Saturday, January 4, 2014

"Robbery DR-15" or "Riding the Desk"

Let's get ready to look at a wall for a long episode, memorable because it is jammed with familiar Dragnet faces. This episode credits nineteen actors.

It's a bottle-ish episode in the vein as S3e3, our tour of Juvenile.


It's a young place with fresh, new ideas.



Artists and sculptors have recently become trendsetters,


often reflecting the mood of the city.


Its fashions are colorful and exciting.


The outdoors have become a way of life and water sports rank high among our favorites.




With 65 miles of coastline, it's no wonder Angelenos love the beach.


On a summer day, there are upwards of a quarter of a million people here.


Once you've arrived, you can find barbecue pits, volleyball courts, and a cooling ocean breeze.


Life is good here under the warm California sun. 


It's a great place to live, but in my job it can be a tough city to work.


I carry a badge.


The blog you are about to read is total nonsense.
I'm just having a little fun with you guys here online tonight.


There is a nice long dolly shot that opens onto the deeper part of the Parker Center soundstage.

The thing goes on forever!


The swing gang must have assembled every desk and table they could round up from any Dragnet soundstage. The inboards look great, too. EIght per board and three boards. Very nice touch. 

Art Director John E. Chilberg, II gets marks for using an old P.A.B Green wall section. This wall section has been in the background of other shots, it's particularly characterized by the window behind Jack Webb's head.

We are just about to meet King Moody! 


Hello King Moody. Thanks for helping us kick off this insanely huge cast list.


Welcome back to the show!


"You say you heard voices?"


Don't call me Unit 91, Radio.


Don't call me Radio, Unit 91.



Ash trays. Telephones. Blotters. And Gannon's tackle box to make sure things stay bearable.

Did I mention that the Gannon character likes eggs?



Lillian is terribly endearing as The Bird Lady.

It's not her first time at the Dragnet rodeo, either.

This bottle episode succeeds where the other one failed to offer very many camera angles.
The lockers, support column, and filing cabinets add visual bustle to our Parker Center Green wall sections there behind Harry Morgan:


Here's what Everyone Nods had up six weeks ago.


HOLD THE PHONE


We've got William Boyett and Don Ross accounted for…


What's behind Harry Morgan's head this time? Looks like a row of coffee mugs on top of the mail sorting box. What a sweet touch. 


You're out of your mind! It's Jon Shank.


You're irritating!

Alfred Shelly and Robert Patten are back:





Gannon's tackle box lunch box:








Elaine Devry is back, having misplaced her wallet.












Nothing to absorb the X-Rays from the back of his jacket.



Alfred Shelly's superpower is that he can smell collusion.





It's about that time, isn't it?


Quail Eggs:






S3e7

Starred
Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
Harry Morgan as Officer Bill Gannon
Robert Patten as Sergeant Jack Williams
William Boyett as Sergeant Bill Pailing
Don Ross as Sergeant Dick Reed
Alfred Shelly as Sergeant Hank Seret
Jeff Burton as Sergeant Mac Johnson
Elaine Devry as Irene Gorman
Lillian Bronson as Bird Lady
King Moody as Truck Driver
Jon Shank as Hippie Suspect
Chet Stratton as Clarence Beach
John Nolan as Mr. Rogers
Carlos Romero as Juan
Don Stewart as 1st Patrolman
Kenneth Washington as Officer Bill Bray
David N. Crawford as Teenager
John Bryant as Ray
Marco Antonio/Marco Lopez as Sergeant Al Fuentes


Additional Notes
Episode is basically a bottle episode, the third this season.
It also lacks the closing 'everyone nodding at the end' sequence.

Art Direction - John E. Chilberg, II
Set Decor - John McCarthy & John Sturtevant
Costumes - Vincent Dee

Written by James Doherty

Aired 7 November 1968

Glad you tuned in,
Suzy Dragnet

6 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I feel bad for posting for many stills of her - but she is just so pretty. Great hair, great accessories, great makeup. What a doll.

      See you soon,
      Suzy Dragnet

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    2. She does look great! Her IMDb page shows that she led a very exciting life and was evidently quite the method actor!
      Divorced her first husband while he was on probation for armed robbery, within two months met Mickey Rooney and married him. Two years later her first hubby found dead at the Sahara in Las Vegas. He had long complained he owed money to Vegas mobsters.
      If this experience doesn't make her prime Dragnet material, I don't know what would.

      Delete
  2. On January 15, 2013, the City of Los Angeles permanently closed Parker Center.[3] In 2014 the City Department of Public Works and the Bureau of Engineering recommended razing the now vacant Parker Center in favor of building a 27-story tower in its place. The razing would proceed on a floor-by-floor process, eliminating the need for wrecking balls or dynamiting. Construction of the new building would start in 2016 and last 18–24 months, with completion anticipated in 2018.

    Here is a fairly recent photo from inside robbery/homicide division. Same pea green walls. https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/wenn9366/18222400/5520/5520_original.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  3. “Unless you’re growing SIDDOWN”

    ...whaaat?

    ReplyDelete
  4. DR-15, or "The LAPD Referees Bum Fights for Your Viewing Enjoyment"

    ReplyDelete