Dragnet - Benny Trounsel (8-04-49)
b'Dragnet was a long-running radio and television police procedural drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from an actual police term, a "dragnet", meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet debuted inauspiciously. The first several months were bumpy, as Webb and company worked out the program\\u2019s format and eventually became comfortable with their characters (Friday was originally portrayed as more brash and forceful than his later usually relaxed demeanor). Gradually, Friday\\u2019s deadpan, fast-talking persona emerged, described by John Dunning as "a cop\'s cop, tough but not hard, conservative but caring." (Dunning, 210) Friday\\u2019s first partner was Sgt. Ben Romero, portrayed by Barton Yarborough, a longtime radio actor. When Dragnet hit its stride, it became one of radio\\u2019s top-rated shows.
THIS EPISODE:
August 4, 1949. Program #9. NBC network. Sustaining. A small-time narcotics user named Benny Trounsel has been beaten to death shortly after tipping the cops to a new narcotics ring in town. Jack Webb, Barton Yarborough, Raymond Burr. 29:18.
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