DRAGNET "The Big Seventeen" 1952
This is the 18th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.
Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Frank Smith (Herb Ellis) are working the day watch out of Juvenile Division. They receive a call about a group of teens running wild at a local movie house, destroying property and attacking the staff.
The Detectives arrive and survey the damage while interviewing the manager and staff. They manage to get the names of several of the teens involved. There is also a small box containing a couple of reefers. The Detectives pay a visit on the one boy identified, and bring him in for questioning. He quickly caves under a bit of third degree and spills more names.
The trail soon leads to a further up the chain dealer, Herb Vigran. Vigran happens to be in the hospital with a severe head wound. It seems one of the teens he sold to, came back and wanted some stronger stuff. There are more interviews with parents and the girlfriend of the teen suspect. Anyways, this all leads to a park where they find the boy dead of an overdose.
While a bit laughable by today's standards, it most likely scared the hell out of viewers at the time.
All in all, this one comes off as a mid-range episode that kills the time well enough. The copy I watched had all the original "Chesterfield Cigarette" ads in it. The show's star, Jack Webb is even hawking the items in one of the ads.
This is the 18th episode of the 283 episode run of the original Police Detective series, DRAGNET. This series ran from 1951 to 59.
Sgt Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Detective Frank Smith (Herb Ellis) are working the day watch out of Juvenile Division. They receive a call about a group of teens running wild at a local movie house, destroying property and attacking the staff.
The Detectives arrive and survey the damage while interviewing the manager and staff. They manage to get the names of several of the teens involved. There is also a small box containing a couple of reefers. The Detectives pay a visit on the one boy identified, and bring him in for questioning. He quickly caves under a bit of third degree and spills more names.
The trail soon leads to a further up the chain dealer, Herb Vigran. Vigran happens to be in the hospital with a severe head wound. It seems one of the teens he sold to, came back and wanted some stronger stuff. There are more interviews with parents and the girlfriend of the teen suspect. Anyways, this all leads to a park where they find the boy dead of an overdose.
While a bit laughable by today's standards, it most likely scared the hell out of viewers at the time.
All in all, this one comes off as a mid-range episode that kills the time well enough. The copy I watched had all the original "Chesterfield Cigarette" ads in it. The show's star, Jack Webb is even hawking the items in one of the ads.