Jack Webb as Joe Friday from Dragnet. Starring in the episode The Big Little Jesus. A beautiful tale of charity and the spirit of Christmas
The name is Friday, Joe Friday and I’m a cop…
Even cops on Dragnet have to work the robbery squad on Christmas Eve when news of a felony – someone has stolen the baby Jesus from the nativity at the San Fernando Mission Church. Although the figure is of little monetary value, its disappearance on Christmas Eve is dispiriting to the largely Hispanic community who worships there.
It is a job for Joe and his offsider Frank Gannon, who despite their best efforts cannot locate the statue.
They come to the church to give Father Rojas the bad news when a young boy, Paco Mendoza (Fernando Vasquez) comes in with the statue on a red wagon. Paco explains to the Father that he’d prayed that he’d receive a wagon on Christmas and if he were given it, he’d give the infant Jesus the first ride. The beautifully painted wagon had been supplied by the local fire department whose officers would spend their off hours restoring toys for impoverished children.
Needless to say, no charges are pressed.
After, as Father Rojas says, “Paco’s family are very poor.”
Friday replies, “Are they?”
I challenge you not to have a lump in your throat at the end of the episode.
According to IMDB, this delightful Christmas episode, made in 1953, is the only Dragnet episode based on a case from outside Los Angeles. The incident took place in San Fransisco.
Apparently the episode was made in colour, but I’ve only ever seen it in black and white and that’s also the version I’ve embedded below: