Ep 7. The Big Parrot

Dragnet is a classic crime drama series that originally aired from 1951 to 1959. It features the investigations of Sergeant Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and his partners as they solve various crimes in Los Angeles using a no-nonsense, "just the facts" approach. In season 1 episode 7, titled "The Big Parrot," Friday and his partner Ben Romero (Barton Yarborough) investigate a case involving a stolen parrot and a missing car.

The episode begins with Friday and Romero responding to a call from a pet store owner who reported the theft of a valuable parrot. The bird's worth is estimated to be around $2,500, and the owner is clearly upset about its disappearance. Friday and Romero question the employees and customers at the store, but no one saw anything suspicious. They do find a piece of evidence, however, in the form of a strange note left by the thief, which says "I'll be back for the car." This leads the detectives to believe that the thief may have been after more than just the parrot.

The detectives then visit the home of the parrot's owner, a wealthy businessman named Mr. Avery (played by Herb Butterfield). He tells Friday and Romero that he received a threatening phone call earlier that day from a man demanding $10,000 in exchange for the safe return of the parrot. Avery believes that the thief may be one of his employees, a man named Arthur, who recently quit his job under suspicious circumstances. Friday and Romero question Arthur, but he denies any involvement in the theft.

As the investigation continues, Friday and Romero discover that the missing car belongs to another employee of Avery's, a man named Ernest (played by Whit Bissell). Ernest claims that he loaned the car to his girlfriend, a woman named Dolly (played by Vaughn Taylor), and that he hasn't seen either of them since the night before. This leads the detectives to suspect that Dolly and the parrot thief may be working together.

Friday and Romero track down Dolly's address and find her at home with the missing parrot. She admits to stealing the bird and demands $10,000 in exchange for its safe return. She also informs the detectives that the car was stolen by her boyfriend, a man named Fred (played by Harry Bartell), who she believes has fled to Mexico with the vehicle. Friday and Romero quickly put out an APB for Fred and the stolen car.

The detectives then bring Dolly and the parrot back to the pet store, where they plan to set up a sting operation to catch the thief. They hide a microphone in the parrot's cage and wait for the thief to return. Sure enough, he shows up that night and tries to steal the parrot once again. However, Friday and Romero are able to catch him in the act and arrest him.

In the end, Friday and Romero are able to solve the case and return the stolen parrot to its rightful owner. They also recover the stolen car and arrest the criminals responsible. "The Big Parrot" is another classic example of Dragnet's signature style of investigation, where the detectives rely on hard evidence and careful detective work to crack the case. The episode also features some witty dialogue and memorable characters, making it a must-see for fans of the series.