The Big Producer
from Friday - The Dragnet Podcast
Originally Aired: February 21, 1952 Dragnet #141, "The Big Producer," Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Ed Jacobs from juvenile division investigate a troubling case of obscene literature flooding into Los Angeles high schools and junior high schools. For weeks, they've tracked down leads on pornographic books and photographs being sold to teenagers throughout the city. Their investigation finally narrows to seventeen-year-old Steve Banner, a high school senior suspected of being one of the main student distributors. When Friday and Jacobs confront Steve at his school locker, they discover numerous brand-new dirty books and photographs, despite his claims that other kids simply gave them to him. Under questioning, Steve initially denies selling the material, but the detectives know from other students that he's been peddling books for thirty-five cents apiece and pictures for a dollar each. Friday makes it clear they're not interested in Steve himself - they want the people at the top, the printers and big distributors responsible for manufacturing and wholesaling this material. When a search of Steve's home garage reveals a case full of books and photographs, the frightened teenager finally begins cooperating, naming his contacts Charlie Freiburg and a man called Jack who supply him with the pornography.
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