The Big Canaries

The Big Overtime

Originally Aired: December 13, 1951 Dragnet #131, "The Big Overtime," Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero face a desperate race against time when 22-year-old Judith Sullivan is abducted from her business school. The kidnapper, posing as a family friend, lures the young woman away by claiming her father is dying. That night, her family receives a chilling letter signed "The Wolf," demanding $30,000 for her safe return. Chief of Detectives Thad Brown coordinates the response as Friday and Romero work through the early morning hours to catch the abductor before it's too late. When a second note arrives directing banker Martin Sullivan to meet the kidnapper at Elysian Park at 5 a.m., Friday and Romero hide themselves in the trunk of Sullivan's car for the rendezvous. But the cunning criminal fails to show, instead calling to raise his ransom demand to $50,000 and taunting that he knows the police are involved. With more than sixteen hours elapsed since Judith's disappearance and the kidnapper growing bolder, the homicide detectives must find a way to outsmart "The Wolf" before he makes good on his deadly threats.

The Big Canaries

Originally Aired: December 6, 1951 Dragnet #130, "The Big Canaries," Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero are called to investigate a brutal murder case when a 40-year-old woman, Florence Eleanor Dixon, is found savagely stabbed to death in her bedroom. The detectives must first break the devastating news to the victim's 16-year-old daughter, Roberta, pulling her out of class at Woodview High School. With the help of Vice Principal Miss Harmon, they gently inform the girl of her mother's death, and she initially maintains composure before breaking down in hysterics. As the investigation begins, Friday and Romero face a case with few leads and no murder weapon. They learn that Mrs. Dixon was divorced, lived alone with her daughter, and had a bitter relationship with her ex-husband who hasn't been heard from in over a year. During questioning, young Roberta reveals that her mother distrusted men and kept no male friends. With reporter George DeCovin pressing for details and the crime lab still processing evidence, the detectives must carefully piece together the victim's life to find her killer.

The Big Affair

Originally Aired: November 29, 1951 Dragnet #129, "The Big Affair," Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ben Romero are hunting a dangerous jewelry store bandit who has been terrorizing downtown Los Angeles. The suspect has committed four carefully planned robberies in broad daylight over a two-week period, each time netting over $3,000 in precious stones and rings. What makes this criminal particularly dangerous is his pattern of brutally beating his victims with his gun after obtaining the loot, seemingly without provocation. Friday and Romero interview Mrs. Cecile Gordon, a French war bride who witnessed the latest holdup, along with her husband Robert who translates her testimony. She describes a dark-haired man of average height wearing a blue jacket who viciously attacked the store clerk after the robbery, then struck her when she screamed. Despite having a solid description and method of operation, Friday and Romero struggle to identify their suspect. After two weeks of investigation, checking mug books, running statistics, and issuing all-points bulletins, they finally catch a break when a store manager provides a partial identification: Jack Maynard, a San Quentin parolee with a robbery record who may have been recently released.

The Big Hands

Originally Aired: November 22, 1951 Dragnet #128, "The Big Hands," Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Ben Romero investigate the brutal strangulation of an unidentified woman found in a cheap downtown Los Angeles hotel. The victim, registered under the alias "John Ross and Wife," was well-dressed and wearing expensive clothes that seem out of place for such a shabby establishment. A neighbor heard a man and woman arguing around the time of death, but the killer disappeared without a trace. The investigation reveals troubling details: the woman's wallet is missing, no fingerprints were found at the scene, and the savage nature of the attack—with a crushed vertebrae at the base of her skull—suggests the work of someone with powerful hands. Friday and Romero work with crime lab technician Lee, examining the meager evidence and canvassing the area with morgue photos, but leads run cold. After two frustrating days, a peculiar visitor named Al P. Morgan arrives at headquarters claiming to recognize the victim as Maud McLeod, a former circus performer. Just as Friday dismisses Morgan's questionable identification, Communications calls with a breakthrough: Washington has identified the victim through her fingerprints.

The Big Bungalow

Originally Aired: November 15, 1951 Dragnet #127, "The Big Bungalow," Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Ben Romero meet informant Red Smalley at Johnny Cokin's cafe after receiving an urgent phone call. Over hamburger steak and coffee, Smalley nervously shares information about Jeff Allen, a professional second-story burglar from Michigan who has been operating in Los Angeles for the past six months. According to Smalley, who overheard Allen bragging at Ziggy's bar, the experienced thief has been pulling jobs regularly throughout the city, working alone with a simple method of entry through windows using a jimmy or small pinch bar. Smalley provides a detailed description of Allen and reveals that the burglar frequently visits the 1322 Club on North Parish, though he warns Friday and Romero that his life would be in danger if Allen discovered he had talked to the police. After accepting a twenty-dollar loan from the detectives to help with his rent, the struggling informant departs for the racetrack. Friday and Romero now face the challenge of tracking down this prolific burglar while protecting their informant's identity.