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Acting
Jack Webb
Also known as: John Randolph Webb, John Randolph
Biography
John Randolph 'Jack' Webb (also known by the pen name John Randolph; April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet. He was also the founder of his own production company, Mark VII Limited. Born in Santa Monica, California, Webb grew up in the Bunker Hill section of Los Angeles as the child of a single mother after his father left home before he was born. During World War II, Webb enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces, but he "washed out" of flight training and was granted a hardship discharge to care for his family. Following his discharge, he moved to San Francisco, where a wartime shortage of announcers led to a temporary appointment to his own half-hour comedy radio show on ABC's KGO Radio in 1946. By 1949 he had abandoned comedy for drama, and starred in numerous radio shows until finding success in film and television in the late 1950s. Webb had a featured role as a crime lab technician in the 1948 film He Walked by Night, a thinly-fictionalized recounting of the 1946 Walker crime spree. This experience gave Webb the idea for Dragnet: a recurring series based on real cases from LAPD police files, featuring authentic depictions of the modern police detective, including methods, mannerisms, and technical language. Following the success of Dragnet, Webb appeared in numerous television shows and specials, including the well-known 1972 series Emergency! During his work on a revival of Dragnet in 1982, Webb suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 62. His funeral was given full police honors, and then LAPD Chief Daryl Gates retired the badge number 714 used by Webb's Joe Friday of Dragnet fame.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
April 2, 1920
Day of Death
December 23, 1982
Age at Death
62 years old
Place of Birth
Santa Monica, California, USA
Popularity Score
1.0
Filmography
O.J.: Made in America
Sgt. Joe Friday (archive footage)
2016TV
Greenboy: Prescription for Death
Joe Friday (archive footage)
2013Movie
L.A. Dragnet
Creator
2003TV
The New Adam-12
Creator
1990TV
The New Dragnet
Creator
1989TV
Project U.F.O.
Narrator (uncredited)
1978TV
Little Mo
Executive Producer
1978Movie
Project U.F.O.
Producer
1978TV
Sam
Producer
1978TV
Project U.F.O.
Creator
1978TV
Mobile Two
Executive Producer
1975Movie
The Log of the Black Pearl
Executive Producer
1975Movie
Mobile One
Producer
1975TV
Sierra
Producer
1974TV
Sierra
Creator
1974TV
Chase
Director
1973Movie
Chase
Producer
1973Movie
Chase
Producer
1973TV
Escape
Producer
1973TV
Escape
Creator
1973TV
The Century Turns
Executive Producer
1972Movie
Emergency!
Director
1972Movie
Emergency!
Executive Producer
1972Movie
Emergency!
Producer
1972TV
Emergency!
Director
1972TV
Hec Ramsey
Producer
1972TV
Emergency!
Creator
1972TV
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
Narrator
1971Movie
The Selling of the Pentagon
Self (archive footage)
1971Movie
The Partners
1971TV
The D.A.: Conspiracy to Kill
Executive Producer
1971Movie
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
Director
1971Movie
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
Producer
1971TV
The D.A.
Producer
1971TV
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
Creator
1971TV
Your Tour In Vietnam
Narrator
1970Movie
Dragnet
Joe Friday
1969Movie
Dragnet
Producer
1969Movie
The D.A.: Murder One
Executive Producer
1969Movie
Dragnet
Director
1969Movie
Star Spangled Salesman
Security Man
1968Movie
Adam-12
Director
1968TV
Adam-12
Producer
1968TV
Adam-12
Executive Producer
1968TV
Adam-12
Creator
1968TV
Greyhounds of the Sea
Narrator
1967Movie
A Day in Vietnam
Narrator
1967Movie
Dragnet
Joe Friday
1967TV
Dragnet
Director
1967TV
Dragnet
Writer
1967TV
Dragnet
Creator
1967TV
The Man from Galveston
Executive Producer
1963Movie
Temple Houston
Creator
1963TV
The John Glenn Story
Narrator
1962Movie
Red Nightmare
On-Camera Narrator
1962Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
General Electric True
Self - host
1962TV
General Electric True
Director
1962TV
General Electric True
Producer
1962TV
General Electric True
Creator
1962TV
The Last Time I Saw Archie
William 'Bill' Bowers
1961Movie
A Force in Readiness
1961Movie
The Last Time I Saw Archie
Director
1961Movie
-30-
Sam Gatlin
1959Movie
-30-
Director
1959Movie
-30-
Producer
1959Movie
Pete Kelly's Blues
Producer
1959TV
The D.A.'s Man
Producer
1959TV
The D.A.'s Man
Creator
1959TV
77 Sunset Strip
Producer
1958TV
The D.I.
Gunnery Sgt. Jim Moore
1957Movie
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
Self
1957TV
The D.I.
Director
1957Movie
Pete Kelly's Blues
Pete Kelly
1955Movie
24 Hour Alert
Himself
1955Movie
Pete Kelly's Blues
Director
1955Movie
Pete Kelly's Blues
Producer
1955Movie
Dragnet
Sergeant Joe Friday
1954Movie
Dragnet
Director
1954Movie
The Oscars
Self
1953TV
This Is Your Life
Self
1952TV
The Ford Television Theatre
Story
1952TV
Halls of Montezuma
Correspondent Dickerman
1951Movie
You're in the Navy Now
Ens. Anthony 'Tony' Barbo
1951Movie
Dragnet
Joe Friday
1951TV
Dragnet
Director
1951TV
Dragnet
Producer
1951TV
Dragnet
Creator
1951TV
Sunset Boulevard
Artie Green
1950Movie
The Men
Norm
1950Movie
Appointment with Danger
Joe Regas
1950Movie
Dark City
Augie
1950Movie
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
1950TV
The Jack Benny Program
Jack Webb
1950TV
He Walked by Night
Lee Whitey
1949Movie
Hollow Triumph
Bullseye (uncredited)
1948Movie
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948TV
Three on a Match
Boy in Schoolyard (uncredited)
1932Movie