One of the better episodes from the early seasons of the series, this was memorable for Leonard Nimoy's appearance. Although he'd been in a handful of motion pictures before this, including FRANCIS GOES TO WEST POINT, this was his first time in a TV series. Also in entertaining turns as hotel clerks were Mel Ford playing a partially deaf character and Peter Leeds, an actor you might recognize from his hundreds of TV and movie roles, as an inebriated night man (incorrectly listed in the credits, I believe, as "George" which was the name of one of the robbers.) Leeds' scenes with Webb were real gems and showcased Webb's talents much better than his typical wooden "just the facts" acting style for which he's best known on this show. All in all, the episode is a fine piece of work and illustrates why the series was so great for so long. Dale Roloff
8 Reviews
Sargeant Friday arrests four teenage thugs
susanj5023 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a good example of why Dragnet was such a good show. Police work and how the criminal justice system works are carefully blended in with humor and suspense to create a perfect half hour show. In this episode the Los Angeles Police Department learns that four teenagers, two of whom are deserters from the Army are coming to Los Angeles. With little to go on they set out to catch them before they can commit any crimes.
Working with little information they finally learn where the boys have been staying and set up a stakeout. Eventually all four are captured. They boys were staying in a small hotel, and the clerk at the hotel is a drunk. Every time Sargeant Friday yells "Hands up" the clerk raises his hands. He keeps them up until Friday tells him to lower his hands.
The most notable thing in this episode is that Leonard Nemoy plays one of the thugs in one of his earliest television appearances.
Working with little information they finally learn where the boys have been staying and set up a stakeout. Eventually all four are captured. They boys were staying in a small hotel, and the clerk at the hotel is a drunk. Every time Sargeant Friday yells "Hands up" the clerk raises his hands. He keeps them up until Friday tells him to lower his hands.
The most notable thing in this episode is that Leonard Nemoy plays one of the thugs in one of his earliest television appearances.
Some of the humor works, some clearly doesn't.
planktonrules16 December 2013
While I am a big fan of both the 1950s and 1960s versions of "Dragnet", one way that they sometimes fell short was when they were trying to be funny. They didn't usually try this but when they did, the humor usually seemed forced. In "The Big Boys", it's a mixed bag in the comedy department--some works and some clearly doesn't.
The show begins with the Los Angeles police getting a bulletin. It seems that a four-man gang of young* thieves has been working its way down the coast and they are likely in the area. Friday and Smith go looking for the young punks--guys who are known to have committed a long string of burglaries and robberies--armed robberies. However, their search is made more difficult as they canvas various local hotels as one of the hotel desk men is practically deaf (this was intended to be funny...it wasn't) and one was a drunk (it was funny but also wore a bit thin). The bottom line is that although this is a very watchable show, it's not up to the usual higher standards of the series. The laughs are a bit too forced for my taste.
The show begins with the Los Angeles police getting a bulletin. It seems that a four-man gang of young* thieves has been working its way down the coast and they are likely in the area. Friday and Smith go looking for the young punks--guys who are known to have committed a long string of burglaries and robberies--armed robberies. However, their search is made more difficult as they canvas various local hotels as one of the hotel desk men is practically deaf (this was intended to be funny...it wasn't) and one was a drunk (it was funny but also wore a bit thin). The bottom line is that although this is a very watchable show, it's not up to the usual higher standards of the series. The laughs are a bit too forced for my taste.
Aren't Drunks Cute When You're Catching Bad Guys
dougdoepke10 April 2007
Notable for early appearance of a mustachioed Leonard Nimoy who gets only one or two lines at show's end. Episode is played mainly for laughs which unfortunately undercuts the slender story line. Injecting some humor into an otherwise very somber series that prided itself on realism was always a problem. Here the tipsy hotel clerk (Peter Leeds) gets too much air time with poorly conceived nonsequiturs. It's hard to believe that real cops would have allowed such interference with possible criminal apprehensions. Also, whose idea was it to equip the other hotel clerk with a phony ear-horn to help his hearing. It's a clumsy attempt at humor, to say the least. All in all, this is an inferior episode whose high-point for guys, at least, may well be the two cute girls. Otherwise, skip it.
Brief appearance by a young Leonard Nimoy
stan_c19 June 2021
"Star Trek" Meets "Dragnet"
zardoz-1322 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
One of the earliest police procedurals, "Dragnet" emphasized straightforward, cut and dried realism. The above-average episode "The Big Boys" is as stark and realistic as the typical "Dragnet" episode. Nevertheless, writer & director Jack Webb adds considerable depth with the use of humor. It seems that L.A.P.D. officer Frank Smith (Ben Alexander) gets a lead on a quartet of renegades in route to the City of Angels from San Francisco. Smith's partner Sergeant Joe Friday (Jack Webb) learns that referring to San Francisco as 'Frisco' is derogatory to the natives. As it turns out, Smith is a native. Our protagonists track down a lead or two from a couple of Hispanic dames who crossed paths with the four robbery suspects. Interestingly enough, one of the foursome is a character named Julius Carver (Leonard Nimoy of "Catlow") who packs an automatic pistol. Friday and Smith investigate the neighborhood motels. At the first motel, they learn that Carver and his pals have checked in and have a Collie puppy. The desk auditor at the first motel (Mel Ford) qualifies as a real oddball. He wears a hearing aid. When Friday and Smith question him on the premises, the janitor is vacuuming the carpet. The gag is that you think the desk auditor cannot hear the questions that our protagonists ask him. Afterward, he explains that he has a poor hearing aid. Our heroes check out another motel and find a night auditor, George (Peter Leeds), who behaves like an alcoholic. He knows a little about Julius; principally, the four fugitives left behind some luggage. Friday and Smith hole up in the linen closet and await the villains. Leonard Nimoy doesn't make much of an impression because he appears in one scene and utters only a handful of lines. Officer Smith claps his handcuffs on Carver. "The Big Boys" is an entertaining episode briskly directed by Webb with top-notch performances by everybody. Webb doesn't squander a second in this trim, swiftly-plotted, law & order melodrama. Ford and Leeds steal their respective scenes, and Leeds has a field day as a drunken night auditor.
Four Armed Robbers vs. LAPD
biorngm13 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Review - The Big Boys Aired 1-21-54
Not a bad episode from robbery division where four hoodlums commit multiple crimes before they are caught. We do not get the extent of their crime spree until after booking when the paperwork arrives and Smith reads it to Sergeants Friday and Chavez.
The fact that one of the hoods is recognized by viewers immediately does lend something to the chase for the criminals throughout the program.
The initial lead comes from two girls identifying the hotel where the men stayed, having made a stop there when driving around with the girls. The girls met the guys after a movie was over and they were exiting the theater. The girls can identify the men from pictures the police show them and they name the hotel, as well; so begins the chase.
The men stiffed the hotel, but the police were able to know they were still in town. An inspection of other rooming houses and hotels in the area proves to be worthy of their pursuit; the police found were they stayed recently, and luckily, they left their luggage. When they return for the luggage, two at a time, their weapons are seized, they are cuffed and brought to HQ. A total of five weapons, all pistols, are confiscated from the armed robbers. They all were charged with armed robbery, found guilty, sentenced to armed robbery charges with additional charges pending out of California when their San Quentin terms are complete.
There was also another Sergeant, Tony Chavez, introduced, appearing as other character roles in both Dragnet series. The actor, Harry Bartell, lived for ninety years, working in movies and television from the mid-1940's through the mid-1970's. Harry originally cut his teeth in radio, including Dragnet before it went to TV.
Leonard Nimoy was the most identifiable guest actor, at twenty-two years of age.
A recommended watch for all, really for the nostalgia as much for the story.
The fact that one of the hoods is recognized by viewers immediately does lend something to the chase for the criminals throughout the program.
The initial lead comes from two girls identifying the hotel where the men stayed, having made a stop there when driving around with the girls. The girls met the guys after a movie was over and they were exiting the theater. The girls can identify the men from pictures the police show them and they name the hotel, as well; so begins the chase.
The men stiffed the hotel, but the police were able to know they were still in town. An inspection of other rooming houses and hotels in the area proves to be worthy of their pursuit; the police found were they stayed recently, and luckily, they left their luggage. When they return for the luggage, two at a time, their weapons are seized, they are cuffed and brought to HQ. A total of five weapons, all pistols, are confiscated from the armed robbers. They all were charged with armed robbery, found guilty, sentenced to armed robbery charges with additional charges pending out of California when their San Quentin terms are complete.
There was also another Sergeant, Tony Chavez, introduced, appearing as other character roles in both Dragnet series. The actor, Harry Bartell, lived for ninety years, working in movies and television from the mid-1940's through the mid-1970's. Harry originally cut his teeth in radio, including Dragnet before it went to TV.
Leonard Nimoy was the most identifiable guest actor, at twenty-two years of age.
A recommended watch for all, really for the nostalgia as much for the story.
As bad as Dragnet gets
jimfalconer15 November 2019
This episode was painful to watch from the point where we meet the "somewhat painful to watch" hard-of-hearing hotel clerk, to the "extremely painful to watch" drunk hotel clerk. I actually almost turned this one off, it was that bad. At least I got to see Leonard Nimoy in a very small part. To all serious Dragnet fans, avoid this one!
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