Aug 27, 2026 · 31 min · 19 segments
Dragnet presents “Big Pill,” episode 174 of the classic radio series, originally broadcast on October 19, 1952. In this NBC broadcast, written by John Robinson and sponsored by Chesterfield, Jack Webb…
Two young Marines are gravely ill after a night out, and Naval Intelligence calls on Los Angeles Homicide for answers.
Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith begin at a hospital, then follow the case to a Fifth Street hotel and a man known as Stubby, who offered what he said were hangover pills.
Jack Webb stars as Friday, with Ben Alexander as Smith, in John Robinson's script for Dragnet, Episode 174, "Big Pill," originally heard on NBC October 19th, 1952.
A small bottle, a hotel registration card, and the steady work of the detectives set the investigation in motion.
And now, we return to the original broadcast.
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