Jack Webb

[earshot]

I'm a day late but I just remembered that Jack Webb passed away December 23, 1982.

Does anyone have any stories they'd like to share about him or the shows he starred in or produced?

My favorite Dragnet series is the 1967 version. Probably because I saw it first. And because I already knew Harry Morgan from M*A*S*H. I always thought it was interesting he went back to the same character actors throughout the series. It was also interesting to me that his ex-wife, Julie London, was cast in Emergency! (one of the shows he produced).

 

[cd637299]

Jack Webb & Johnny Carson. Clean copper clappers.

 

[earshot]

Jack Webb & Johnny Carson. Clean copper clappers.

Absolutely. Classic!

 

[mleach]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

 

[RadioStarOne]

Once upon a time Jack Webb was a reporter for KGO Radio San Francisco. Ever hear the one about the beached whale? No Kidding! Great Stuff!

 

[earshot]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

mleach, I've seen those episodes so many times that now I watch the street scenes as much as the actors. I'll have to watch for the K-Earth and Tom Snyder billboards! Having spent very little time in California, most of the scenes are unfamiliar to me. But I have recognized the same stock film from the driving scenes used in several episodes. I bet he wasn't always the easiest man to work for. But he seems like someone who took care of his crew. From the authorized and unauthorized biographies, it sounds like he was a stickler for accuracy. The sets had to exactly replicate the real L.A. headquarters. The radios, the cars, etc. Some people seem to just fit the times in which they lived. I can't imagine him in today's entertainment industry.

RadioStarOne, J.W. gets huge bonus points for coming from radio!

 

[mleach]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

mleach, I've seen those episodes so many times that now I watch the street scenes as much as the actors. I'll have to watch for the K-Earth and Tom Snyder billboards! Having spent very little time in California, most of the scenes are unfamiliar to me. But I have recognized the same stock film from the driving scenes used in several episodes. I bet he wasn't always the easiest man to work for. But he seems like someone who took care of his crew. From the authorized and unauthorized biographies, it sounds like he was a stickler for accuracy. The sets had to exactly replicate the real L.A. headquarters. The radios, the cars, etc. Some people seem to just fit the times in which they lived. I can't imagine him in today's entertainment industry.

RadioStarOne, J.W. gets huge bonus points for coming from radio!

Earshot...the billboard for "K-Earth 101" as well as that In-N-Out Burger actually had appeared in the episode "Hit The Road Jack"..season 9 of Roseanne even though the scene was supposed to be in "Lanford. Illinois". But come to think of it I believe there is a billlboard for "Boss Radio 93 KHJ" that did end up appearing on an episode of Emergency..or was it Dragnet?

Tom Synder was at LA's KNBC and Geoff Edwards was a very big name in southern California during the early 70's so it's not really a surprise that somehow they would appear in "billboard" form on either show..just something one really doesn't expect.

Wonder if Geoff knew? ;D

 

[earshot]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

mleach, I've seen those episodes so many times that now I watch the street scenes as much as the actors. I'll have to watch for the K-Earth and Tom Snyder billboards! Having spent very little time in California, most of the scenes are unfamiliar to me. But I have recognized the same stock film from the driving scenes used in several episodes. I bet he wasn't always the easiest man to work for. But he seems like someone who took care of his crew. From the authorized and unauthorized biographies, it sounds like he was a stickler for accuracy. The sets had to exactly replicate the real L.A. headquarters. The radios, the cars, etc. Some people seem to just fit the times in which they lived. I can't imagine him in today's entertainment industry.

RadioStarOne, J.W. gets huge bonus points for coming from radio!

Earshot...the billboard for "K-Earth 101" as well as that In-N-Out Burger actually had appeared in the episode "Hit The Road Jack"..season 9 of Roseanne even though the scene was supposed to be in "Lanford. Illinois". But come to think of it I believe there is a billlboard for "Boss Radio 93 KHJ" that did end up appearing on an episode of Emergency..or was it Dragnet?

Tom Synder was at LA's KNBC and Geoff Edwards was a very big name in southern California during the early 70's so it's not really a surprise that somehow they would appear in "billboard" form on either show..just something one really doesn't expect.

Wonder if Geoff knew? ;D

Mleach, I really should process what I read more carefully. I swear I've only had water...no egg nog. Thanks for setting me straight.

I don't remember seeing radio billboards in Dragnet but seeing how I misread posts, anything's possible. Even a radio geek who's a 1000 miles away and a generation removed knows about KHJ! I've not watched as many Emergency episodes. I'll have to put down the Dragnet DVDs and watch it instead. But if I recall correctly, one of those books on Jack Webb noted that much of the same stock footage was used in several of Webb's shows. So it may be possible it's in both shows (or Adam 12).

 

[mleach]

Mleach, I really should process what I read more carefully. I swear I've only had water...no egg nog. Thanks for setting me straight.

I don't remember seeing radio billboards in Dragnet but seeing how I misread posts, anything's possible. Even a radio geek who's a 1000 miles away and a generation removed knows about KHJ! I've not watched as many Emergency episodes. I'll have to put down the Dragnet DVDs and watch it instead. But if I recall correctly, one of those books on Jack Webb noted that much of the same stock footage was used in several of Webb's shows. So it may be possible it's in both shows (or Adam 12).

I have totally forgotten about Adam-12..shame on me ;D BUT if you ever get a chance check out Julie London and her old ads for Marlboro cigarettes from the 50's. Hell after watching them last night on DVD they make me want to take up smoking again LOL

 

[cwf1701]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

OTOH, several episodes of Detroit 1-8-7 showed things like Faygo Pop, Better Made Potato Chips (not found outside of Michigan), the People Mover with ads for WJBK (Fox 2) and WADL on the sides.

 

[mleach]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

OTOH, several episodes of Detroit 1-8-7 showed things like Faygo Pop, Better Made Potato Chips (not found outside of Michigan), the People Mover with ads for WJBK (Fox 2) and WADL on the sides.

Ever get a chance check out the unedited version of "The Death of Ocean View Park" which was a made for TV-movie for ABC in 1979. In the movie one will see such things as...

*A Norfolk city bus with a BIG photo of the now-late Ed Hughes on the side telling people that that they should watch "WTAR News 3". Oddly this movie was made for ABC-TV which meant WVEC not the local CBS affilate WTAR.

*A station wagon parked next to the Rocket roller coaster with the words "Area 10 WAVY Eyewitness News" on the side.

*when the amusement park finally blows up a woman is clearly seen wearing a sweat shirt with the words "The Rock of Virginia...Radio 13..WGH" while another woman is shown whearing a shirt that said "Sooper Q.. 104 and a half..WQRK" ( Now WNVZ Z104 )

The Norfolk based Farm Fresh supermarkets ( still around ) and the Richmond-based Miller & Rhodes Department Stores ( now defunct ) somehow had gottten a mention in various parts of this movie too.

SO SO much Hampton Roads history is in this movie including scenes shot at what was then downtown Norfolk before McArthur Center Mall was built.....sadly not too many remember it now.

However if you get a chance to see "The Death of Ocean View Park" make sure you see it unedited.

Here is a sample scene from You Tube....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sec3PQA0GHo

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I remember being at my office on December 23, 1982, having the radio on an FM station out of Dayton, Ohio with Christmas music playing, etc. Then, on one of their local newscasts, I heard of Jack Webb's death. I was sorry to hear that news because I always liked his shows. You hear about actors being typecast and he was certainly one who stands out. It is basically impossible to see him in any movie or TV show made either before or after Dragnet and not think "Joe Friday". It might be added that the same can be said whenever his voice is heard. Remember, he began on radio.

 

[Ultimajock]

The thing I most liked about dragnet and Emergency was how both shows really made you feel that you were in Southern Califronia..even if you had never been to that state. Emergency for example I can recall watching one episode where Squad 51 ( Gage & DeSoto ) were driving down the street and NOTHING was edited out. Safeway & Ralphs supermarkets, JC Penney & Sears, Shell gas stations even billboards promoting Geoff Edwards ( long before Jackpot ) for some radio station and Tom Synder for KNBC. Today when a movie and Tv show goes "on lacation" often a lot of the local retail scene is edited out ( Example: the downtown Denver scene in Eddie Murphy's Imagine That ).

Interesting the other day I had thought of Jack Webb when I was watching an episode of Roseanne ( the least season ) which had Rosie driving all around Lanford, Illinois even though if one kept their eye to the street scenes behind Roseanne one saw a Lucky Supermarket, an IN-N-OUT Burger and a billboard for "K-Earth 101"...all California stuff. Jack Webb wouldn't had allowed that unless the scene was set in..well California

OTOH, several episodes of Detroit 1-8-7 showed things like Faygo Pop, Better Made Potato Chips (not found outside of Michigan), the People Mover with ads for WJBK (Fox 2) and WADL on the sides.

...in the episode of The Monkees aired on NBC on 5 February 1968, "The Devil and Peter Tork," Tork is seen carrying the harp he's just purchased across a Los Angeles intersection. Crossing that intersection right behind him is a car with the radio call sign KGIL painted in massive letters across the driver's side front door...

 

[landtuna]

It is basically impossible to see him in any movie or TV show made either before or after Dragnet and not think "Joe Friday".

If "Dragnet" had not become so popular it is possible Webb would best be remembered as the Marine drill instructor in "The D.I.".

For those of you who remember the movie there is a comment by one of the marine cast members here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050283/.

 

[earshot]

I remember being at my office on December 23, 1982, having the radio on an FM station out of Dayton, Ohio with Christmas music playing, etc. Then, on one of their local newscasts, I heard of Jack Webb's death. I was sorry to hear that news because I always liked his shows. You hear about actors being typecast and he was certainly one who stands out. It is basically impossible to see him in any movie or TV show made either before or after Dragnet and not think "Joe Friday". It might be added that the same can be said whenever his voice is heard. Remember, he began on radio.

Re. typecasting, Cincinnati Kid, I never saw "Pete Kelly's Blues" but several things I've read about the movie have not been kind. That's a shame because he was such a jazz aficionado. Maybe going from Joe Friday to a jazz musician was too big of a stretch for the public to accept. I've never seen "The D.I." either. I need to look for those on Netflix. I did read that the strain on his vocal chords performing the drill instructor, forever changed his voice to the raspier sound he had in the later series.

At a discount store, I found a DVD of the 50s series. It has a bonus feature of some of the radio shows. "Dragnet" worked great in that format too. The only time the show hasn't worked is whenever they've tried the remakes. The role itself is typecast to Jack Webb.

Back to reusing character actors, it was a surprise the first time I saw Kent McCord play an officer in the '67 series. "Hey, that's one of the cops in 'Adam 12'!" It was after that I found out "Adam 12" was a Jack Webb production.

 

[Ultimajock]

It is basically impossible to see him in any movie or TV show made either before or after Dragnet and not think "Joe Friday".

If "Dragnet" had not become so popular it is possible Webb would best be remembered as the Marine drill instructor in "The D.I.".

For those of you who remember the movie there is a comment by one of the marine cast members here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050283/.

...hardly. Try Artie Green in Sunset Blvd. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Boulevard_(film) ...

 

[landtuna]

...hardly. Try Artie Green in Sunset Blvd. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Boulevard_(film) ...
[/quote]

I haven't seen "Sunset Blvd" but from your link you'd hardly know Jack Webb was in it, let alone a major player.

 

[Ultimajock]

...hardly. Try Artie Green in Sunset Blvd. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Boulevard_(film) ...

I haven't seen "Sunset Blvd" but from your link you'd hardly know Jack Webb was in it, let alone a major player.

...Webb isn't a major player in Sunset Blvd. But that film is consistently in the top 20 of either the critic's or director's poll of the greatest films of all time as held every ten years by the British Film Institute, and has remained so popular it was adapted into a major West End and Broadway stage musical 19 years ago by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Warner Brothers finally got around to issuing The D.I. on DVD only last year...

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Does anyone remember "Project U.F.O." created by Webb? It was on NBC-TV in 1978-79 and showed government investigations of unidentified flying objects.

 

[LKellerIII]

Does anyone remember "Project U.F.O." created by Webb? It was on NBC-TV in 1978-79 and showed government investigations of unidentified flying objects.

Jack Webb's little ensemble of actors (used on his shows many times over) was interested. Virginia Gregg was a friend of my father, and she was very fond of Webb - not least because he helped her pay the bills. Scenes in Webb shows were shot quickly - usually in one or two takes. and it was typical for the actors to come in cold and read their lines off cue cards.

Another actor in Webb's ensemble was Howard Culver - a well known radio news anchor in the 60s and 70s.