Dragnet: The Big Fourth (EP5054)

Dragnet: The Big Fourth (EP5054)

Author: Adam Graham|Old Time Radio Detective Host September 3, 2026 Duration: 36:39
Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and Frank Smith investigate a disturbing series of infant abductions in which babies disappear from the same general neighborhood, only to be found unharmed within a day. With no clear motive and few useful clues, the detectives devise a decoy operation while searching for the person responsible before another child disappears.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: May 29, 1952.

Originating from Hollywood

Starred: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, Martin Milner as Detective Bill Lockwood

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Join us again tomorrow for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.

Each weekday, Adam Graham opens the archive to the thrilling world of mid-century audio suspense with The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio. This daily series is a direct line to a time when crackling dials and tense narration filled living rooms, presenting a full mystery drama from the genre's golden age every Monday through Saturday. You'll hear the definitive voices of classic investigators at work, from the suave deductions of The Falcon to the methodical procedure of Dragnet, alongside the unique perspectives of Charlie Chan, the streetwise stories of Broadway's My Beat, and the detailed expense reports of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. It’s a carefully curated rotation designed to showcase the variety and depth of old-time radio detective fiction. Whether it's for a commute, a lunch break, or a nightly ritual, this podcast delivers a complete, immersive story in each episode, letting the atmospheric sound design and sharp dialogue build the case. Tune in for a consistent dose of intrigue and nostalgia, where every episode is a standalone journey into a meticulously crafted audio world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
Podcast Episodes
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Counterspy:  Vicious Visitor (A0122) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Today's Adventure: After violent bank robber Rocky Gaines escapes from federal prison, David Harding and Harry Peters join the manhunt as the wounded fugitive heads into the mountains. Gaines seeks refuge with Norma Bent…
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Lost by a Hair Matter (EP5060) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:58
Today's Mystery:Original Radio Broadcast Date:Originated from HollywoodStars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar.When making your travel plans, remember http://johnnydollarair.comBecome one of our Patreon Supporters at https://…
Dragnet: The Big Whiff (EP5059) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:25
Todays Mystery: Sergeant Joe Friday and Frank Smith investigate the death of an unidentified woman found in a vacant lot, apparently the victim of chloroform poisoning. With no identification and little evidence beyond a…
Broadway's My Beat: The Joey Croft Murder Case (EP5058) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:38
Today’s Mystery: Danny Clover investigates the murder of Joey Croft, a Coney Island carnival operator found stabbed and buried in the sand. Suspicion falls on Fred Moore, a recently released ex-con who blamed Joey for se…
The Big Story: The Biggest Catch (EP5057) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:13
Today's Mystery: Young journalism student Don Morrissey is determined to prove he has what it takes to become a full-time reporter for his hometown newspaper in quiet Elkhorn, Wisconsin. His opportunity arrives when thre…
The Saint: Miss Godby's School for Girls (EP5056) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:37
Today's Mystery: The Saint becomes involved when a blackmailer calls him to give a father a demand for ransom.Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 5, 1950.Originating from HollywoodVincent Price as Simon Templar / The…
Counterspy: Visiting Vultures (A0120) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:59
Today's Adventure: David Harding and Harry Peters investigate a multimillion-dollar bootleg liquor operation that is using discarded corn-syrup cans to smuggle illegal alcohol into states with government-controlled liquo…
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Chain of Death Matter (EP5055) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
Today's Mystery: Johnny Dollar is summoned by his eccentric old acquaintance Alvin Peabody Cartwright, who has received a chain letter promising good fortune if he continues it—and disaster if he breaks it. Johnny is ske…