Podcast Summary: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio
Episode: Dragnet – "The Big Screen" (EP4824)
Host: Adam Graham
Date: October 16, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode of "The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio" features a 1951 installment of Dragnet entitled "The Big Screen." The story shines a light on the emerging problem of dishonest television repair businesses in Los Angeles, a criminal racket growing alongside TV’s postwar popularity. The episode dramatizes the police’s efforts, in partnership with the press, to expose and build a prosecutable case against corrupt repairmen. After the radio drama, host Adam Graham provides insightful commentary relating the episode’s themes to broader patterns of technological change and consumer scams, both in the 1950s and today.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Rise of a New Crime: TV Repair Scams
[02:22 – 03:32]
- The episode opens by exposing a "criminal problem that is not yet nationwide," but "is growing rapidly": fraudulent television repairmen overcharging, billing for unnecessary repairs or parts, or even for work never done.
- Outlines the mission of the police bunco squad: to investigate these rackets, along with the complicity and indifference sometimes shown by larger repair outfits and their employees.
Notable Quote (Dick Saunders, 02:22):
"The story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a bunco detail. ... The television repair racket. The repairmen lie, overcharge, bill you for work not done, for parts not needed. For parts they don't install. Your job: Stop them."
2. Partnering with the Press & Gathering Evidence
[03:55 – 09:14]
- Sergeant Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and partner Ben Romero confer with Jack Kanett of the Daily News and learn of mounting complaints from readers about TV repair fraud.
- Journalists and police agree on a collaborative plan: public exposure and sting operations.
- Testimony from a former dishonest repairman, Hank Coulter, illustrates common scams (charging for simple fixes as major repairs, refusing to let customers watch, "swapping" old parts, etc.).
Notable Quotes:
- Hank Coulter (07:09):
“Kilgore used to tell us that if we only charge 50 cents for fixing a loose wire, the customer wouldn't believe we really fixed his set. So we used to charge quite a lot more.”
- Kanett (08:49):
“It's the same way when radio first came in... a few smart punks victimize him. Rob the consumer blind.”
3. Setting Up the Sting: The "Bungled" TV Set
[09:14 – 12:53]
- The police lab "bungles" (intentionally disables) a TV by burning out a simple and inexpensive tube (5U 4G, costing $1.65), then marks all components with tiny green dots for later identification.
- This careful prep ensures any unnecessary repairs or parts replacements can be proven as fraud.
- Plan: Call multiple repair shops and compare approaches, costs, and honesty.
Notable Quote (Dick Saunders, 11:01):
“In addition to this type marking, we've taken all serial numbers off the tubes... All major components have been marked.”
4. Testing Honesty: First Two Service Calls
[13:53 – 15:58]
- First Repairman: Bart's TV Experts
- Quickly diagnoses and honestly replaces only the bad tube. Charges $4.15 (below the $4.50 fair maximum).
- Friday (14:00):
“Replace 5U 4G tube, $1.65; service charge, $2.50; total charges $4.15.”
- Second Repairman: Cheney’s Video Repairs
- Claims a major, vague problem; insists on taking the set to the shop; hints at a much higher price and part scarcity.
- The team documents the interaction with candid photos as part of potential exposé.
5. The Reveal: Cheney’s Dishonesty Unmasked
[18:55 – 22:08]
- Upon the TV's return, detailed examination by police lab confirms only the bad tube was replaced (with a war surplus part). Other parts billed were never touched.
- Cheney's bill lists multiple expensive repairs, totaling $33.48.
- Left out screws and key components when reassembling the set.
- This clear evidence of fraud enables an arrest for petty theft.
Memorable Moment (21:54):
“Originally, there were four screws used to hold the chassis... Cheney's repair outfit only put one back in. One screw to hold that heavy chassis. It's a pretty sloppy job, all right.” – Dick Saunders
6. Arrest and Aftermath
[22:41 – 25:04]
- Police arrest Robert W. Cheney at his shop. Cheney tries to negotiate, refund money, and downplay the overcharge when confronted.
- Friday reads aloud the Radio Technicians Association’s code of ethics to Cheney, underscoring his responsibilities and ethical violations.
Notable Exchange (23:19):
Sergeant Joe Friday: "That seems to be the way you worked our repair deal right from the start. Only you didn't consult us about it till now."
Cheney: "If all this gets in the papers, I'll be ruined. He'll run out of business."
7. Resolution: Conviction and Closing Messages
[27:31 – 28:44]
- Cheney is convicted on several counts of petty theft, fined $200, and faces possible jail time.
- The episode concludes with a note emphasizing that most TV repair people are honest—exposing fraud is crucial for the profession and consumer trust.
- Police and Daily News thank each other for cooperation.
Notable Quotes & Moments
- Hank Coulter (07:17):
“For a nickel's worth of wire, we'd usually charge $4.75. Pretty fair profit. It's a real rob.”
- Dick Saunders (20:21):
“All they did was to replace the 5U 4G tube. That's all they did, huh?... Here's the capper. The 5U 4G is a war surplus tube, but it works okay.”
- Friday (24:55):
“It's too bad you didn't remember it.” [After Cheney reads the Radio Technicians Association’s code of ethics aloud]
Host Commentary & Modern Perspective
[29:30 – 32:17]
Adam Graham reflects on the episode’s themes and their echo in today’s world:
- Compares the “repair scam” to modern frauds with the emergence of new technologies.
- Notes the uniqueness of including a real reporter as a character and praises Dragnet’s occasional engagement with complex social realities.
- Laments that listener Q&A segments are now rare, though valuable.
Adam Graham:
“Every new technology... comes with a new type of scam. It was also kind of surprising they used the actual name of the reporter as a character... I understand why they did it. I also enjoyed the Jack Webb answering listener questions segment... Sometimes there are unanswered questions or things that we don't know about or we just have to kind of guess. So it's great to have something a bit more authoritative.”
(29:30 – 30:40)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Introduction & Racket Exposed: 02:22 – 09:14
- Lab Prep for Sting Operation: 09:14 – 12:53
- First (Honest) Repair Visit: 13:53 – 14:22
- Second (Fraudulent) Repair Visit: 15:58 – 18:55
- Investigation & Findings: 18:55 – 22:08
- Arrest Scene and Code of Ethics: 22:41 – 25:04
- Host Commentary & Listener Feedback: 29:30 – 32:17
Tone & Authenticity
The episode retains Dragnet’s distinctive deadpan realism, using actual-sounding procedures, technical dialogue, and professional banter. Adam Graham’s commentary is thoughtful but accessible, aiming at nostalgia and real-world resonance for modern listeners.
Final Thoughts
"Dragnet: The Big Screen" offers a window into mid-century consumer crime, the growing pains of a new electronic age, and the timelessness of scams in a tech-driven marketplace. The collaboration between press and police is especially notable, as is Dragnet’s use of documentary technique in bringing criminal injustice to light. Adam Graham’s wrap-up makes the episode relevant for anyone concerned with technological change and consumer protection—both then and now.
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