Dragnet: "The Big .22 Rifle for Christmas" (1952) and "The Big Little Jesus" (1953) and Dragnet 1967: "The Christmas Story" (1967)

It was the Dragnet Christmas story that kept on giving.

"The Big Little Jesus" first debuted on the Dragnet radio program that preceded the television show. "The Big Little Jesus" first ran on December 22, 1953. It was re-broadcast on December 21, 1954 and December 25, 1956. It made its television debut on December 24, 1953, as the seventeenth episode of the show's third season. It starred Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, Harry Bartell, Joe Carioca Jr., James Griffith, Ralph Moody, Herb Vigran, Walter Sande, and Billy Chapin. In the show's successor series, Dragnet 1967, it was redone and re-christened "The Christmas Story." That aired on December 21, 1967, and starred Jack Webb and Harry Morgan, and then practically the same cast! Bartell, Moody, and Vigran return, along with newcomers Bobby Troup, Byron Morrow, William Challee, Fernando Vásquez, Craig Huxley, and The Brady Bunch's Barry Williams.

It's all about a missing statue of the Christ child that goes away from its manger right on the eve of ... well, Christmas Eve.

We also review "The Big .22" Rifle for Christmas." It's the seventh episode of Dragnet's second season, and it aired on December 18, 1952. Like "The Big Little Jesus," it was repeatedly aired in the radio version of the show as well. It was first broadcast December 22, 1949, and then re-recorded and put out again on December 21, 1950. That second version also aired on December 20, 1951. It was re-recorded a third time and aired again on December 21, 1952. Versions also ran on December 20, 1955 and March 20, 1956.

The television version stars Jack Webb, Herbert Ellis, John Martin, June Whitley Taylor, Sammy Ogg, Virginia Christine, Renny McEvoy, and Olan Soule. This is a tragic, gutting Dragnet Christmas tale about a gift that goes awry for two families. It's well-written, gripping, and not funny at all. But it gets at the themes of loss and forgiveness and family far better than its sillier counterpart.

Listen to Áine and Kevin carol on about twenty dollar gold pieces, M*A*S*H, Áine's jealousy of Julie London, and Jack Webb's podcasting career.

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate, and happy holidays to you all!

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