CRIME DRAMA
JACK WEBB AND BEN ALEXANDER STAR IN THE 1950s VERSION OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CRIME SHOWS EVER ON TELEVISION! THESE HAVEN'T BEEN SEEN FOR 30 YEARS!
440 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", I (1953)
1. "THE BIG SHOPLIFT", presented exactly as first broadcast,
complete with original Chesterfield cigarette commercials.
Friday and Smith investigate the disappearance of merchandise
from a department store.
2. "THE BIG BANK ROBBERY". A man successfully holds up a bank, and
the inept security guard is blamed.
3. "THE BIG HIT AND RUN". An elderly woman and her grandson are hit
by a speeding truck; Friday and Smith try to find out who done
it!
4. "THE BIG SECRET". Friday and Smith try to locate the mother of
an abandoned baby.
--- 105 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
445 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", II (1953)
1. "THE BIG GIRLS". Friday and Smith try to find the tall,
beautiful women who keep beating up innocent men.
2. "BIG BETTY". Swindlers selling fake watches and jewelry are
operating in town.
3. "THE BIG TRUNK". Friday and Smith try to find out why a man took
his own life.
4. "THE BIG BOYS". Smith receives word from his cousin that 4
dangerous thugs are coming to Los Angeles. Watch for a very young
Leonard Nimoy in this one!
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
447 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", III (1953/1955)
1. "THE BIG BAR". Friday and Smith go after a man who murders
bartenders.
2. "THE BIG BIRD". A thug only robs pet stores and homes that have
birds.
3. "THE BIG BOUNCE". A forger is writing checks from a deceased
man's account.
4. "THE BIG ASSAULT". Friday's sure an escaped mental patient is
responsible for beating up a woman now facing death in a hospital
bed.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
452 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", IV (1952/54/57)
All of the following episodes contain original commercials, exactly as first broadcast!
1. "THE BIG 17". An early episode of the series, with Herb Ellis
playing the part of Frank Smith. Friday and Smith investigate the
teenage destruction of a local movie theater it seems all the kids
got high on marijuana and went wild. If you thought "Refer Madness"
was campy, you ain't seen nothing yet!
2. "THE BIG PRODUCER". Martin Milner appears as a high school student
who gets busted by Friday and Smith for selling porno magazines to
his friends. Another great episode!
3. "THE BIG HOUSE CALL". Friday and Smith go after a man who summons
doctors to a hotel room, robs them, and beats them up. Friday's got
a concerned girlfriend in this one.
4. "THE BIG JUVENILE GANG WAR". Friday hunts down an L.A. teenage
gang leader suspected of causing violence in a normally quiet
neighborhood.
--- 120 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
456 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", V (1955/58)
1. "THE BIG SOUND OFF". A young mother and her infant baby have
been missing, so Friday and Smith investigate.
2. "THE BIG ANTE". Friday and Smith try to find the killer of a
young woman who was found strangled in a hotel room.
3. "THE BIG TARBABY". Working the Homicide Division, Friday and
Smith receive a call from a frantic bar owner who claims his
wife disappeared on her way down to the bar.
4. "THE BIG COUNTERFEIT". A man's been impersonating a policeman,
going around to local businessmen flashing a badge and asking
for donations. This naturally prompts Friday and Smith to
investigate.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
468 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", VI (1953/55/57)
1. "THE BIG CRIME". In an unusual episode for its era, Friday
and Smith go after a man who's been molesting little girls in
a local neighborhood.
2. "THE BIG THANKSGIVING". Friday and Smith's holiday is put on
hold until they can find a man who's been beating up women late
at night on city streets.
3. "THE BIG HOUSECLEANING". People are coming home to find that their
entire houses have been removed of valuables, clothing, and
furniture.
4. "THE BIG OSKAR". A woman is robbed of useless junk; she admits
it's junk, nevertheless she wants Friday and Smith to find the guy
that stole this useless junk.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
480 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", VII (1954)
1. "THE BIG FRAUD". A man confesses to the holdup of a grocery
store, but Friday is sure the man didn't commit the crime.
2. "THE BIG RUN". A woman is seriously injured in a hit-and-run
auto accident, and it's up to Friday and Smith to find the
driver of the vehicle.
3. "THE BIG MOTHER". A woman's mother disappears, so Friday and
Smith set out to find her.
4. "THE BIG THREAT". Friday and Smith track the whereabouts of a
wealthy businessman.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
491 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", VIII (1955/56)
1. "THE BIG CAR THIEVES". A ring of auto crooks has been making the
rounds, and Friday enlists the aid of a former thief to help find
them.
2. "THE BIG KID BANDITS". A gang of juveniles beats up adults and
steals their money. Friday and Smith set a trap for them.
3. "THE BIG SWINDLE". Believe it or not, Friday and Smith DON'T get
their men in this unusual episode. The men trick innocent people
into trading their expensive jewelry for cheap but realistic
imitations. (Episode has a slight skew in spots.)
4. "THE BIG MILKBOTTLE BURGLAR". Friday and Smith can't believe their
eyes when they catch the person that steals from stores and leaves
bottles behind.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
VHS: $17.95
531 THE ORIGINAL "DRAGNET", IX (1952/53/56)
1. “THE BIG CAST” (1952). Lee Marvin (in his first TV role) guest stars as a longshoreman suspected of murder. Barney Phillips plays Friday’s partner Ed Jacobs in this fifth episode of the series.
2. “THE BIG PHONE CALL” (1952). Another early episode with Barney Phillips. Friday and Jacobs take a suspected diamond burglar into custody and attempt to sweat out a confession.
3. “THE BIG FRANK” (1953). Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) is critically shot while he and Friday investigate a routine robbery. Friday, incensed, is out for blood in one of the best episodes of the original series.
4. “THE BIG SUICIDE” (1956). Friday and Smith are not sure that a woman lying in a hospital bed recovering from a drug overdose really did try to kill herself. This episode is complete with original commercials.
--- 105 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
534 THE ORIGINAL “DRAGNET”, X (1952/53/56)
1. “THE BIG CASING” (1952). Here’s one of the earliest episodes of the series with Barney Phillips playing Friday’s partner, Ed Jacobs. Harry Bartell is a husband accused of shooting his wife, although he repeatedly (and very calmly) denies it.
2. “THE BIG SEPTEMEBER MAN (1952). A young woman is murdered, and Friday and Jacobs’ trail leads to a religious fanatic.
3. “THE BIG GRANDMA” (1953). A check forger is on the loose! Friday and Smith can’t believe that all suspicions point to a kindly old lady. Mastered from the best possible preprint material available.
4. “THE BIG THUG” (1955). A maniac is breaking into women’s homes and beating them up when they’re all alone. Friday and Smith hit the trail to find the guy.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
537 THE ORIGINAL “DRAGNET”, XI (1952/53/54)
1. “THE BIG LAMP” (1952). A safecracker is acquitted by a jury (and you won’t believe what the judge says to them). Friday is determined to bring the man to justice!
2. “THE BIG HATE” (1953). Friday and Smith arrest a young man they believe murdered his fiancé...but did he really do it?
3. “THE BIG BARRETTE” (1953). A 21-year-old woman is brutally murdered, so Friday and Smith set out to find the killer. One of the best episodes of the series ever filmed!
4. “THE BIG WINCHESTER” (1954). Famed “Davy Crockett” star Fess Parker appears as a policeman in this episode. An apparent suicide may actually be a murder, as Friday and Smith investigate the shooting of man in his own home.
EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL ON THE DVD RELEASE ONLY: “THE BIG BONUS FOOTAGE” - See Friday and Smith (Jack Webb and Ben Alexander) out of character hosting a live telethon for Cerebral Palsy on local Los Angeles TV in 1953! We recently uncovered a kinescope of the opening hour of this exciting event, and we’ve put together over 15 minutes of highlights from this rare broadcast. Along with Jack and Ben, you’ll see Bob Hope, Jester Hairston (Amos ‘n’ Andy), and Dragnet composer/arranger Walter Schumann. It’s a must have for any true Dragnet fan! THIS FOOTAGE IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE VHS RELEASE.
--- DVD: 125 MINUTES / VHS: 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
731 THE ORIGINAL “DRAGNET” HOLIDAY COLLECTION
1. “.22 RIFLE FOR CHRISTMAS” (1952). New to home video, this classic episode features Herb Ellis as Frank Smith. A 10-year-old boy is given a rifle as a Christmas present and he accidentally shoots his best friend. The show is complete with original Chesterfield cigarette commercials.
2. “THE BIG CHRISTMAS” (1953). Originally released on our tape #712. Friday and Smith try to find the thief who stole the Baby Jesus from a Catholic church on Christmas Eve. Ben Alexander co-stars as Frank Smith. (New to DVD)
3. “THE BIG THANKSGIVING” (1955). Putting their holiday on hold, Friday and Smith must find the man responsible for beating up women on city streets. From tape #468. (New to DVD)
4. “THE BIG NEW YEAR’S EVE COP KILLER” (1955). A police officer is gunned down and the detectives must break the news to the cop’s wife during her New Year’s Eve party. Originally released on program #714.
--- 105 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
DVD: $16.95 / VHS: $17.95
EXCITING ACTION WITH MACDONALD CAREY AS ATTORNEY HERB MARIS!
496 LOCK UP, I (1959)
If you're a fan of Highway Patrol and Perry Mason, you'll enjoy this unique series. Days of Our Lives star MacDonald Carey plays real-life defense attorney Herb Maris. From the producers of "Highway Patrol", each episode is loaded with action, and each features top guest stars in early roles before they made it big.
1. "THE CASE OF NAN HAVENS", with guest star Mary Tyler Moore. Our
beloved Mary is accused of smuggling government secrets behind
the iron curtain!
2. "THE CASE OF JOE SLADE", with guest star Lon Chaney. The clerk
at a hunting lodge is accused of murder because he was having an
affair with the victim's wife.
3. "THE CASE OF FRANK COTTY". Leonard Nimoy guest stars as a young
punk who steals a policeman's gun and goes on a shooting spree.
4. "THE CASE OF ALEXIS GEORGE". Guest star Burt Reynolds plays a
cocky friend of a Greek immigrant suspected of murder and
burglary.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
VHS: $17.95
512 LOCK UP, II (1960)
Macdonald Carey returns as attorney Herb Maris, and John Doucette is detective Weston in these crime drama shows, similiar in style to "Highway Patrol" and "Perry Mason".
1. "THE CASE OF TOM FULLER". A man Maris once helped convict has him
kidnapped and held for ransom, along with Maris' secretary and her
boyfriend.
2. "THE CASE OF DAN GRAY", with a pre-"Beverly Hillbillies" Donna
Douglas playing the girlfriend of a man standing trial for the
murder of his boss with a formula he created to replace dynamite
as an explosive. This one plays a la "Perry Mason".
3. "THE CASE OF WILLIE BETTERLY", with Stephen Franken (Chatsworth
Osborne Jr. from "Dobie Gillis"). He takes the blame for poisoning
a birthday cake at an office party and stealing the payroll, but
Maris is sure he didn't do it.
4. "THE CASE OF DETECTIVE WESTON". Maris defends his friend when he's
framed for murder while on vacation in the mountains. Lyle Talbot
guest stars.
--- 100 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
VHS: $17.95
A COMPILATION CASSETTE LOADED WITH LOTS OF
THRILLING ACTION!
460 VINTAGE COP SHOWS
1. GANGBUSTERS (1955). In an episode entitled, "Durable Mike
Malloy", two shady characters find out that the town drunk has
taken out an extensive life insurance policy on himself, and so
they decide to test it out.
2. CHARLIE WILD, PRIVATE DETECTIVE (1952), complete with Mogen
David wine commercials. This program originally aired live on
the Dumont network, and is presented here exactly in that form.
John McQuade stars as a tough New York City detective who gets
involved in fights no matter how hard he tries to simply
investigate cases calmly.
3. RACKET SQUAD (1951). Reed Hadley brings us the case of "Kite
High", in which a man leaves his home because of his nagging
mother-in-law, goes to Las Vegas to forget his troubles, and
ends up losing his life savings in a crooked card game.
4. DRAGNET (1956). A teenager with a huge drug addiction problem
turns himself in to Friday and Smith. He agrees to tell them
who supplies him if they will agree to break the news to his
mother that he's an addict in "The Big Bust". Jack Webb and Ben
Alexander star.
--- 105 MINUTES --- BLACK AND WHITE ---
VHS: $17.95
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