Dragnet: The Big Red, Part One (EP4939)

Dragnet: The Big Red, Part One (EP4939)

Author: Adam Graham|Old Time Radio Detective Host March 26, 2026 Duration: 41:02
Today's Mystery: Friday goes undercover as a narcotics buyer after getting a tip from an informant about a new narcotics ring operating in LA.

Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 3, 1952

Originating from Hollywood

Starring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barney Phillips as Sergeant Ed Jacobs; Stacy Harris

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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: 100

The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
Podcast Episodes
Danger with Grainger: The Larry Simmons Case (EP4921) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:12
Today's Mystery: A slimy character tries to hire Grainger as a go-between for him in a blackmail deal. Grainger kicks him out but it's not that simpleOriginal Radio Broadcast Date: 1956 or 1957Originating from AustraliaS…
Screen Guild Theater: The Glass Key (EP4920e) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:25
Today's Story: The best friend and top lieutenant of a political boss finds himself in the midst of a murder that threatens his boss's career.Original Air Date: July 22, 1946Originating from HollywoodStarring: Alan Ladd;…
Counterspy: The Case of the Gasoline Barge (A0066) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:45
Today's Adventure: David Harding suspects the Axis is behind a ring making counterfeit gas coupons.Original Radio Broadcast: November 2, 1945Originating from New YorkStarring: Don McLaughlin as David HardingPopular Scien…
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Deadly Doubt Matter (EP4920) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:19
Today's Mystery: A woman calls to report that a man was murdered and she's not sure if she did it.Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 11, 1959Originating from HollywoodStarring: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar; Virginia G…
Dragnet: The Big Affair (EP4919) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:17
Today's Mystery:Joe Friday and Ben Romero investigate a series of jewelry store robberies.Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 29, 1951Originating from HollywoodStarring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barton Yarbo…
Broadway's My Beat: The Lars Nielson Murder Case (EP4918) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:08
Today's Mystery: A famous torch singer wants a gun permit because she claims a man is threatening her life.Original Radio Broadcast Date: September 29, 1951Originating from HollywoodStarring: Larry Thor as Lieutenant Dan…
The Big Story: The Jigsaw Crime (EP4917) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:02
Today's Mystery:A legendary Arkansas reporter investigates the murder of an unidentified man.Original Radio Broadcast: January 26, 1949Originating from New YorkStarring: Martin Wolfson as Joe Wirges; Art Carney; Larry Ha…
Counterspy: The Case of the Loganberry Point Spy (A0064) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:44
Today's Adventure: A widow in a small town calls David Harding, claiming to have caught a German spy.Original Radio Broadcast: September 14, 1942Originating from New YorkStarring: Don McLaughlin as David Harding; Craig M…
Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Hollywood Mystery Matter (EP4915) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:21
Today's Mystery: Johnny searches for a missing embezzler who called Johnny and let him know he was in Hollywood.Original Radio Broadcast Date: January 4, 1959Originated from HollywoodStars: Bob Bailey as Johnny Dollar.Vi…
Dragnet: The Big Hands (EP4914) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:35
Todays Mystery: A woman is found strangled to death in a hotel room, and Friday and Romero have to figure out who she was and who killed her.Original Radio Broadcast Date: November 22, 1951Originating from HollywoodStarr…