Dragnet – Big Small. ep186, 530111

Assigned to forgery detail, a woman is on the loose spreading bad checks around town, and it’s up to Joe Friday to get her. A shop owner tells how she was taken in by the sweet old woman who reminded her of her mother. Other victims also describe the little, white haired woman, and patterns emerge in the way she works to pass her forged checks.

Relying on an informant, Joe briefly describes the relationship between cops and their informants. Harry tells how he crossed paths with the nice, white haired lady in a bar. For the cost of a lunch, Harry comes forth with a name and address to go on.

Lillian Halstead’s husband seems to portray his wife’s description as very different than the little old woman the cops are after. However, he may know something about the gal who is actually bearing the fake checks.

Peggy Small is a student of the Halstead acting school. The character actress of method acting was only concerned with taking on the person of an old woman. Amid small talk of Frank Smith’s domestic life, Peggy is tracked down. Caught redhanded in her old lady character, Peggy is hauled in to be interrogated. Why did she do it?