"The Jade Story" / "The Big Jade" or "Virginia Gregg is not a safecracker."

This is the city;

where we are combining opening pans this week.

It's a two-fer; Smokin' Joe & Hold The Phone!

OK, got it. Lady in Bel Air says someone stole some of her jade collection. We're on the case.

These establishing shots get treated like exteriors from Universal City; we'll see them later in the series also.

Driving around in Bel Air sequence:

Can't quite make out that street sign:

Ah, it's all right. Let's head on to Virginia Gregg's new mansion.

(Slightly less exciting than the exterior of the top floors of Paris Las Vegas.)

Now, let's get ready for some very 1967 interiors!

Now, hang on, Gannon. Is this shot through a trellis or is that a cutout overlaying a mirror?

No matter what it is, the windows look like they match up with the exterior shot, so can we rule out soundstage for a change?

Dig those mottled tile mirrors over Friday's right shoulder:

Virginia and her favorite prop, glasses.

That's right. Whoever took that jade pear knew she had a safe behind that painting.

Let's send in Latent Prints!

Yeah, that dentil moulding around the ceiling is vastly too elaborate for Dragnet's crew. 

This can't be a set.

Those floor tiles are probably 18 or 20" square. Heck of a lobby.

Gannon points out that everything is wrong with this "crime scene".

That's a neat DeStijl-sort of facade treatment, as we head back to town.

It's also neat because it reflects whatever was over there:

Taking the ground facade of a building with something like Louis Sullivan-era style and updating it to reflect current trends was done all the time, which explains why this shot panning up doesn't seem to match the street, stylistically.  

Anyway, we made it up here to this guy, who, in a future episode, will get cheated by his duck man!

Well, he's the expert here and he says that Virginia Gregg used to have a pretty nice collection of jade, but hocked all of it so she could keep up appearances.

Back to Bel Air with some "driving around in Bel Air" sequences:

Wait, was that the same shot we saw when the guys first got there? 

It would seem so.

I'M VIRGINIA GREGG NOW WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME?

I MEAN COME ON, I HAVE A MAID, FOR CHRISSAKES

SORRY, MARY CARSTAIRS.

 THIS DOESN'T ADD UP. WE HAVE TO CHECK BACK WITH S.I.D.

JUST CHECKING OUT THESE FRESH PRINTS FROM BEL AIR

This looks like a bit of Universal City's New York Street, but look at the road, it's too dirty. It's real L.A.

The angled on-street parking is another giveaway that it's actually a location, not backlot.

Inside the car for our familiar "welcome back to Parker Center" sequence:

(At last, I was able to capture a tiny bit of Gannon's wave hello.)

What is it, skipper?

NOTHING JUST GANNON HOLDING THE PHONE

John Benjamin from the insurance company.

HOLD THE PHONE

An alternate angle of them pulling in to Virginia's weird faux-french home.

So weird!

So fake french!

No, Virginia Gregg, we don't believe you. 

Now pack up your weird french house and get out of Bel Air.

Ben Martin

Now serving his sentence in the state prison, San Quentin, California.

(but not for stealing the jade, for something like seven other burglaries!)

Mrs. Francine Graham

"The attorney for Francine Graham wrote to the insurance company withdrawing her claim for the jade that was insured. The company decided not to prosecute. Mrs. Graham has since moved to another city."

Virginia Gregg as Mrs. Francine Graham
Eddie Firestone as Ben Martin
Clark Howat as Captain Mack
Harry Hickox as John Benjamin
Keye Luke as Lin Fong
Don Stewart as Officer Art MacAndrews
Don Ross as Officer Bill Walmsley
William Boyett as Sergeant Edward H. Barr
Annazette as Mary Carstairs
Yoneo Iguchi as Henry Morito

Art Direction - Russell Kimball
Set Decor - John McCarthy & Ralph Sylos
Written by William O'Hallaren

Aired 23 March 1967