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In the early days of radio, many genres of programming were on the air. Comedy, Thrillers, Drama, Westerns, Game shows, Kid shows, even mysteries and crime shows. Radio detectives came from the pages of books, like Sherlock Holmes or Ellery Queen. Some came off the big screen, likeBoston Blackie or Sam Spade.

Some were loosely based on real criminal cases, but were always dramatized with the hero getting the sexy girl and solving the case only with the aid of snappy dialog, and fighting it out with guns and fists.

Finally, in 1949, a new concept was pitched and became the model for all police programs to follow. It was the story of your police force in action. Yes, I'm talking aboutDragnet.

Not only did it draw from real crimes, but it tried to show the very unglamorous side of real police work. The drudgery, and gritty side of life. Jack Web was the lead character and driving force in consulting with the real Los Angeles police department.

In this episode, one of the very first to hit the air, there is no sponser yet. The theme music would be different in later programs, but the show itself is timeless all through the run of Dragnet, both on radio and later on television.