Dragnet: '51 to '59 series or '67 to '70?

I have most of the 67-70 period episodes. I like to play them back to back in the background while I'm doing other things, sort of like one of those soothing ASMR videos-nobody ever yells on those shows. Everything is monotone. All the cases get solved. Hardly anyone gets hurt. It's a far out scene, man. This show was really the first, best, procedural. But they really forced the "comedy" with Colonel Potter.

 

Joe Friday- Cop, Friend, Sedative.

 

I meant to post this earlier, but Thursday was the 50th anniversary of the original air date of that episode:

"Dragnet 1967" The LSD Story (TV Episode 1967) - IMDb »

 

According to Aaron Spelling (he acted in some '50s Dragnets) Webb used a teleprompter to control the pace of line readings. If you went faster than the teleprompter he did a retake.

This would help explain the near-Zombie-like readings of some actors, especially in the '60s version.

 

That makes sense given the stiffness and visibly stilted readings in the latter series. Combined with the stagey-ness of the 69's color episodes and "Reefer Madness" level recreational drug use portrayal it dates some of these shows in a not-so-good way.


Cat

 

The series was basically an anti-drug, anti-counter--culture propaganda piece.

 

I've never seen any of the fifties series; what's the best source for them?

 

Hear, hear! Having never seen the fifties episodes, I'd love to see them now. When I think of the sixties Dragnet which my dad always liked watching, I always think of what my grandmother always used to say about it as she rolled her eyes: "On Saturday, July 29 at 6:54 PM I opened the car door; at 6:55 PM I closed the car door....."

 

Unfortunately, when the color series began in 1967, Universal withdrew the 276 black and white shows from syndication and they have not been available since. Theoretically, all of the shows still exist in their vaults, although they have shown no interest in doing anything with them. One of the problems is that the first 100 are now public domain. The next 100 are copyrighted and then the final 76, some are PD and some under copyright. As the show has never aired since the mid-60s, there are no off-air recordings that anyone has so the only ones available are those that came from 16mm prints that are out there, which are around 50 or so. Also, I believe many of the early shows were the same as the radio scripts, and they play out like filmed radio. If you listened to the radio episodes, you really aren't missing much without having the visuals. The color series is very different and is more like the establishment vs the anti-establishment every week.

 

I think I've only seen the later series.

 

The Alpha Video DVDs (6 individual volumes) look okay and are cheap.

 

A few months back, I picked up a 2 DVD set containing 20 of the B&W episodes... It was in with the budget DVDs at a local department store-I don't have the receipt any longer, but I think it was in the $7.00 range...

It's distributed by Mill Creek Entertainment: I haven't checked their website, but there may be information about it on there (www.millcreekent.com).

 

Amazon.com: In Stock Only: Movies & TV

 

That's interesting- I like it. Thanks for posting it.

 

Jack Webb was considered a cutting edge director in the early series, both radio and TV. He was fastidious about sound effects and took remote trucks around LA to get natural ambient tracks used on radio and then TV. He also purposefully played things dry in order to make them more realistic, presenting the tedium of police work. In radio he was considered a tradition-breaking director who wanted the mics to observe actors who realistically spoke to each other, rather than into the mics. This became a cliche by the time the second series was produced. He also didn't have the budget and his generation was uncool, where it was cool in the first series. No comparison in my opinion.

BTW, wanna hear a heart-breaking pro-gun control drama? Listen to 22 Rifle for Christmas.
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.c...rifle-for-christmas-1949-broadcast-1949-12-22

 

The timing of bumping this thread is especially strange for me, as about 3 hours before this thread was bumped, I took receipt of seasons 3, and 4 of the later series. I ordered all 4 seasons from 3 different sellers, on eBay, last week.
This, after finishing all 7 seasons of Adam-12.
Universal was smart for re-releasing Season 1 of both series, this time on single-sided DVDs.
At 59 now, I really wasn't paying that much attention then, during the actual run of both series. Either too young to understand, or care about details, to not even home, let alone near a TV, being a teenager then was outdoors without a phone. TV was for the parents.
But I obviously remembered they were both quality, and now in retirement, I can watch all the details I want.

 

One of the great lost opportunities was he never had this guy on a guest star. Maybe as an undercover cop.

 

I love the second series as a period piece- haven't really seen many of the B&W episodes but Webb was definitely an interesting director with a style and pace all his own-- his films "30", "Pet Kelly's Blues" and "The D.I." are all worth checking out- the latter was definitely an influence on "Full Metal Jacket".

 

I'd definitely place the 1954 Dragnet film on your Jack Webb to-see list.

One important plus the first series (radio, TV and film) have in common is Walter Schuman's wonderful music score. Schuman, who died young of a heart defect, was an extremely talented composer. He also composed the music for Charles Laughton's Night of the Hunter and produced and conducted two highly successful Christmas music albums. His Dragnet themes were used in the later series, but not, in my opinion, as effectively as with him conducting them for the earlier efforts.

 

Totally forgot that-yes! It's fantastic. I'd also put on the "Emergency!" pilot he directed and the Dragnet 1966 pilot movie (on the Dragnet '67 box as an extra)

 

I used to watch the 67-70 series with my old man when it had reached syndication- must have been around 1972 or so. Loved it. As these kind of freaks (Blue Boy) were still running around then, it did not seem that far off the mark. Later on, I began to realize that there was indeed a camp factor to the show. No matter. I still like it.

I have seen the 1954 movie and agree it is a different animal. I would love to see some of the b&w series.

I have heard a few of the radio broadcasts and they have their own appeal.

 

I watched the '67-'70 show when it was new, so I have a sentimental attachment to it. I grew up in the LA area at the time, and the show captures the feeling of the era perfectly.

 

I watched it starting in the late 80's on Nick At Nite when I was pretty young (9 or 10) and liked it immediately.