The Big Light

Originally Aired: November 2, 1952

Dragnet #176, "The Big Light," Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith respond to what appears to be a fatal accident at Winton Picture Studio. Director Henry Wilson has been critically injured when a massive sun arc lamp fell from scaffolding 40 feet above the stage floor, striking him during the lunch break. Production supervisor Gerald Adams discovered the victim after a greenery man found Wilson's body, and an ambulance rushed him to the hospital. While Adams insists it was a tragic accident, Friday and Smith meticulously investigate the scene, questioning everyone involved.

The detectives examine the scaffolding where the 100-pound lamp was mounted and interview Dick Patterson, the gaffer responsible for installing and maintaining the lighting equipment. Patterson becomes defensive when questioned about his work, insisting he's been hanging lights for 20 years without incident and that Wilson was a good friend. As Friday and Smith climb the scaffolding to inspect where the lamp was secured, they must determine whether this was truly an accident or something more sinister. With the production already 12 days behind schedule and tensions running high on set, the investigation takes the detectives deep into the dangerous world behind the movie cameras.

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