The Christmas Story

While this is a very heart-warming episode, it's also a reminder of the huge role religion played in the 1960s. In 2022, I know very few families that attend Mass.

The statue of the infant Jesus is missing from the Manger scene on Christmas Eve. Friday and Gannon do a good job in convincing the Cap'n to allow them to work the case. Bobby Toups does an excellent job in his role. There's even a young Greg Brady playing an altar boy. The sound of angels singing and the old men rehearsing their caroles fit perfectly.

Sometimes I wish those "times" still existed at least during the Christmas season. Would like to experience the community Christmas spirit.

This episode is amazing!!! Wonder if the storyline really happened because it was brilliant!!! Although touching on the very religious aspect of the holiday which is the real reason for the season; if this episode were made today there's be objections probably that it was too religious. But I can't imagine anyone criticizing this beautiful story. But that was TV way back and for many people like me bring back so many childhood memories and days of simpler times.

The story is set on Christmas Eve and a very mild story for this show and for Jack Webb who looked like a very tough guy. It was actually the only episode I understand remade twice for the original radio version. This is the second remake in the 60's with Harry Morgan playing Bill Gannon. Here the story is titled "The Christmas Story" and in the 1950's episode it was titled "The Big Little Jesus". The story begins with Joe and Bill getting a call from a priest that the statue of Baby Jesus from the Manger was stolen. The priest explains it doesn't have much monetary value but has a lots of sentimental value as the people of the parish whom are poor had saved and bought it 30 years earlier. So the story goes into Joe and Bill are not on usual duty but on robbery and their swathe t is hesitant about them spending time on this case when there's bigger fish to fry but he gives in and tells them to continue in the case as they had explained the statues non monetary value to the people of the church. Not to give any secrets away but the cast was great - the priest, pawn store clerk and hotel clerk along with Jack Webb had played the same characters in the 1950's episode. You'll recognize the priest as the jewel robber from I Love Lucy on the train home from their trip episode. The alter boy is played by a young Greg from Brady Bunch and Dr. Early from Emergency is playing a bum very well. Very good job of playing a very different character. But anyway see fir yourself as others said - you won't be disappointed and as one reviewer said it's a lovely story but especially probably if you see it in the Christmas season which I did.

Interestingly I told my brother who is a Catholic priest about this touching story and he chuckled. We being too young to have watched this when it was first broadcast and saw episodes in repeats but never saw a lot of them and neither one of us as far as I remember saw this story - unless we forget although I can't imagine we could. He laughed because I was watching it on my iPad and it was very close to Christmas and a parishioner at church had just told him about watching this sane episode the night before as I believe the person saw it on a channel with old tv Christmas episodes marathon. Obviously being that person felt same as i abd commenters and I'm sure ma y other people were touched by the sincerity and poignant touching story and shared it with a priest like I thinking he would appreciate the touching point of the story considering it was from an old police tv show. I told my daughter and we are going to watch it one day because she was excited to see it but we forgot after the holiday but you can be sure we'll watch it numerous times as I did last year. I didn't know till after Christmas last year that this story was fine twice on this show. This is the episode I originally saw then watched the other to compare but the dialogue was almost identical but with other actors except the 4 I mentioned before. Extremely notable was the little boy in this episode was more believable and played the character so well of his part in fact better than the little boy in the 1950's story.

This episode is very touching and sweet. It centers around a part of a Nativity Scene in a church that has gone missing. Detectives Friday and Gannon take the case even though the item is not considered very valuable, except to the church and its members. Our detectives take the case very seriously even though others think they are wasting their time. The story takes place at Christmas time and would be excellent to watch during that wonderful time of the year. I completely recommend this episode because you will need a handkerchief after it is over. I won't say anything else, since I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but please view this if possible. Currently, this show is being shown on the television channel Sleuth.

Having just seen "The Big Little Jesus" episode of the original "Dragnet", I just went on Hulu to watch the remake for "Dragnet 1967" called here "The Christmas Story". It's basically word for word and scene for scene with some additions like Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) bringing a little pine tree in the office and Friday narrating about giving suspect Claude Stroup (Bobby Troup) his rights since this episode was made after the Miranda rights were established. Once again the priest whose baby Jesus statue was stolen was played by Harry Bartell. Other reprise of original supporting actors were Herb Vigran as a hotel desk clerk and Ralph Moody as Mr. Flavin, a pawn shop owner. In fact, I chuckled when he questioned how Friday knew his name and declared they never met before! (The answer was his name being on the store window.) I should note here that altar boy John (not Joe as in the original) Hefferman was played by Barry Williams two years before he became Greg Brady on "The Brady Bunch" and that Bobby Troup was married to singer Julie London who earlier was once wed to Jack Webb. Also, Byron Morrow, who plays Captain Mack here, was born in my birthtown of Chicago, Illinois. As with before, this version of the "Dragnet" Christmas story was one of the most touching in the entire series history. Well worth seeking out. By the way, this originally aired on December 21, 1967.