The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

Episode: Dragnet: The Big Run (EP4794)
Date: September 4, 2025
Host: Adam Graham

Episode Overview

This episode features a classic episode of Dragnet titled "The Big Run," originally aired June 21, 1951. The story follows detectives Friday and Romero as they investigate a tragic hit-and-run in Los Angeles, where two elderly women are critically injured (and later die) after being struck by a car. The case transforms from a routine accident investigation into a manhunt for a careless young driver whose efforts to evade police only make him stand out more.

Adam Graham provides a brief commentary after the episode, highlighting the futility of the suspect's actions and the methods police use to piece together cases with little initial evidence.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. The Crime and Initial Investigation

• Setting: Saturday, September 5th, Los Angeles.
  Detectives Friday and Romero are tasked with investigating a hit-and-run in which two elderly women are struck in a crosswalk.
• Victims:
  • Marcella R. Norton, 58
  • Elizabeth Ann Carey, 65
    (08:15)
• Scene Details:
  • The scene is well-lit, and the crosswalk is freshly painted; the driver could not have missed seeing it.
  • Officer Hyde assists in collecting evidence: broken headlight lens, chrome ring, and particles of glass.
• Witness Statements:
  • Richard Mordigan, a local nursery owner, provides the most useful information:

    "Looked like a young kid to me. I'll bet on that. He was young. Blond kid, about 18, 19, around in there." (13:50)

2. Gathering Evidence

• Physical Evidence:
  • Lee Jones at the crime lab analyzes paint and headlight lens shards:
    • Confirms car was black, with a tan undercoat (23:05)
    • Broken lens is from a 1934 Ford, the only company using that lens type
    • Car suspected to be a 1934 black Ford sedan

3. The Manhunt and Dead Ends

• Upgrading the Crime:

  • Both victims die of their injuries, changing the case to manslaughter, double count (24:15)

• Police Bulletin:

  • Detectives draft and circulate a bulletin, APB, and images (26:00)
  • Focus areas: Paint shops, auto lots, wreckers, insurance companies, and press involvement

• Three Weeks Pass:

  • Numerous leads about similar cars are dead ends.

    “I never knew they made so many black ‘34 Fords.” (28:45)

4. Break in the Case

• Suspect: Wilfred E. ("Curly") Watson
  • Dan Provost, a used car dealer, identifies Watson after suspect brings his damaged ‘34 Ford to repair. Provides name and license plate (30:15)
  • Police unable to detain Watson but expect his return as Provost offered free repairs as bait
• Handwriting Analysis Segment:
  A brief factual interlude about handwriting exemplars in police work, highlighting procedural authenticity

5. False Lead Eliminated

• Watson Located, Ruled Out
  • Watson, with a record and outstanding warrant, is picked up but cleared—his car damage occurred before the incident (34:30)
  • Witness Mordigan cannot definitively ID him

6. Second Lead: The Red-Headed Boy

• Santa Monica Tip:
  • Agnes Hastings overhears teenagers at a soda fountain discussing hair dye:

    "One of the kids made some remark about the boy's red hair… The redhead said, 'Well, they're looking for a blonde, aren't they?'" (36:55)

  • Hastings records license plate; police trace it to a Calvin L. Martin
• Confrontation & Confession:
  • Detectives find the suspect vehicle (a 1934 Ford) in a locked garage
  • Jesse Armstrong (aka Lewis T. Martin) attempts to evade officers
  • During interrogation, Armstrong confesses:

    “I didn’t mean to hit those two women… I just couldn’t face it. I thought I could get away with it, I guess. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it.” (41:10)

  • Detectives inform him of the victims’ deaths.

7. Resolution

• Court Outcome:
  On December 17, Lewis T. Martin is found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to one year in jail and placed on probation for five years. (43:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Richard Mordigan on witnessing the accident:

  “Those two old women, they didn’t have a chance the minute they stepped off the curb. Crazy kid didn’t even stop to see if he could help." (16:55)

• Lee Jones, crime lab expert, analyzing evidence:

  “Your witness was right. The car was black. … A Ford, 1934. When you find the car, I can tie it indefinitely for you.” (22:50)

• Armstrong’s regretful confession:

  “I didn’t mean to do it… I didn’t know they’d die.” (41:15)

• Detective Friday’s final remark to the suspect:

  “You kill two people, you figure it.” (41:32)

• Adam Graham’s commentary:

  “Our suspect just made so many mistakes that gave himself away. A boy dyeing his hair red in this era would stand out a lot more than a blonde boy who looked like the vague description… In the end, he was probably done for as soon as he left the scene of the accident and decided to try and go about his life as if nothing had happened—with a few modifications that just made him stand out like a sore thumb.” (Ending commentary, 44:28)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------| | 07:30–10:00 | Friday’s home, call-out to the accident | | 13:45 | Witness Richard Mordigan gives statement | | 21:10 | Crime lab report from Lee Jones | | 24:25 | Both victims pronounced dead—case escalates | | 28:50 | The challenge of finding a specific Ford | | 30:10 | Breakthrough: Dan Provost calls about the car | | 34:25 | Watson cleared as a suspect | | 37:00 | Santa Monica tip about red-haired suspect | | 41:05 | Suspect Armstrong/ Martin confesses | | 43:00 | Sentencing outcome announced | | 44:28 | Adam Graham’s final remarks |

Host Tone & Style

• Engaging and instructive: Adam Graham discusses the episode with a blend of nostalgia, expertise, and light wry humor.
• Detailed: He highlights the pitfalls of the fugitive’s strategy and how police procedural techniques eventually closed the case.

Summary

A tense and methodical Dragnet episode exemplifying classic police work. Detectives Friday and Romero, faced with little evidence—a car part, paint flakes, and a faint witness recollection—methodically unravel the case of a double fatal hit-and-run. The episode touches on the science of forensic analysis, the diligence required to follow false leads, and the unpredictable role of the public in solving crimes. Host Adam Graham’s commentary highlights the era’s investigative limitations and the classic mistake of a criminal who tries, unsuccessfully, to blend in by changing the most noticeable thing about himself. The story underscores the Dragnet virtue: “Just the facts,” but those facts, pursued persistently, lead to justice.