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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."

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Please enjoy these 332 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
06.28.1955	big convertible	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Convertible". A man cashing bad payroll checks all over town has be...
07.05.1955	big rush	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Rush". A series of tavern robberies by "The Whale" and his partner ...
07.12.1955	big genius	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Genius". A young boy has been living in a cave and stealing food to...
07.19.1955	big bobo	+ "The Big Bobo". A police sergeant is accused of taking $3500 from a woman to egt her husband out...
07.26.1955	big housemaid	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Housemaid". A burglar posing as a housemaid has been stealing from ...
08.02.1955	big sheet	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Sheet". Leroy Finch is captured after robbing a drugstore, but he e...
08.09.1955	big missus	+ "The Big Missus". A woman tells the cops that her ex-convict husband is planning a robbery. Part...
08.16.1955	big beer	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Beer". A night watchmen in a store discovers a dead body. Fourteen ...
08.23.1955	the big blonde	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Blonde". A blonde and two "cow-men" have swindled a man out of $40,...
08.30.1955	big fellow	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Fellow". The Merton Brothers, dope fiends, robbers, and generally n...
09.06.1955	big ruling	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Ruling". Sam Arthur Freed, a dope pusher specializing in hooking ki...
09.13.1955	big daughter	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Daughter". Porter Denson and his family are all busted on narco rap...
09.20.1955	the big close	+Program #318. , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big Closing". A corpse in a motel room leads to a "ladies ...
12.13.1955	the big mole	+ "The Big Mole". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A burglary in a dry goods store is the latest in a ser...
12.20.1955	rifle for christmas	+ ".22 Rifle For Christmas". The fourth broadcast of this Christmas story about a nine-year-old bo...
12.27.1955	big mask part 1 of 2	+ "The Big Mask" Part 1. Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A robber wearing a black mask has hit a string...
01.03.1956	big mask part 2 of 2	+ "The Big Mask" Part 2. Sponsored by: Chesterfield. The "Black Masked Bandit" eludes efforts of th...
01.10.1956	the big small	+ "The Big Small". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A little old lady check forger is plaguing the city,...
01.17.1956	the big string	+ , AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Big String". Mrs. Wagner, the wife of a college professor, has been kid...
01.24.1956	the big lay out	+ "The Big Layout". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. Gary Field, a model student who is the son of a cop...
01.31.1956	the big strip	+ "The Big Strip". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A gang of car strippers is running rampant. A sixtee...
02.07.1956	the big press	+ "The Big Press". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. A pair of check forgers are at work in Los Angeles. ...
02.14.1956	the big tooth	+ "The Big Tooth". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. Nasty old Mr. Schroeder is suspected of committing f...
02.21.1956	big smoke	+ "The Big Smoke". Sponsored by: Chesterfield. Old Mr. Stone, who kept his life savings in his matt...
02.28.1956	the big want	+ Detective Sergeant Joe Friday has been assigned to Bunco Fugitive Detail. He gets a call from anot...

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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