The Big Problem (28 Mar. 1968)

Director:

Jack Webb

Writer:

Michael Donovan

Stars:

Jack Webb, Harry Morgan, Tom Reddin

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jack Webb	...	Sergeant Joe Friday
Harry Morgan	...	Officer Bill Gannon
Tom Reddin	...	Himself (as Thomas Reddin)
Roy Glenn	...	John Erickson
Maidie Norman	...	Elsa Erickson
John McCook	...	Off. Nick Jeffries
Charles Brewer	...	Off. Ron Braven
Clark Howat	...	Captain Shannon
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Billy Jones
Ed Deemer	...	Sgt. Charles Park
Richard Van Vleet	...	Off. Martin
Celia Lovsky	...	Rita Goldstein
Victor Millan	...	Sam Gonsalvez

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

detective sergeant | community meeting | barricaded suspect | police training | stolen car | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 1968 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mark VII Ltd., Dragnet Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The driver's license belonging to the character "Billy Jones," played by Georg Stanford Brown, shows his date of birth as June 24, 1943. This is Brown's actual birth date.

User Reviews

It's a black thing....

When Jack Webb was getting divorced from the GORGEOUS Julie London, he asked for ONE thing; his jazz records.

I LOVE Jack Webb, and, the starkness of the 60's episodes.

Every problem is black & white, and Jack's always ready - in a dead-pan monotone to explain EVERYTHING.

This episode , THE BIG PROBLEM (there are a LOT of episodes with the word 'big' in them) is about the racial issues.

Jack 'gets down' with the brothers, and explains that policing isn't a racial thing, but, is strictly driven by protecting people of every colour.

If you're a fan of Mr. Webb - and, I am - then, the simplistic script, the cue-card reading (and the ever-present angry Mr. Webb) will be no stranger to you, and, as always, you'll just groove along.

Compared to the legendary 'BLUE BOY,' and the 'Im sure you're mother had a loud bark' episodes - and the parents smoking pot, while their kid drowns in the tup, THE BIG PROBLEM doesn't equal the hysteria of those brilliant episodes, but, for sheer all-out Webb-isms, Incan NEVER argue with badge 714.