(1953) Dragnet The Big Show

[@LuvvyDuck]

Loved the way it worked out in the end. Virginia Gregg played the role so well. She was really bawling her eyes out!

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

This is more like watching a move. Just simply brilliant. Master class performance from Virginia Gregg and terrific directing from Jack.

[@MikeBurks-w3i]

Wowzer..great episode 😊

[@maeve4686]

As Sam writes, Virginia Gregg was a steadily working actress. She stated once that ..."when casting calls for a woman who looks like the wrath of god, I'm notified." She was in more than 45 movies, including one of the nurses in "Operation Petticoat", and hundreds of TV shows and not to forget radio in its heyday. As you see, she is one of my favorite all-time actors. When she played the wife of an officer killed in the line of duty on Dragnet, she brought tears to my eyes. That is almost an impossible event for me. Why she never won a nod or nomination to her abilities is a shame. One of the many unsung great actors in almost all mediums. Wish I could thank her now. She passed away of lung cancer in 1986. I still thankyou, and binge watch Dragnet on KZbin, and love it when you and another radio star Peggy Webber ,who also worked with Jack Webb on Dragnet in radio and TV. She's a young 94 and still occassionally working. At one time she'd written, produced and/or directed and/or acted in more than 250 of her own stories and scripts. Jack certainly knew talent and also many male actors were brought along into TV from radio. Great actors all.

[@shawnjones8609]

True, great actors. If it weren't for Dragnet, I personally probably would have never heard of most of these actors. Jack Webb gathered a talented group and put them to good use. All were at the tops of their games.

[@susancummings3930]

said it perfectly!!!!!!!

[@MartinSage]

Yea, Peggy Webber did a great acting job on Escape radio play “Earth Abides” with John Dehner

[@artmoss6889]

Yes, Virgina Gregg was a wonderful actor. I first paid attention to her while listening to the radio show, "Richard Diamond," in which she played Helen Archer, Diamond's girlfriend. The interplay between Dick Powell and Gregg is delightful and at times erotic. I am surprised that their verbal wordplay, which hinted at a relationship that was very much a sexual one, made it past the censors. She also appears on many "Johnny Dollar" episodes. She had the ability to give a line of text remarkable meaning and nuance.

[@safiremorningstar]

Is it going to say that I edited it I didn't I just wanted to add something and voice to text doesn't generally allow me to fix anything it is just annoying but it's the only tool I have since I do not have the use of my hand very good but little known actors were often used and they say little known most of these actors were fantastic but they never got the credit or accolades they're more well-known counterparts got and Mr Webb always made sure to higher the best, and yes I remember that actresses face but I never could remember her name mostly because they never gave the name up front on most things it's always at the end and when you're a kid and your eyesight Is not Great it goes fast and even in reruns you couldn't pause it to see who played what, he also made sure to show police women yes about the same time more or less maybe 10 years there was a show that lasted all of them maybe a season called police woman when I say a season think 12 episodes maybe.... the reason for its cancellation was the powers that be didn't like the idea of a female cops, it was like dragnet but seeing through The eyes of a woman police officer, sexism got that show canceled... and at the time you never saw any minority played in a positive light they were always the bad guys, Jack Webb was also against racism but he could do very little at the time except keep the stories that he wanted to keep which portrayed the people who are not white in a positive aspect it could not be helped at the time when the show was made you see he could not hire a directly a Hispanic or that's what they called it at the time latinx as they call it now these days after when he was going to be using a LatinX actress and the reason for this is that a code of racism which would not allow a white actor and what was seen as a non-white to be too close together to put it politely they couldn't even be seen helping the non-white actress out of a car or be in a car and facing same that wasn't two feet distance. It's one of the previous dragnets where they're supposed to be two girls and they're supposed to be latinx the cop who is supposed to be interviewing is supposed to be also latinx oh what was Hispanic at the time he was played by a white actor (famous for being a character actor among many things he was famous for) for the reasons I mentioned above. The fact that there was even in an even passed the censorship that the character of a sergeant who was a detective and was latinx or what they call back then Hispanic or Latino and he's play in such a positive way already shows you that Mr Webb was not going to let the sensors get away with everything. It's kind of funny that an actress like both Peggy Webber and Virginia Greg and I don't know if voice to text is put that name down right but I can remember their faces just I never knew their names you'd see them in so many different I call them bit parts or guest rooms in various shows and it was because back then a person who looked ordinary and didn't look like something that walked out of a men's magazine or something or modeling agency was not very rare to find but that's because it was normal from the 80s onward they started changing that and now if you look at most TV shows they all pretty much look like they walked out of some magazine or other they just don't look like the person next door the majority these days look like Barbie dolls. And these fine actors who were who showed the ordinary who gave emotion to characters that would have been flat without them they deserve to be remembered but most cases if it weren't for a show like dragnet shows that last the test of time and want to be watched over and over and over by new generations, this show came out before I was born, it came out before my kids were born, but I used to get to watch it and other old shows because they were reruns on various stations including military stations it's funny how the show like dragnet could influence the feeling of realism in all shows that came after and when you think about it even if she'll like 24 could not have existed without a show like dragnet which kind of gave its own version of events in a 24-hour day. If you got to meet any of these great actors before they passed you were blessed because frankly I only met one and that was on a marathon that I did almost 30 plus I mean closer to 40 years ago, and she was really nice and allow those of us participating to ask any questions... She thought I was a sweet kid because at the time I was basically and also because she could have been my grandmother the same age anyway and I remember saying to her how beautiful she looked she looked ageless and I'm talking about Amanda Blake play Miss Kitty in gunsmoke.

[@burton48]

A wonderful story about human reaction to difficult circumstances, to the effects of loneliness, and most importantly to love and forgiveness. Virginia Gregg was in countless TV productions but this may be one of her best pieces of work.

[@cheryljohnson247]

One of the best stories I've seen. Great acting.👍

[@louispoche4312]

I have watched Virginia Greg in bit parts on so many TV series... always just a bit player on so many tv series..... but this one WOW.. what an actress!

[@jacksutherland846]

Boy am I glad that guy had a heart. The look in her eyes when she was facing him was just unabandonable for lack of a better word. I have seen that look before. What a hell of a story man!

[@shanghaibennyii6565]

I love the camera work in this episode; especially with the big-nosed phone booth guy - indicating a liar in progress- and the bad picture, told us about the veracity of Lewis's story.

[@shanghaibennyii6565]

@@GreenGlo1991 Thanks. Wish there was more creativity of this kind.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Wonderful deduction. I was wondering what he was doing in those shots. I knew it had to be for some other reason than comic relief.

[@Beadbud5000]

This is one of my favorite Dragnets both decades. The story has all of the emotional complity of American couples in the early 1950s. The actress playing the mother went on with Jack Webb's troupe of players through 1970.

[@DavidSmith-sb2ix]

This is what real Christians do. You forgive the sinner but you don't condone the sin. That would give the person an excuse to do it again. A good lesson for Christians as well as people of other faiths or no religion at all.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

AMEN. Don't see enough of that from our church today; or outside the church.

[@elizabethbeckman1947]

A gem, based on the radio play, exceptional quality writing, performance-Ms Gregg, and television! The best of this series I've seen. The softest I've seen Webb's Friday.

[@michaelgahan2968]

A time all crimes was solved and when we had better jobs where one income earner could support a family

[@Baskerville22]

The guy in the photo booth at the bus station looks very much like Shemp Howard of the 3 Stooges

[@MrRobster1234]

It isn't.

[@Baskerville22]

@@MrRobster1234 It isn't what ? In your ignorant rush to oppose my statement, you choose to interpret my observation as "The guy in the photo booth at the bus station IS Shemp Howard of the 3 Stooges". "Looks very much like" encompasses "appearance"...and it's possible that there were dozens of men who shared a similar visage to that of Shemp. Reply

[@MrRobster1234]

@@Baskerville22 Take it easy Buddy. He doesn't even remotely look like Shemp Howard.

[@LordZontar]

Vivi Janiss, the policewoman, later appeared in two Twilight Zone episodes: "The Fever" (1959) and "Man In A Bottle" (1960).

[@samwst56]

Virginia Gregg played a great many roles in radio and TV.

[@D45VR]

and a few movie roles too. always good.

[@gerberjoanne266]

I also think that she played a great many roles on Dragnet, also the version in the late 1960s.

[@eldaddio9100]

In some she was actually quite SEXY !!🤗

[@elizabethbraddock8667]

Virginia was one of the 'stable' of actors and actresses that Jack used for his shows and movies. He was good to his friends and co-workers, for the most part.

[@jossetteking4967]

She was married to Jaime Del Valle, a radio producer, for 10 or 11 years. He produced many of the radio episodes of Dragnet. He may have given her a leg up, but she was an outstanding actress in her own right.

[@glendarichardson5337]

This is a very good episode.

[@stephanelauzon15]

thankyou for putting these up I still say its the best tv shows still today

[@Hondo0101]

heartbreaking.

[@MrAlumni72]

POW - right in the feels!

[@davidlium9338]

Dorothy Miller was name of a policewoman in the color Dragnet 1967 -1970. Great ending!

[@charlynegezze8536]

Whatever happened to the name "Dorothy"?

[@cynthiaperrier5987]

Love this show.

[@fromthesidelines]

Adapted from an April 10, 1952 radio episode.

[@middlega]

Yep. Heard it on SiriusXM Radio Classics about a year ago

[@Facesforce]

Ahaha, I actually heard this one on a late sunday rebroadcast in Yokosuka. They used to have a radio hour, which normally consisted of Marlowe and Dragnet, although I heard a couple of other shows like X minus one on there as well.

[@deadtoselfShema]

Baby would be 65yrs old now

[@alswann2702]

EXTREME HONOR.

[@titaniumdiveknife]

Sweet story.

[@brucelevy5603]

The Scarlet Letter

[@reynaldoflores4522]

This case could've been solved in the first minute . Friday: " Ma'am, could we see some ID , please "?

[@macmcleod1188]

No she had used the false ID at the hospital if you recall.

[@bffs4lifeliz]

Holy cow!

[@mercoid]

A Mock 7 ProDuction!

[@DBAllen]

I wonder if they changed the baby's name from Steven to Jody Junior?

[@sirstephen9825]

my thoughts. Name of the episode should be "The Big Jody". Jody got the captain's Cadillac .

[@patbackus7668]

He was cheating to but it’s nice he decided to keep his wife and kid

[@macmcleod1188]

That's the subtext that I got. Due to the statement "I've made mistakes too." And his refusal to let her join him.

[@wandahall4435]

Jack Webb is A Savage!!!

[@robertbrawley5048]

Boy she got iff easy. I would hate to be in her shoes. Glad i born a male

[@carvinlambert6899]

the guy taking a photograph looks like the Drunk, Otis, on Andy Griffith Show. the boy never knew his Real Father, I assume.

[@sludge8506]

Hal Smith.

[@CaptainPetes]

Why does every episode's title start with the big?

[@edwardgarea7650]

skater tube I think it was a system the producers used to label each episode.

[@qualitywindowtint3788]

was that shemp howard in the photo booth??!!

[@billhahn4113]

William Shaw I wondered too. But I don't think so.

[@heideggerm2]

No, it was someone with a similar hair cut and facial shape.

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

too fat

[@mercoid]

Dwragnet

[@crazyhorseaz5224]

Audio not good on this one.

[@llatimer2]

Good Men always paying the price for female irresponsibility

[@EliezerPennywhistler]

THIS is what you have learned from life on Earth?

[@gerryjames9720]

Seen it happen Time after time For a piece of tail A man loses his mind. (Colin Kaepernick knows what I mean)

[@nunyabiznis817]

THIS is what ALL men should learn in life as early as possible. But it will never happen because men, in general, don't have the ability to think with the right head until about age 40 or 45.

[@carvinlambert6899]

Nunya Biznis and women start thinking right, at the age of 90.

[@LordZontar]

Not going to be reproducing anytime soon, I see.