Dragnet: The Big Shakedown (EP5049)

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas

Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate a bookmaker’s claim that a police officer has been demanding weekly payments in exchange for allowing him to operate. But when no one matching the man’s name or description can be found in law-enforcement records, Friday and Smith begin searching for an extortionist who may not be a policeman at all.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 22, 1952

Originating from HollywoodCast:
  • Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
  • Herb Ellis as Frank Smith
  • Also featuring Vic Rodman and June Whitley
  • Script by Jim Moser
  • Music by Walter Schumann
  • Technical advisors: Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, and Sergeant Vance Brasher
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Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
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Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith investigate a bookmaker’s claim that a police officer has been demanding weekly payments in exchange for allowing him to operate. But when no one matching the man’s name or description can be found in law-enforcement records, Friday and Smith begin searching for an extortionist who may not be a policeman at all.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 22, 1952

Originating from HollywoodCast:
  • Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
  • Herb Ellis as Frank Smith
  • Also featuring Vic Rodman and June Whitley
  • Script by Jim Moser
  • Music by Walter Schumann
  • Technical advisors: Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, and Sergeant Vance Brasher
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net

Patreon Supporter of the Day:

Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.

Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715

Take the listener survey…http://survey.greatdetectives.net

Give us a call 208-991-4783

Become one of our friends on Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives

Follow us on Twitter@radiodetectives

Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
2026-08-27 33 min Transcript
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