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{{Short description|Multiple radio and television series and films, usually about policeman Joe Friday}}
{{Short description|Radio, television, and film series, mostly about LAPD detective Joe Friday}}
{{Other uses|Dragnet (policing)}}
{{Other uses|Dragnet (policing)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
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}}
}}


'''''Dragnet''''' is an American radio, television and motion-picture series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant [[Joe Friday]] and his partners. The show took its name from the police term "[[dragnet (policing)|dragnet]]", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.
'''''Dragnet''''' is an American radio, television and film series, following the exploits of dedicated [[Los Angeles Police Department]] [[Detective]] [[Joe Friday]] and his partners, created by actor and producer [[Jack Webb]]. The show took its name from the police term "[[dragnet (policing)|dragnet]]", a term for a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.


''Dragnet'' is perhaps the most famous and influential [[police procedural]] drama in media history. The series portrayed police work as dangerous and heroic. ''Dragnet'' earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.<ref>On a March, 1953, episode, the Detroit Police Officers' Association gave ''Dragnet'' a commendation, citing the program's efforts at increasing public esteem of policemen and furthermore described it as the "finest and most accurate" police program on radio or television.</ref>
''Dragnet'' is perhaps the most famous and influential [[police procedural]] crime drama in media history. The series portrayed police work as dangerous and heroic, and helped shape public perception of law enforcement in the 20th century. ''Dragnet'' earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.<ref>On a March 1953 episode, the Detroit Police Officers' Association gave ''Dragnet'' a commendation, citing the program's efforts at increasing public esteem of policemen, and described it as the "finest and most accurate" police program on radio or television.</ref> Webb's aims in ''Dragnet'' were for realism and unpretentious acting.


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 show's cultural impact is such that seven decades after its debut, elements of ''Dragnet'' are familiar to those who have never seen or heard the program:
''Dragnet'' remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The show's cultural impact is such that seven decades after its debut, elements of ''Dragnet'' are familiar to those who have never seen or heard the program:
*The ominous, four-note introduction to the [[brass instruments|brass]] and [[timpani]] [[Dragnet (theme music)|theme music]] (titled "Danger Ahead") is instantly recognizable (though its origins date to [[Miklós Rózsa]]'s score for the [[The Killers (1946 film)|1946 film version of ''The Killers'']]).
*"[[Dragnet (theme music)|Danger Ahead]]", the ominous, instantly recognizable four-note introduction to the [[brass instruments|brass]] and [[timpani]] theme music (though its origins date to [[Miklós Rózsa]]'s score for the [[The Killers (1946 film)|1946 film version of ''The Killers'']]).
*Another ''Dragnet'' trademark is the show's opening narration: "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." This underwent minor revisions over time. The "only" and "ladies and gentlemen" were dropped at some point and for the television version "hear" was changed to "see".
*The show's opening narration: "Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent." Over time, the "only" and "ladies and gentlemen" were eventually dropped, and the television version replaced "hear" with "see".


==Radio==
==Radio==
{{Main|Dragnet (radio series)}}
{{Main|Dragnet (radio series)}}
{{further|List of Dragnet (radio series) episodes}}
{{further|List of Dragnet (radio series) episodes}}
Dragnet began as a radio series, running on the NBC radio network from 1949 to 1957.<ref>http://www.radioechoes.com/?page=series&genre=OTR-Detective&series=Dragnet</ref>
''Dragnet'' began as a radio series, running on the [[NBC]] radio network from 1949 to 1957.<ref>http://www.radioechoes.com/?page=series&genre=OTR-Detective&series=Dragnet</ref>


==Television==<!-- This section is linked from [[Robert Stack]] -->
==Television==<!-- This section is linked from [[Robert Stack]] -->
Line 87: Line 87:
===1951–1959 original===
===1951–1959 original===
{{main|Dragnet (1951 TV series)}}
{{main|Dragnet (1951 TV series)}}
{{Further|List of Dragnet (1951 TV series) episodes}}In 1951, ''Dragnet'' shifted to the field of television, running on NBC from 1951 to 1959. Most early episodes of the television series were dubbed or lip-synced adaptations of episodes of the radio show, but later episodes were original plotlines. Most of the cast members were veteran radio actors who could be relied upon to read the matter-of-fact dialogue naturally.
{{Further|List of Dragnet (1951 TV series) episodes}}
{{Expand section|date=January 2016}}


===1967–1970 revival===
===1967–1970 revival===
Line 125: Line 124:
{{Main|Dragnet (1987 film)}}
{{Main|Dragnet (1987 film)}}


In 1987, a comedy movie version of ''Dragnet'' appeared starring [[Dan Aykroyd]] as the stiff Joe Friday (the original Detective Friday's nephew), and [[Tom Hanks]] as partner Pep Streebeck. The film contrasted the terse, clipped character of Friday, a hero from another age, with the 'real world' of Los Angeles in 1987 to broad comedic effect. Beyond Aykroyd's imitation of Webb's Joe Friday and Harry Morgan's small role reprising Bill Gannon, this film version has few similarities with previous incarnations. The film was more a parody, and a hit with audiences, though no follow-up film was produced. LAPD Lieutenant Dan Cooke, who had served as technical advisor for the Jack Webb series, was technical advisor for this production.
In 1987, a comedy movie version of ''Dragnet'' appeared starring [[Dan Aykroyd]] as the stiff Joe Friday (the original Detective Friday's nephew), and [[Tom Hanks]] as partner Pep Streebeck. The film contrasted the terse, clipped character of Friday, a hero from another age, with the "real world" of Los Angeles in 1987 to broad comedic effect. Beyond Aykroyd's imitation of Webb's Joe Friday and Harry Morgan's small role reprising Bill Gannon, this film version has few similarities with previous incarnations. The film was more a parody, and a hit with audiences, though no follow-up film was produced. LAPD Lieutenant Dan Cooke, who had served as technical advisor for the Jack Webb series, was technical advisor for this production.


==Remakes after Webb's death==
==Remakes after Webb's death==
===1989 series: ''The New Dragnet''===
===''The New Dragnet (1989)''===
{{See also|List of Dragnet (1989 TV series) episodes}}
{{See also|List of Dragnet (1989 TV series) episodes}}


The show returned to television in the fall of 1989 as ''The New Dragnet'' in first-run [[television syndication|syndication]], featuring new characters, and airing in tandem with ''[[The New Adam-12]]'', a remake of another Webb-produced ''Adam-12''. ''The New Dragnet'' starred [[Jeff Osterhage]] and [[Bernard White (actor)|Bernard White]] as detectives Vic Daniels and Carl Molina, respectively, and [[Don Stroud]] as Captain Lussen. Fifty-two episodes were aired over two seasons. The first 26 episodes aired between October 24, 1989, and January 21, 1990, with the second season of 26 episodes airing between April 19 and September 9, 1990.
A revival of ''Dragnet'' by [[Arthur L. Annecharico|The Arthur Company]], titled ''The New Dragnet'', aired in first-run [[Television syndication|syndication]] in tandem with [[Adam-12 (1990 TV series)|''The New Adam-12'']], a revival of the Jack Webb series ''[[Adam-12]]''. Like ''The New Adam-12'', ''The New Dragnet'' had entirely different characters, music, and format compared to the original series, and starred [[Jeff Osterhage]] as Detective Vic Daniels, [[Bernard White (actor)|Bernard White]] as Detective Carl Molina, and [[Don Stroud]] as Captain Lussen. Fifty-two episodes were aired over two seasons. The first season aired from October 24, 1989 to January 21, 1990; the second season aired from April 19, 1990 to September 9, 1990.


===2003 series: ''L.A. Dragnet''===
===''L.A. Dragnet (2003)''===
{{Further|List of Dragnet (2003 TV series) episodes}}
{{Further|List of Dragnet (2003 TV series) episodes}}


In 2003, a ''Dragnet'' series was produced by [[Dick Wolf]], the producer of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Law & Order]]'' series and spin-offs, in turn strongly influenced by ''Dragnet''. It aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], and starred [[Ed O'Neill]] as Joe Friday and [[Ethan Embry]] as Frank Smith. After a 12-episode season that followed the traditional formula, the format of the series was changed to an ensemble crime drama in an attempt to boost ratings.
In 2003, a ''Dragnet'' series was produced by [[Dick Wolf]], the producer of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Law & Order]]'' series and spin-offs, in turn strongly influenced by ''Dragnet''. It aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], and starred [[Ed O'Neill]] as Joe Friday and [[Ethan Embry]] as Frank Smith. After a 12-episode season that followed the traditional formula, the format of the series was changed to an ensemble crime drama in an attempt to boost ratings.


In ''L.A. Dragnet'', Friday was promoted to lieutenant with less screen time and Frank Smith was written out, in favor of younger and ethnically diverse cast played by [[Eva Longoria]], [[Desmond Harrington]], [[Evan Parke|Evan Dexter Parke]], and [[Christina Chang]]. [[Roselyn Sanchez]] was added to the regular cast in a few episodes. With the ''Dragnet'' formula no longer in place, the program had the feel of a typical [[procedural drama]]. It was cancelled five episodes into its second season. Three episodes premiered on [[USA Network]] in early 2004, with the final two on the [[Cloo|Sleuth]] channel in 2006. In places such as the Netherlands, the show is retitled ''Murder Investigation''.
In ''L.A. Dragnet'', Friday was promoted to lieutenant with less screen time and Frank Smith was written out, in favor of younger and ethnically diverse cast played by [[Eva Longoria]], [[Desmond Harrington]], [[Evan Parke|Evan Dexter Parke]], and [[Christina Chang]]. [[Roselyn Sanchez]] was added to the regular cast in a few episodes. With the ''Dragnet'' formula no longer in place, the program had the feel of a typical [[procedural drama]]. It was cancelled five episodes into its second season. Three episodes premiered on [[USA Network]] in early 2004, with the final two on the [[Cloo|Sleuth]] channel in 2006. In other countries such as the Netherlands, the show is retitled ''Murder Investigation''.


==Related works==
==Related works==
Line 165: Line 164:


==Home media==
==Home media==

⚫
===Original series (1951–1959)===
=== Radio series (1949–1957) ===

⚫
===Original television series (1951–1959)===
Most, if not all, episodes of this series are in the [[public domain]],{{fact|date=August 2020}} and 52 episodes were released by many DVD labels. These collections feature a variety of the same 52 episodes. These include "The Human Bomb", "The Big Actor", "The Big Mother", "The Big Cast", "The Big September Man", "The Big Phone Call", "The Big Casing", "The Big Lamp", "The Big Seventeen", "The Big .22 Caliber Rifle for Christmas", "The Big Grandma", "The Big Show", "The Big Break", "The Big Frank", "The Big Hands", "The Big Barrette", "The Big Dance", "The Big Betty", "The Big Will", "The Big Thief", "The Big Little Jesus", "The Big Trunk", "The Big Boys", "The Big Children", "The Big Winchester", "The Big Shoplift", "The Big Hit & Run Killer", "The Big Girl", "The Big Frame", "The Big False Make", "The Big Producer", "The Big Fraud", "The Big Crime", "The Big Pair", "The Big Missing", "The Big Bar", "The Big Present", "The Big New Year", "The Big Rod", "The Big Lift", "The Big Gap", "The Big Look", "The Big Glasses", "The Big Bird", "the Big Smoke", "The Big Bounce", "The Big Deal", "The Big Hat", "The Big Net", "The Big War", "The Big Oskar", and "The Big Counterfeit". Often, some are mislabeled as no onscreen titles are used.
Most, if not all, episodes of this series are in the [[public domain]],{{fact|date=August 2020}} and 52 episodes were released by many DVD labels. These collections feature a variety of the same 52 episodes. These include "The Human Bomb", "The Big Actor", "The Big Mother", "The Big Cast", "The Big September Man", "The Big Phone Call", "The Big Casing", "The Big Lamp", "The Big Seventeen", "The Big .22 Caliber Rifle for Christmas", "The Big Grandma", "The Big Show", "The Big Break", "The Big Frank", "The Big Hands", "The Big Barrette", "The Big Dance", "The Big Betty", "The Big Will", "The Big Thief", "The Big Little Jesus", "The Big Trunk", "The Big Boys", "The Big Children", "The Big Winchester", "The Big Shoplift", "The Big Hit & Run Killer", "The Big Girl", "The Big Frame", "The Big False Make", "The Big Producer", "The Big Fraud", "The Big Crime", "The Big Pair", "The Big Missing", "The Big Bar", "The Big Present", "The Big New Year", "The Big Rod", "The Big Lift", "The Big Gap", "The Big Look", "The Big Glasses", "The Big Bird", "the Big Smoke", "The Big Bounce", "The Big Deal", "The Big Hat", "The Big Net", "The Big War", "The Big Oskar", and "The Big Counterfeit". Often, some are mislabeled as no onscreen titles are used.


Revision as of 23:47, 4 April 2022

For other uses, see Dragnet (policing).

Dragnet
Dragnet opening frame from the 1950s version
Created byJack Webb
Starring
Narrated by
Opening themeExcerpt from Miklós Rózsa's score for The Killers
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons
  • 14 (total)
  • 8 (1951–1959)
  • 4 (1967–1970)
  • 2 (1989–1991 and 2003–2004)
No. of episodes
  • 762 (total)
  • 314 (radio 1949–1957)
  • 276 (TV 1951–1959)
  • 98 (TV 1967–1970)
  • 52 (TV 1989–1991)
  • 22 (TV 2003–2004)
Production
Executive producerJack Webb
ProducerJack Webb
Production locationsLos Angeles, U.S.
Running time30 minutes (1951–1959; 1967–1970; 1989–1991)
60 minutes (2003–2004)
Production companies
Original release
Network
Syndication (1989–1991)
ABC
(2003–04)
ReleaseDecember 16, 1951 (1951-12-16) –
December 4, 2004 (2004-12-04) (last run)

Dragnet is an American radio, television and film series, following the exploits of dedicated Los Angeles Police Department Detective Joe Friday and his partners, created by actor and producer Jack Webb. The show took its name from the police term "dragnet", a term for a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects.

Dragnet is perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural crime drama in media history. The series portrayed police work as dangerous and heroic, and helped shape public perception of law enforcement in the 20th century. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers.[1] Webb's aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting.

Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. The show's cultural impact is such that seven decades after its debut, elements of Dragnet are familiar to those who have never seen or heard the program:

Radio

Main article: Dragnet (radio series)
Further information: List of Dragnet (radio series) episodes

Dragnet began as a radio series, running on the NBC radio network from 1949 to 1957.[2]

Television

1951–1959 original

Main article: Dragnet (1951 TV series)
Further information: List of Dragnet (1951 TV series) episodes

In 1951, Dragnet shifted to the field of television, running on NBC from 1951 to 1959. Most early episodes of the television series were dubbed or lip-synced adaptations of episodes of the radio show, but later episodes were original plotlines. Most of the cast members were veteran radio actors who could be relied upon to read the matter-of-fact dialogue naturally.

1967–1970 revival

Main article: Dragnet (1967 TV series)
Webb and Morgan in 1968

Webb relaunched Dragnet in 1966, with NBC once again chosen to air the series. He tried to persuade

Felony Squad, and the producers would not release him. Webb reluctantly came up with a new character to take the role of Joe Friday's partner, calling upon his longtime friend Harry Morgan
to play Officer Bill Gannon. Morgan had previously portrayed rooming-house proprietor Luther Gage in the 1949 radio series episode "James Vickers". George Fenneman returned as the show's primary announcer, with John Stephenson replacing Hal Gibney in the role of announcing the trial dates and subsequent punishments for the offenders. Fenneman replaced Stephenson in that role during the fourth season. Unlike the previous Dragnet series, the revival was produced and aired in color.

Webb produced a

TV movie pilot for the new version of the show for Universal Television, although the pilot was not aired until January 1969. NBC bought the show on the strength of the movie, and it debuted as a midseason replacement for the sitcom The Hero on Thursday nights in January 1967. To distinguish it from the original, the year was included in the title of the show (i.e., Dragnet 1967). Although Friday had been promoted to lieutenant in the final episode of the 1950s production, Webb chose to have Friday revert to sergeant with his familiar badge, "714".[3]

When real-life LAPD Sergeant Dan Cooke, Webb's contact in the department during production of the revived Dragnet series, was promoted to lieutenant, he arranged to carry the same lieutenant's badge, number 714, as worn by Joe Friday. Cooke was technical advisor to the KNBC documentary Police Unit 2A-26, directed by John Orland. He brought that to the attention of Webb, who hired Orland to direct and film This is the City, a series of minidocumentaries about Los Angeles that preceded most TV episodes during the 1969 and 1970 seasons.[citation needed] The show had good ratings on NBC's schedule for four seasons, although its popularity did not exceed that of the 1950s version.

Much as was done 11 years earlier, Webb decided voluntarily to discontinue Dragnet after its fourth season to focus on producing and directing his other projects through Mark VII Limited. The first of these projects was titled Adam-12, a 30-minute police procedural similar to Dragnet, but focusing on patrol officers rather than detectives. The series premiered in the fall of 1968, while Dragnet 1969 was in production, and ran for seven seasons, coming to an end in 1975. In 1971, with producer Robert A. Cinader, Webb developed another pilot originally intended to be centered around the staff of a Los Angeles–area medical center's emergency room. When researching for the pilot, Webb and Cinader were introduced to the Los Angeles County Fire Department's fledgling paramedic program, and the premise was reworked to include the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and Emergency! was born; running as a weekly series until 1977, and as a series of made-for-television movies for two years after that. Emergency! was centered on the then-fictitious Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedic rescue unit, Squad 51.

Reruns of this version were popular on local stations, usually during the late afternoon or early evening, in the early 1970s. From 1991 to 1995, they aired on

Retro Television Network
.

Dragnet aired Monday through Friday on

Me-TV. The show was part of the "CriMe TV" morning block with Perry Mason and The Rockford Files, with Dragnet airing back to back from 11:00 am until 12:00 pm. In December 2014, Me-TV added a third airing of Dragnet to its late-night lineup; the series airs at 12:30 am following a second episode of Perry Mason. Me-TV ended the run of Dragnet on January 1, 2015, whereupon it became part of Cozi TV's regular lineup. In January 2020 Dragnet returned to MeTV along with its sibling series Adam-12
after Cozi TV dropped both series; Dragnet currently broadcasts two episodes weekday mornings from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m.

Webb's later years

Webb had begun working on a revival of Dragnet in 1982, writing and producing five scripts and keeping his role as Joe Friday. Once again he needed to create a new character for Friday's partner; Ben Alexander had died in 1969 and Harry Morgan was tied up with his commitments to

greenlit followup AfterMASH. Webb decided on Kent McCord, the former Adam-12
star who had several guest appearances early in the 1967 revival series, to fill the undefined role. No indication was given whether McCord would be playing a totally new character, or his Jim Reed character from Adam-12. Webb died suddenly from a heart attack on December 23, 1982, and the revival was scrapped.

After Webb's death, LAPD Chief Daryl Gates announced that badge number 714—Webb's number on the television show—was retired, and Los Angeles city offices lowered their flags to half staff. At Webb's funeral, the LAPD provided an honor guard, and the chief of police commented on Webb's connection with the LAPD. An LAPD auditorium was named in his honor. Jack Webb's LAPD sergeant's badge and ID card are on display at the Los Angeles Police Academy.

Film versions

Dragnet (1954)

Main article: Dragnet (1954 film)

In 1954, a theatrical feature film titled Dragnet, an adaptation of the series, was released with Webb, Alexander, and Richard Boone. Dennis Weaver plays R. A. Lohrman, a detective captain. The film begins with the shooting of small-time hood Miller Starkie (Dub Taylor) on orders from his boss, Max Troy (Stacy Harris). Friday and Smith's superior is LAPD Intelligence Division Captain Jim Hamilton (Boone), a department member and the film's technical advisor. The Intelligence Division focused on the pursuit of organized-crime figures, and some of Max Troy's habits resemble that of Mickey Cohen, the known Los Angeles underworld boss; for example, Troy's LAPD file reads that he could be found at "Sunset Strip taverns and joints", as could Cohen. The film depicts the working relationship between the LAPD and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office; Friday and Smith work to gather evidence that the DA's office deems sufficient to gain the indictment and ultimate conviction of Troy and his fellows. One scene contains a violent fist-fight involving the two detectives, with the close-up cinematic technique typical of Webb's style of direction. The movie's ending represents a departure from most Dragnet stories; no arrest is made at the story's conclusion. Chester Davitt (Willard Sage), Troy's underling and Starkie's killer, is killed by underworld figures, and Troy succumbs to cancer before the detectives, having gathered sufficient evidence against him, can make the arrest.

The film earned an estimated $4.7 million at the North American box office during its first year of release.[4][5]

Dragnet 1966 (aired 1969)

Dragnet 1966 is a made-for-TV movie that initiated the return of the Dragnet series to television. It was intended as the TV pilot of Dragnet 1967, but was not aired as planned. It was eventually broadcast in 1969. The movie stars Jack Webb as Sgt. Friday and Harry Morgan as Officer Bill Gannon. The story focuses on crime more typical of the 1960s than of the previous Dragnet era; the detectives are assigned to find a voyeuristic serial killer similar to Harvey Glatman (played by Vic Perrin, who appeared in the 1954 film as an assistant district attorney). Also appearing is Virginia Gregg, who had a role in the 1954 feature and was a frequent guest actor in the 1951–59 series and the 1967–70 episodes, and John Roseboro, a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who dabbled in acting in the off season; Roseboro played a plainclothes detective who had been the target of racial slurs by a child molester until Friday came to his aid.

Dragnet (1987)

Main article: Dragnet (1987 film)

In 1987, a comedy movie version of Dragnet appeared starring Dan Aykroyd as the stiff Joe Friday (the original Detective Friday's nephew), and Tom Hanks as partner Pep Streebeck. The film contrasted the terse, clipped character of Friday, a hero from another age, with the "real world" of Los Angeles in 1987 to broad comedic effect. Beyond Aykroyd's imitation of Webb's Joe Friday and Harry Morgan's small role reprising Bill Gannon, this film version has few similarities with previous incarnations. The film was more a parody, and a hit with audiences, though no follow-up film was produced. LAPD Lieutenant Dan Cooke, who had served as technical advisor for the Jack Webb series, was technical advisor for this production.

Remakes after Webb's death

The New Dragnet (1989)

See also: List of Dragnet (1989 TV series) episodes

A revival of Dragnet by

syndication in tandem with The New Adam-12, a revival of the Jack Webb series Adam-12. Like The New Adam-12, The New Dragnet had entirely different characters, music, and format compared to the original series, and starred Jeff Osterhage as Detective Vic Daniels, Bernard White as Detective Carl Molina, and Don Stroud
as Captain Lussen. Fifty-two episodes were aired over two seasons. The first season aired from October 24, 1989 to January 21, 1990; the second season aired from April 19, 1990 to September 9, 1990.

L.A. Dragnet (2003)

Further information: List of Dragnet (2003 TV series) episodes

In 2003, a Dragnet series was produced by Dick Wolf, the producer of NBC's Law & Order series and spin-offs, in turn strongly influenced by Dragnet. It aired on ABC, and starred Ed O'Neill as Joe Friday and Ethan Embry as Frank Smith. After a 12-episode season that followed the traditional formula, the format of the series was changed to an ensemble crime drama in an attempt to boost ratings.

In L.A. Dragnet, Friday was promoted to lieutenant with less screen time and Frank Smith was written out, in favor of younger and ethnically diverse cast played by

Roselyn Sanchez was added to the regular cast in a few episodes. With the Dragnet formula no longer in place, the program had the feel of a typical procedural drama. It was cancelled five episodes into its second season. Three episodes premiered on USA Network in early 2004, with the final two on the Sleuth
channel in 2006. In other countries such as the Netherlands, the show is retitled Murder Investigation.

Related works

Music

Main article: Dragnet (theme music)

The theme from Dragnet has been recorded by many artists, achieving popular success. Artists who charted with it include

The Art of Noise
(1987).

Nonfiction

  • In 1958, Webb authored The Badge, a book containing chapters of true stories told from the view of a patrolman, sergeant, lieutenant, and others. It had a number of photographs and recently was reissued with a foreword by James Ellroy, author of L.A. Confidential.

Parodies

Home media

Radio series (1949–1957)

Original television series (1951–1959)

Most, if not all, episodes of this series are in the public domain,[citation needed] and 52 episodes were released by many DVD labels. These collections feature a variety of the same 52 episodes. These include "The Human Bomb", "The Big Actor", "The Big Mother", "The Big Cast", "The Big September Man", "The Big Phone Call", "The Big Casing", "The Big Lamp", "The Big Seventeen", "The Big .22 Caliber Rifle for Christmas", "The Big Grandma", "The Big Show", "The Big Break", "The Big Frank", "The Big Hands", "The Big Barrette", "The Big Dance", "The Big Betty", "The Big Will", "The Big Thief", "The Big Little Jesus", "The Big Trunk", "The Big Boys", "The Big Children", "The Big Winchester", "The Big Shoplift", "The Big Hit & Run Killer", "The Big Girl", "The Big Frame", "The Big False Make", "The Big Producer", "The Big Fraud", "The Big Crime", "The Big Pair", "The Big Missing", "The Big Bar", "The Big Present", "The Big New Year", "The Big Rod", "The Big Lift", "The Big Gap", "The Big Look", "The Big Glasses", "The Big Bird", "the Big Smoke", "The Big Bounce", "The Big Deal", "The Big Hat", "The Big Net", "The Big War", "The Big Oskar", and "The Big Counterfeit". Often, some are mislabeled as no onscreen titles are used.

Three collections released from Alpha Video feature four episodes each. Eclectic DVD released a collection of three episodes.

Platinum Video released seven episodes from the original series in 2002. The episodes are: "Big Crime", "Big Pair", "Big Producer", "Big Break", "Big September Man", "Big Betty", and "Big Trunk". The two-disc set includes episodes from Burke's Law, Peter Gunn, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Mr. Wong, Detective, and Bulldog Drummond.

Dragnet feature film (1954)

This movie was released on DVD in 2009 as part of Universal Studios' "Vault Series".

Dragnet pilot movie (1966)

This movie is a bonus feature on

Shout! Factory
's "Dragnet 1968: Season Two" (Release Date: July 6, 2010).

Dragnet (1967–1970)

On June 7, 2005,

Universal Studios
released the first season on DVD in Region 1. Because sales numbers did not meet Universal's expectations, no plans were made to release the remaining three seasons.

On March 17, 2010, Shout! Factory acquired the rights to distribute the series under license from

Universal
. They subsequently released seasons 2–4.

DVD Name Ep # Release Date
Season 1 17 June 7, 2005
February 13, 2018 (re-release)
Season 2 28 July 6, 2010
Season 3 27 December 7, 2010
Season 4 26 April 12, 2011

The New Dragnet (1989)

No DVD releases to date of this remake that lasted two seasons.

L.A. Dragnet (2003)

Universal Studios Home Entertainment was going to release the first season of this short-lived remake on DVD on November 11, 2003, but this release was cancelled. It is not known if the set will be released,[11] though it is available for viewing on Hulu
.

References

  1. ^ On a March 1953 episode, the Detroit Police Officers' Association gave Dragnet a commendation, citing the program's efforts at increasing public esteem of policemen, and described it as the "finest and most accurate" police program on radio or television.
  2. ^ http://www.radioechoes.com/?page=series&genre=OTR-Detective&series=Dragnet
  3. ISBN 978-0275988074
    .
  4. ^ "The Top Box-Office Hits of 1954", Variety Weekly, January 5, 1955
  5. ^ TCM.com
  6. JSTOR 23253590
    . Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  7. ^ Mikkelson, David (March 29, 2002). "Dragnet: 'Just the Facts. Ma'am'". Snopes. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  8. ^ Funniest Moments: Copper Clapper Caper On Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. YouTube (official channel). August 27, 2012. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  9. ^ "Againwiththecomics.com". Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  10. ^ "Don't miss American Reich, the Fall's most anticipated TV show. #HighCastle #WhatIfWeLost". Facebook. September 25, 2015.
  11. ^ Dragnet DVD news: Dragnet (2003) DVD Cancelled | TVShowsOnDVD.com Archived November 10, 2004, at the Wayback Machine

General sources

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dragnet (series).
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