Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Email | RSS
Today’s Mystery:
Joe Friday and Ben Romero investigate the disappearance of a ten-year-old boy.
Original Radio Broadcast Date: June 7, 1951
Originating from Hollywood
Starring: Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday; Barton Yarborough as Sergeant Ben Romero
Support the show monthly at patreon.greatdetectives.net
Patreon Supporter of the Day: Kelly, Patreon supporter since July 2017.
Support the show on a one-time basis at http://support.greatdetectives.net.
Mail a donation to: Adam Graham, PO Box 15913, Boise, Idaho 83715
Take the listener survey at http://survey.greatdetectives.net
Give us a call at 208-991-4783
Follow us on Instagram at http://instagram.com/greatdetectives
Follow us on Twitter @radiodetectives
Join us again on Monday for another detective drama from the Golden Age of Radio.
Greetings from Toronto, Adam!
Regarding the Dragnet episode “The Big Imposter,” I happened to recognize the sad and rather strange real-life case upon which this story was based. The missing boy was named Walter Collins, who went missing in Los Angeles in the late 1920s and was almost certainly abducted and murdered by serial killer Gordon Stewart Northcott.
During the investigation into Walter’s disappearance, another boy (whose chief motive had apparently been to get free passage to Hollywood to meet his favourite actor, Tom Mix!) had indeed claimed to be him, and was sent to live with Walter’s mother (who denied he was her son, but was forced by police to take him in for a while to “try the boy out,” if you can believe it…).
Here is a link to the Wikipedia page, which also cites the Dragnet episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Walter_Collins
I just happen to be partway through listening to another podcast series about the case, which is the only reason I recognized it:
https://www.thelostboysofwineville.com/
Anyway, just passing that info along, in case you’re interested. I really enjoy listening to your show, and am eagerly awaiting the return of Mr. Chameleon. Thanks for introducing me to him (lol)!
All the best!
Karen