🎙️ 1001 RADIO CRIME SOLVERS SHOW NOTES
🕵️♂️ Dragnet – "The Big Revision"
Original Air Date: January 11, 1951 Series: Dragnet (Radio) Episode Length: ~30 minutes
Cast
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Jack Webb — Sgt. Joe Friday
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Barton Yarborough — Sgt. Ben Romero
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Herb Butterfield — Supporting role
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Harry Bartell — Supporting role
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Additional ensemble typical of Dragnet's 1951 cast
Summary
Friday and Romero investigate a case involving forged school transcripts and falsified academic records. A young man seeking a government job has submitted paperwork that doesn't add up, and the detectives soon discover a small but active ring of document forgers operating out of Los Angeles.
The case becomes a study in motive: some clients want better jobs, others want to erase past failures, and a few simply want to reinvent themselves. As Friday and Romero follow the trail through teachers, clerks, and former classmates, they uncover the mastermind — a disgruntled former educator who sells "revised" transcripts to anyone willing to pay.
The episode is a sharp reminder that fraud doesn't always involve big money; sometimes it's built on the quiet desperation of people trying to rewrite their past.
🕵️♂️ Dragnet – "The Big Squealer"
Original Air Date: April 6, 1950 Series: Dragnet (Radio) Episode Length: ~30 minutes
Cast
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Jack Webb — Sgt. Joe Friday
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Barton Yarborough — Sgt. Ben Romero
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Raymond Burr — Supporting role
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Harry Bartell — Supporting role
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Additional ensemble from Dragnet's early‑run cast
Summary
A petty criminal known for informing on other crooks suddenly turns up dead. Friday and Romero must determine whether his murder was revenge, coincidence, or part of a larger criminal conspiracy. The victim had been feeding information to the police for months, and his tips had led to several arrests — giving plenty of suspects motive to silence him.
The detectives retrace his final hours, interviewing gamblers, small‑time thieves, and underworld figures who all have something to hide. The case hinges on identifying which of the victim's past betrayals finally caught up with him. When Friday and Romero uncover the truth, it reveals a surprisingly personal motive behind the killing.
It's a gritty, street‑level Dragnet story — a look at the dangerous life of an informant and the thin line between survival and betrayal.
