Podcast Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio

Episode: Dragnet – "The Big Revision" (Originally aired 05/10/1955)
Date Released: February 17, 2026
Host: Choice Classic Radio

Main Theme

This episode of Dragnet focuses on the determined efforts of Los Angeles police detectives to recover over $200,000 in stolen furs and jewelry. The investigation intensifies following the arrest of a prime suspect—who refuses to cooperate—and the search for both the loot and an elusive accomplice. The story highlights the methodical reality of police work, the challenge of extracting confessions, and the pursuit of justice using dogged investigative tactics.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Breakdown

1. Arrest and Interrogation of Cade Bowen (00:54–02:23)

• Detectives Friday and Smith interrogate Cade Bowen, their main suspect in a recent Bel Air burglary.
• Despite strong evidence, Bowen remains uncooperative and refuses to divulge the whereabouts of the stolen goods or implicate his partner.
• They pressure Bowen, hoping his lack of a previous felony record might encourage him to confess:

  “You go along with us and the judge might take it into consideration.” – Friday (01:48)

2. A New Lead: Informant Tip-Off (03:42–08:56)

• The detectives receive a tip from Emory Docks, an informant, about someone trying to sell fur coats he suspects are stolen.
• The informant describes a suspicious man, Jarvis Dean, trying to unload mink and Stone Martin coats.
• Notable insight into the informant's world and the value of street intelligence:

  “Guy goes around with a couple of grand, furs in his car. He didn't win 'em in a raffle.” – Emory Docks (07:41)

• Detectives get a description of Dean, who is allegedly heading to Palm Springs to offload the stolen goods.

3. Connecting the Dots: Briefing with Captain Bernard (09:33–10:44)

• Friday and Smith report to Captain Bernard, connecting Emory’s lead to their burglary case (the Hendricks loot).
• They discuss the Palm Springs bar "Spanky's," where Dean was last seen.

4. Palm Springs Stakeout: Bar Recon and Blanche’s Interrogation (11:05–17:49)

• The team visits Spanky's in Palm Springs, interviewing staff and Blanche, a woman associated with Dean.
• Blanche, initially belligerent and inebriated, eventually confirms knowing Jarvis Dean and supplies information linking him and Bowen as accomplices.
• Memorable moment as Blanche resists police questioning:

  “Well, I'm the Queen of Sheba. What do you think of that, Mr. Phony?” – Blanche (14:17)

• Blanche reveals Dean returned to LA to “square things” with Bowen, indicating tension between the criminals.

5. Escalation: Dean’s Death and Bowen on the Run (18:03–20:26)

• Captain Bernard reveals that Bowen has been released on a writ.
• A body is found in the desert—identified as Jarvis Dean, killed in a suspicious hit-and-run.
• Police suspect Bowen and intensify the manhunt, circulating bulletins statewide and at the border.

6. Bowen’s Capture and Final Interrogation (20:33–23:17)

• Bowen is apprehended for drunk driving after an attempted escape.
• During his questioning, Bowen refuses to admit any connection to Dean or knowledge of the murder.
• Presented with evidence—traces on his impounded car linking him to Dean’s death and possession of the stolen property—he tries to dismiss their case as laughable:

  “You just take it into court. Try. By the time you get through, the judge and the jury will be laughing.” – Cade Bowen (23:20)

7. Resolution: Justice Served (23:39–24:13)

• Narration confirms Bowen was tried and convicted of first-degree murder, receiving a life sentence.
• Closure is provided with the classic Dragnet sign-off:

  “The story you’ve just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.” (23:39)

Notable Quotes

• On the hard reality of criminal investigation:

  “You’re dead, Bowen. Why don’t you admit it?”
  – Friday (01:42)

• On criminal motivation:

  “Guy like that, he don’t do nothing for nothing. Got to be a payoff someways.”
  – Emory Docks (08:48)

• On suspect resistance:

  “You go along with us and the judge might take it into consideration. If we have to ride it up this way, she’ll have to throw the book in your face.”
  – Friday (01:49)

• Comic relief from police work:

  “Well, I’m the Queen of Sheba. What do you think of that, Mr. Phony?”
  – Blanche (14:17)

• On the futility of the crime:

  “Well, it really doesn’t make a lot of difference. You’re never gonna use it.”
  – Friday, about the missing loot (02:46)

• Confronting the suspect with evidence:

  “They found where you had that fender repaired…checked the springs underneath, found traces of fabric. Matched the jacket Dean had on when he was killed.”
  – Friday (23:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Interrogating Bowen: 00:54–02:23
• Tip from Emory Docks: 04:25–08:56
• Captain Bernard briefing: 09:33–10:44
• Bar recon and Blanche: 11:05–17:49
• Discovery of Dean’s death: 18:11–19:16
• Bowen’s capture: 20:33–21:55
• Final interrogation and evidence: 22:00–23:29
• Case resolution and Dragnet sign-off: 23:39–24:13

Engaging Moments & Tone

• The episode captures Dragnet’s signature no-nonsense, procedural tone, with clipped dialogue and sharp, believable police work.
• Human moments—such as Blanche’s outburst, the informant’s streetwise honesty, and the detectives’ persistent patience—add texture and relatability.
• The understated drama, deadpan humor, and deliberate pace evoke the era’s realistic crime storytelling.

Bottom Line

This classic Dragnet episode is a textbook example of persistent investigation, underworld drama, and the triumph of methodical police work. Through informants, dogged footwork, and forensic evidence, the LAPD team tracks a cold criminal partnership to its lethal end, delivering true crime storytelling at its most authentic.