ACTOR · BORN 1920 · DIED 1982
Jack Webb
- Born
- 2 April 1920, Santa Monica, California, USA
- Died
- 23 December 1982
- Known for
- Sunset Boulevard (1950), Dragnet 1967 (1967), Dragnet (1951)
24 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Jack Webb (2 April 1920 – 23 December 1982) was an actor best known for Sunset Boulevard, Dragnet 1967 and Dragnet.
24 Interesting Facts About Jack Webb
Interesting Facts (15)
- #001
Jack Webb was a huge baseball fan and chose badge number 714 for Sgt. Friday because it was the number of home runs Babe Ruth hit.
- #002
He was buried with full honors befitting an LAPD detective, including a 17-gun salute.
- #003
At the height of Dragnet's (1951) popularity, people actually called the LAPD asking to speak with Webb's character, Sgt. Joe Friday. The department eventually settled on a standard response to the flood of calls: "Sorry, it's Joe's day off."
- #004
In the Mark VII logo sequence at the end of Dragnet (1951), Dragnet 1967 (1967), Adam-12 (1968) and other series produced by Webb and his company Mark VII Productions, the hands that drop the hammer are Webb's.
- #005
Upon his death, badge number 714, which his character Joe Friday used on the "Dragnet" TV shows, was officially retired by the Los Angeles Police Department. The badge had belonged to his close friend Lt. Dan Cooke.
- #006
In 1940s Los Angeles he was part of the investigation into the famous "Black Dahlia" murder case — the killing of an aspiring actress who was dismembered and left in an open lot — which helped inspire him to create Dragnet (1951).
- #007
When Harry Morgan co-starred with him on Dragnet 1967 (1967), he allowed Morgan to show his own sense of humor.
- #008
His private collection included slightly more than 6,000 jazz albums.
- #009
He met a struggling 34-year-old actor named Harry Morgan while working on the film Dark City (1950), and they remained friends until Webb's death in 1982. They also worked together on Appointment with Danger (1950) — ironically, as a team of professional killers.
- #010
He was the basis for the character Brett Chase in the film L.A. Confidential (1997).
- #011
Before Bobby Troup, Tim Donnelly, Ron Pinkard and Randolph Mantooth took roles opposite Webb's ex-wife and best friend Julie London in the future series Emergency! (1972), all of them had previously worked for him.
- #012
Jack Webb turned down the role of Dean Wormer in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) because he felt the part would mock his serious law-and-order image. He was closely identified with law and order, especially police officers, and felt the film would make fun of that, though he claimed he was willing to be mocked himself — and in fact he did so in a famous sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962).
- #013
In his later years Webb lived at the Sierra Towers on Doheny in West Hollywood. It was a few blocks from the original Cock 'n Bull on the Sunset Strip (home of the Moscow Mule). He ate there often and had a regular table by the bar facing the front door. When he died, the owners placed roses on his table for a week and would not let anyone sit there that week.
- #014
Although he was unhappy with an article Jack Jones wrote about "Dragnet," after Barbara Stewart told him that Jones had just returned from performing for the troops in Europe, Webb insisted on paying for Stewart's wedding to Jones.
- #015
In the 1960s Stan Freberg, famous for his parodies of many popular 45 rpm records, wanted to make a parody record of Dragnet, but his manager could not get permission to use the Dragnet theme music because Jack Webb guarded that unique theme excessively and allowed almost no one to use it. Freberg then went directly to Webb and played him "Saint George and the Dragon-Net." According to rumor, Jack Webb fell off his chair laughing — and gave Freberg permission to use the Dragnet theme.
Behind the Scenes (3)
- #016
The Los Angeles Police Department not only used episodes of Dragnet (1951) as training films for a time, it also named a police academy auditorium after Webb.
- #017
In the 1960s, Stan Freberg, famous for his parodies of many popular 45 rpm records, wanted to make a parody record of Dragnet, but his manager could not obtain permission to use the Dragnet theme music, because Jack Webb guarded this unique theme excessively and allowed almost no one to use it. Freberg then went directly to Webb and played him "Saint George and the Dragon-Net." According to rumor, Jack Webb fell off his chair laughing — and gave Freberg permission to use the Dragnet theme.
- #018
He was appointed head of production at Warner Bros. Television, but his tenure lasted only eight months and he was dismissed, replaced by his old friend William Conrad, who had a background similar to Webb's. Webb moved his production unit to Universal.
Characters & Cast (3)
- #019
Despite his divorce from singer Julie London, he and London remained close friends until Webb's death in late 1982. Webb's first choice for the female lead of nurse Dixie McCall on Emergency! (1972) was London, and his first choice for Dr. Joe Early was her second husband, Bobby Troup. Both accepted the roles.
- #020
When he approached young, unknown actor Randolph Mantooth to play Johnny Gage on Emergency! (1972), Mantooth, like his future colleague Robert Fuller, politely turned the role down. Webb again refused to take no for an answer and told Mantooth what he had told Fuller: "Shut up and sit down!"
- #021
When he approached veteran western actor Robert Fuller to play the male lead, Dr. Kelly Brackett, on Emergency! (1972), Fuller politely turned the role down. Webb refused to take no for an answer and told Fuller to "shut up and sit down!"
Career & Awards (2)
- #022
Jack Webb was honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for Radio at 7040 Hollywood Blvd. and one for Television at 6728 Hollywood Blvd.
- #023
Jack Webb appeared in a film selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically" significant: Sunset Boulevard (1950).
Life & Family (1)
- #024
Jack Webb was the father of Julie London's daughters Stacy Webb and Lisa Webb. Stacy died in a car accident in 1996.
Related pages
- Toshirō Mifune — Jack Webb comes up in the facts on that page
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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