Old Time Radio: Dragnet with Jack Webb
The Big Escape (II)
Originally aired January 5, 1950
To listen, go to this page:
http://archive.org/details/dragnet
and click on episode no. 26, Big Escape

Vocabulary:

to come down with a bad cold
to lay off work
a new gang
to start a holdup campaign
liquor stores
Wiltshire district
a rash of armed robberies
central area
attempted bank robbery
rough time
to beat that cold all right
some new medicine
looks good
to knock off early
good idea
teletype
'smatter (= What's the matter), Joe?
to break out of prison

authentic
doubled, tripled, quadrupled
tops in quality
to stand for the best in quality
appealing
gold and yellow package

in the course of his career
police officer
to be afforded two diverse views
rookie cop
at every turn
without exception
to be schooled in
psychology
mode of operation (= modus operandi = MO)
thoroughly acquainted with
how best to detect them
to distinguish between
confirmed criminal
lawbreaker
hope of rehabilitation
in this field
to prove oneself
How he figured it = Why he decided to do this
Holland and Grayson
state adult escape detail
to manage his escape
same old story
to check his relatives out
Englewood
We've got the home staked out.
weekend vacation
Laguna Beach
should be hearing from them soon
he was ready for parole
to help s.o. along
He didn't need you, Joe – he made his own.
You weren't the only one fooled.
you got any leads on...
to trace him as far as...
Are the Stockton police in on the search?
change of clothes
highway
APB = all-points bulletin = police alert issued to help locate a fleeing suspect
interview
...she had not borrowed a car from any of them
telephone exchange
employed
operator
manager
Mr. Ralph Cartwright
due back at work
due in at 10am
payday
ahead of time
license number
broadcast
teletyped
immediate stakeout
to maintain an account
to close her account
to withdraw all her savings
Santa Barbara
abandoned
to pull an escape
to owe one's children nothing
Bert Hopkins
City Hall
juvenile authorities
for the time being
interrogation authorities
a bum deal
he traded days for years
If I don't tell them they won't find them.
working with a gun is all he knows
he'll leave a trail
Vance
That's fine.
San Raphael
He hasn't hurt anyone.
I swear
he needed help
coast town
Santa Maria
acting under orders of...
followed in another car
to direct to
to turn off onto a dirt road
about two miles
she told us to pull up
across that field
the shack by those trees
lonely out here
maybe Max won't understand
it had to be
clump of trees
he won't be any trouble
armed
The cons up at Quentin
say he won't be taken alive;
they say he'll shoot it out.
they talk a lot
in the habit of breaking promises
to keep an eye
uncultivated
I wasn't sure of my footing
to stumble over
tree stump
to kick down a door to get you
How'd you find me?
put out your hands
You've been good to us.
I won't try to explain.
superior court
city and county of Marin

division
St. Louis
sentenced to the term
Folsom Penitentiary
to serve a sentence
technical advice
W. A. Wharton
to honor
California Highway Patrol
Clifford E. Peterson
administrator
to dedicate
to making yours more secure


Listening comprehension questions:
1. What kinds of crimes have been occurring recently?
2. What did Max Tyler do just two months before his parole hearing?
3. What does Sergeant Friday say is the 'most difficult lesson of all' for police officers in training?
4. How was Tyler able to escape from prison? (Part of the answer comes later in the recording)
5. What did the chief of detectives mean when he said "He didn't need you, Joe – he made his own"?
6. Mrs. Tyler's boss didn't give her her paycheck ahead of time, but he did do what?
7. What information on Mrs. Tyler did the bank provide? How was she caught?
8. Under what conditions did Mrs. Tyler finally agree to show Sergeant Friday were Max was?
9. Why did Sergeant Friday stumble when walking over to the shack?
10. What questions did Max Tyler ask of Sergeant Friday when he was captured?
11. How did Max Tyler plead at his trial this time, and where did he end up?
12. Have your thoughts changed about whether Ty Larkin (from last week's listening assignment) should have gotten a second chance, or do you still have the same point of view as originally?

To Part 1

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