Review - The Big .22 Rifle Aired 12-18-52
The episode would be a sad story at any time of the year, because a boy is accidentally killed. The acting is excellent from all characters portrayed by the actors. There are two young boys, ages nine and eight, playing with a loaded rifle; emphasis on the word playing. The moral of the story, if allowed a moral, is to keep firearms away from children without adult supervision. Would an adult have let the boys run with a loaded rifle in the backyard of the gun owner's home? No. Fatal accidents happen to many while handling firearms, it is sadder when possibly the accident could have been avoided.
Friday, Smith are working Homicide when called in on the case because blood was found at the scene. The search for one boy missing yields the second boy reported missing, and the opened Christmas gift of a rifle, i.e. a .22 is also gone missing. A spent cartridge found in the backyard with blood stains lead to the tragic ending. Two boys playing in the yard with a loaded rifle has danger written on it for certain. Would teenagers been more responsible? Possibly.
Friday, Smith work the case going from both boy's homes consoling the parents, checking if they had heard anything about the whereabouts of either boy. Their search had begun mid-afternoon when the first boy was reported missing. At six-thirty the eight-year-old boy was also reported missing. At eight-forty PM, Friday, Smith learn from juvenile officer Doherty the nine-year-old boy had returned home.
The confession to the accident came from the nine-year-old; his friend had tripped while running with the rifle, it discharged, killing him instantly with a single bullet through the chest, near the heart.
The closing speech by the victim's father offering his son's Christmas gifts to the other boy, saying he would have wanted you to have them, was poignant. Closing comments from the two officers sized up the whole afternoon and early evening when Friday tells Smith, you don't give a kid a gun for Christmas.
Prepare for the reality, but worth a watch for the subtle message, as the case is from actual stories from police files and could happen anywhere. The story does take place over hours in the same day, i.e. afternoon and early evening, and is well told.
Some facts worth noting are Herb Ellis portrays Officer Frank Smith, Friday's partner. Olan Soule, played Ray Pinker, forensic lab officer, was in twenty-nine episodes total in the 1950's Dragnet series, and nine episodes in Dragnet 1967. Olan is credited for 261 appearances from 1949 to 1991, mostly television. Prior to 1949, Olan was in radio dating back to 1926.
Friday, Smith are working Homicide when called in on the case because blood was found at the scene. The search for one boy missing yields the second boy reported missing, and the opened Christmas gift of a rifle, i.e. a .22 is also gone missing. A spent cartridge found in the backyard with blood stains lead to the tragic ending. Two boys playing in the yard with a loaded rifle has danger written on it for certain. Would teenagers been more responsible? Possibly.
Friday, Smith work the case going from both boy's homes consoling the parents, checking if they had heard anything about the whereabouts of either boy. Their search had begun mid-afternoon when the first boy was reported missing. At six-thirty the eight-year-old boy was also reported missing. At eight-forty PM, Friday, Smith learn from juvenile officer Doherty the nine-year-old boy had returned home.
The confession to the accident came from the nine-year-old; his friend had tripped while running with the rifle, it discharged, killing him instantly with a single bullet through the chest, near the heart.
The closing speech by the victim's father offering his son's Christmas gifts to the other boy, saying he would have wanted you to have them, was poignant. Closing comments from the two officers sized up the whole afternoon and early evening when Friday tells Smith, you don't give a kid a gun for Christmas.
Prepare for the reality, but worth a watch for the subtle message, as the case is from actual stories from police files and could happen anywhere. The story does take place over hours in the same day, i.e. afternoon and early evening, and is well told.
Some facts worth noting are Herb Ellis portrays Officer Frank Smith, Friday's partner. Olan Soule, played Ray Pinker, forensic lab officer, was in twenty-nine episodes total in the 1950's Dragnet series, and nine episodes in Dragnet 1967. Olan is credited for 261 appearances from 1949 to 1991, mostly television. Prior to 1949, Olan was in radio dating back to 1926.
