The Big Story
"Follow the Leader"
 Original broadcast March 2, 1956

Investigating a daring daylight bank holdup, reporter Elston Brooks of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (David Hedison) discovers the criminal was a high school honor student (Arch Johnson). The break in the case was an artists sketch of the criminal by novice reporter John Lee.

The Big Story was a successful crime drama that ran on NBC Radio in 1947-1955. The show was successful enough to  make the transition to NBC television (1949-1957). The  long running drama program reenacted actual cases reported by journalists.

As a young college graduate working for his first newspaper, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, John Lee covered a bank robbery in Justin, Texas, where he used witnesses’ descriptions to put together a pencil sketch of the robber. Two weeks later, the thief was caught.  Lee was asked to play himself. He also did a sketch of Arch Johnson to be used in the program.

http://www.johnlee-ninthman.com/tvhost.htm

Arch Johnson, David Hedison and John Lee chat between scenes during filming of the Big Story episode in Justin, Texas.
Photo courtesy of John Lee
 

 

 

 
 

The John Lee sketch of actor Arch Johnson used in the episode. Courtesy of John Lee

Original John Lee sketch than led to the capture of the bank robber. Courtesy of John Lee

John Lee and David Hedison question the bank manager after bank robbery. Screengrab courtesy of John Lee

Lee, at Hedison's instructions, makes a sketch of the armed robber from bank manager's description. Screengrab courtesy of John Lee

 

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