Podcast Summary: Dragnet: The Big Trunk

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode Airdate: September 9, 2025 (originally aired 09/07/1954)
Host: Choice Classic Radio

Episode Overview

This classic Dragnet episode, “The Big Trunk,” follows detective sergeants Joe Friday and Frank Smith as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of Josephine Allen, an attractive divorcee. With only scant evidence hinting at foul play and a cast of conflicted relationships, the detectives must sift through misleading clues, heated emotions, and dead-ends to expose a killer. The story embodies Dragnet’s hallmark of procedural realism and understated tension.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Progression

1. Initial Disappearance & Neighborhood Inquiry

[02:41-05:44]

• Detectives Friday and Smith visit Mrs. Harrison, neighbor and close friend of the missing Josephine Allen.
• Mrs. Harrison recounts her last interactions with Josephine (Friday, June 6), the state of Josephine’s relationships post-divorce, and tension with both her ex-husband, Jordan Allen, and current boyfriend, David Lansing.
• Notable: Mrs. Harrison expresses suspicion about Lansing due to frequent loud arguments:
  • Quote: "If you asked me, I'd say that David had something to do with Josephine's being gone." — Mrs. Harrison [04:58]

2. Crime Scene Discovery

[05:44-07:44]

• Friday and Smith search Josephine’s house and yard.
• No signs of forced entry, no luggage missing; an undisturbed meal for two is found on the dining table.
• In the garage, they discover a trunk with suspicious stains. Upon opening, they find Josephine’s body inside.
  • Quote: "I know where she is. Yeah, let's find out who put her there." — Friday [07:33]

3. Suspect Profiles & Evidence Building

[07:44-11:49]

• The trunk was addressed to David Lansing, making him a prime suspect.
• Lansing’s background includes multiple arrests (mostly for drunkenness and fighting).
• Interviews with Lansing’s roommate and friend, Mark Gilson, provide further context: Lansing was deeply upset over Josephine’s interactions with her ex-husband and was last seen very agitated on Friday, drinking heavily.
  • Quote: "Dave doesn't drink too good. All he needs is a couple. He thinks he can lick the world." — Mark Gilson [10:43]
• The trunk’s rope uses seaman’s knots; Lansing does not have nautical experience.

4. Alternative Leads & Further Investigation

[11:49-14:23]

• Miss Dodie Fredericks, former girlfriend, describes Lansing as obsessed with Josephine but offers him an alibi and claims he left town for San Francisco after borrowing money.
  • Quote: "Always ends up the same way. He comes back. Thinks he's a real big man. All the time with the chicks." — Dodie Fredericks [13:56]

5. Break in the Case: Evidence Doesn’t Fit Lansing

[14:23-17:23]

• Lansing is arrested on a drunk charge but denies knowledge of the murder.
• Handwriting tests show a mismatch between Lansing’s writing and the trunk's shipping label.
  • Quote: "Note here from Don Meyer... They checked the exemplars of Lansing against the label on the trunk. Yeah, no match at all. Kind of looks like we might have the wrong man." — Friday and Frank [17:18]
• Lansing reveals Josephine told him Friday night she was expecting Jordan Allen for dinner and had decided not to reconcile with Lansing.

6. Focus Shifts to Jordan Allen

[17:23-21:45]

• Detectives travel to San Diego to interview Jordan Allen.
• Allen stonewalls but eventually describes his last encounter with Josephine: she invited him for dinner, breaking the news she wouldn’t get back together and intended to marry Lansing. Allen describes his overwhelming jealousy and heartbreak.
  • Quote: “All the time, I figured, sure she was gonna say we were going back together… She told me she was gonna marry this David Lansing… I just couldn’t take any more of it.” — Jordan Allen [23:12]

7. Allen’s Confession and Motive

[21:45-25:37]

• Allen admits to killing Josephine in a fit of despair and jealousy when she told him her intentions.
• He attempted to frame Lansing by putting his name on the trunk and using shipping techniques from his former seaman days.
  • Quote: "That's where I thought I was smart... I figured I'd have it sent to his place and then pick it up and get rid of it. If I couldn't do that, then he'd get the blame for it." — Jordan Allen [24:37]
• Friday responds:
  • Quote: "You had a funny way of showing it, didn't you?" — Friday [25:37]

8. Resolution

[25:37-End]

• Concluding narration: Jordan Allen is tried and convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to five years to life.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mrs. Harrison’s early suspicion:
  "If you asked me, I'd say that David had something to do with Josephine's being gone." [04:58]
• Crime scene realism:
  "Table all set… Food, none of it touched. Well, there's an answer someplace." — Friday [07:01]
• Mark Gilson, on Lansing’s volatility:
  "Dave doesn't drink too good. All he needs is a couple. He thinks he can lick the world." [10:43]
• Dodie's resigned bitterness:
  "Always ends up the same way. He comes back. Thinks he's a real big man. All the time with the chicks." [13:56]
• Friday to Allen, on ‘love’:
  "You had a funny way of showing it, didn't you?" [25:37]

Timeline of Important Segments

• [02:41] Detectives arrive at Mrs. Harrison’s; learn about Josephine’s relationships
• [05:44] Trunk with Josephine’s body discovered in garage
• [07:44] Focus on David Lansing as initial suspect
• [10:43] Lansing’s roommate describes his anger and drinking
• [13:12] Dodie Fredericks’ testimony and alibi details
• [14:23] Lansing arrested and questioned; evidence points away from him
• [17:18] Handwriting analysis clears Lansing
• [21:45] Detective interview and confession from Jordan Allen
• [25:37] Allen’s conviction and episode resolution

Episode Tone & Style

“Dragnet: The Big Trunk” maintains the series’ trademark crisp, procedural style: terse police dialogue, detailed step-by-step investigation, and an understated moral stance. The episode eschews melodrama in favor of realism, focusing on the tragic consequences of human jealousy and misunderstanding.

This summary provides a comprehensive yet accessible recount of the events, key evidence, and character motivations in this classic Dragnet episode, capturing both its structure and human drama for listeners new and old.