Dragnet

Monday Matinee

Re-Imagined Radio celebrates Dragnet, the real-life police procedural, and Jack Webb, as Detective Sgt. Joe Friday, who defined and was defined by this radio series. We sample from One Out of Seven, The Jack Webb Show, Pat Novak, For Hire, Johnny Madero, Pier 23, and Jeff Regan, Investigator, all pre-Dragnet radio shows where Webb honed his character and acting style. We end with "The City Hall Bombing," an early episode of Dragnet to showcase Webb as a great radio storyteller.

Significance

The Dragnet radio series presented a wide range of topics, each using fast moving plots and realistic details to keep the action moving. The dialogue was understated. Sparse. Influenced by hard-boiled detective literature. The police work was chronicled step-by-step, with details and realism. The result gave millions of listeners a feel for real police work. The boredom and drudgery. The danger of heroism. With its start in radio, and move to television, Dragnet remains one of the most popular and influentional police procedurals in any media, including literature, motion pictures, and podcasts. More than a half-century after its first broadcast, people who have never heard an episode, or don't know Dragnet, know its 4-note music opening, "DUM-DE-DUM-DUM," and think the phrase "Just the facts, ma'am" originated with Sgt. Joe Friday. It didn't. But that doesn't matter.

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