Podcast Summary: Dragnet - "The Big September Man" (EP4859)

Podcast: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio
Host: Adam Graham
Date: December 4, 2025
Original Episode Air Date: September 27, 1951
Series: Dragnet – Classic Police Procedural

Overview

In this episode, Adam Graham presents the Dragnet radio drama “The Big September Man,” plunging listeners into a 1950s homicide investigation in Los Angeles. A brutal murder of a young secretary, Adele Pryor, propels Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero into a search for truth amid red herrings, psychological complexity, and a suspect whose religious language belies darker motives. Graham follows the audio drama with insightful commentary on the episode's themes, storytelling approach, and listener feedback.

Key Discussion Points & Episode Breakdown

1. The Murder and Investigation Begins

[03:27–08:49]

• Set-up: Attractive blonde secretary Adele Pryor is found brutally beaten in a downtown office. The only initial clue is a steel pipe wrapped in paper.
  • “You’re a detective sergeant. … Your job: Get him.” (Joe Friday, 03:27)
• Early Leads:
  • The murder weapon yields only the victim's fingerprints.
  • No sign of forced entry or robbery.
  • Suspect Robert French is picked up nearby, heavily intoxicated and self-deprecating.

2. Interrogation of Robert French

[08:49–12:20]

• French claims to know Adele through her ex-husband; she sometimes loaned him money.
• He recounts visiting her office for a loan on the night of her death, leaving her with another man in the reception area.
• Blood-stained clothes found in his hotel room are sent for analysis.
  • “She was always pretty good that way. Nice kid. Don’t know why anybody’d want to kill her like that.” (Robert French, 09:31)
• Despite the circumstantial evidence, French's character and evidence present contradictions: drinker but not violent, no clear motive.

3. Focus Shifts: The Other Man

[13:45–15:42]

• A stats search connects the description of the man French saw with Adele to William Tanner, previously a suspect in a similar murder.
  • “Well, the same thing that killed Donaldson, killed Adele Pryor... Piece of steel pipe wrapped in paper.” (Ben Romero, 15:35)

4. Tanner’s Troubled Profile

[17:11–19:44]

• Tanner’s brother recounts his erratic post-mother’s-death behavior: drinking, womanizing, finally “distorted” religious obsession.
  • “He’s an odd guy. Even finds ways of distorting the Bible.” (Martin Tanner, 18:05)
• Tanner was infatuated with Adele; their breakup left him unstable.
• He moved out of their apartment building suddenly, aspired to leave for South America (unconfirmed by consulates).

5. Closing In: The Revival Hall Interrogation

[21:31–26:44]

• Detectives find Tanner at a gospel revival meeting.
• He’s evasive, speaks in religious quotations, and simultaneously condemns and expresses longing for Adele.
  • “I found the truth, Sergeant. The everlasting word. ... That’s the everlasting Word, Sergeant. The Holy Book.” (William Tanner, 21:51)
• Under pressure, he reveals his obsession with Adele's alleged sins, casting blame for her murder on religious "necessity.”
• Eventually, Tanner confesses:
  • “In the name of God and in the name of our Lord. Amen. I killed her.” (William Tanner, 26:46)

6. Aftermath and Confessions

[26:55–28:41]

• Tanner admits to also murdering Louise Donaldson a year prior and attempting to bomb a hotel the previous September, all acts occurring around September.
  • “September’s always been the time, that’s all. ... Seems to be the best time to get rid of them. ... It’s always September.” (William Tanner, 28:04)
• Points to an obsessive, possibly ritualistic pattern tied to his psychological state.

7. Resolution

[29:04–29:42]

• Tanner is found sane, convicted of first-degree murder, and executed.
  • “Tanner was convicted of first degree murder and received the death penalty. He was executed in the lethal gas chamber...” (Joe Friday, 29:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:27 | Joe Friday | “You’re a detective sergeant… Your job: Get him.” | | 09:31 | Robert French | “She was always pretty good that way. Nice kid. Don’t know why anybody’d want to kill her like that.” | | 15:35 | Ben Romero | “Well, the same thing that killed Donaldson, killed Adele Pryor… Piece of steel pipe wrapped in paper.” | | 18:05 | Martin Tanner | “He’s an odd guy. Even finds ways of distorting the Bible.” | | 21:51 | William Tanner | “I found the truth, Sergeant. The everlasting word… That’s the everlasting Word, Sergeant. The Holy Book.” | | 26:46 | William Tanner | “In the name of God and in the name of our Lord. Amen. I killed her.” | | 28:04 | William Tanner | “September’s always been the time, that’s all… Seems to be the best time to get rid of them… It’s always September.” | | 29:22 | Joe Friday | “Tanner was convicted of first degree murder and received the death penalty...” |

Post-Episode Commentary by Adam Graham

[30:34–End]

• Themes:

  • The episode illustrates detectives’ need to look beyond superficial evidence and unravel deeper psychological complexities.
  • Tanner’s use of religious language is portrayed not as a genuine motive, but as a self-justifying rationalization—emphasized by the fact that he committed earlier crimes long before developing religious fixations.
    • “…he had committed these two other crimes before he had gotten into religion or started using religious language. This isn’t a case where a suspect did something out of a religious motivation. It’s a case where he used religious language to justify his own inclinations.” (Adam Graham, 30:37)
  • The timing of the broadcast (aired in September about "The Big September Man") was a rare, seasonally-appropriate scheduling choice for Dragnet.

• Listener Feedback & Trivia:

  • Listener Mechanic 66 comments on character actor Herb Butterfield’s voice versatility.
  • Listener Eric questions another Dragnet episode’s plausibility and historical timeline; Adam responds, providing context about the show’s grounding and source material.
  • Special thanks given to Patreon supporter Daniel.

Important Episode Timestamps

• Introduction and Case Setup: 03:13–04:20
• First Suspect Interview (French): 08:49–12:20
• French's Alibi & Second Suspect Identified (Tanner): 13:45–15:42
• Interview with Tanner's Brother: 17:11–19:44
• Arrest and Interrogation of Tanner: 21:31–26:46
• Full Confession and Pattern Revealed: 26:55–28:41
• Resolution and Sentencing: 29:04–29:42
• Host Commentary and Listener Feedback: 30:34–End

Tone and Style

• Tone: Authentic, procedural, psychological—true to Dragnet’s understated realism and focus on police work. Dialogue is terse, often clipped, but intensely revealing.
• Host’s Approach: Adam Graham maintains an informative, appreciative tone, balancing historical context with critical insights and warm listener engagement.

Summary Flow

This episode guides listeners step-by-step through a perplexing murder investigation, highlighting Dragnet’s trademark realism. The mystery gradually unfolds as Friday and Romero move from an initially plausible suspect toward a far more complex and disturbed perpetrator. The killer’s justifications and delusions are explored with sensitivity, showcasing the show’s nuanced storytelling. Adam Graham’s analysis afterward draws out key themes and responds to listener curiosity, rounding out a rich, engaging journey for both nostalgia seekers and detective story fans new to old-time radio.