of the great sound. Dragnet is respected as the best crime drama on radio, later in movies and on TV. (Check out our OTV DVD Catalog for the black & white TV programs, as well the color 1967 to 1970 series).

DRAGNET