55 replies to this topic

[Luciaphile]

I've searched and can't find a thread for the old Jack Webb series so I'm starting one. I've watched all the episodes I could find on Netflix and am now watching again thanks to Antenna TV.

I wish I could explain my fascination with this show. They're so damn hokey and I don't think there was ever anyone as square as Joe Friday. The acting is frequently horrific, but I find myself glued to the screen whenever they're on. Tell me I'm not alone?

[taiko]

I think its the documentary feel. Instead of solving 22 murders a year Sgt Friday takes us on a tour of 1960s LAPD and all the different jobs a detective will do.

[TWoP Howard]

There already was a thread here.

Update: ignore that link, because it’s for the 2003 version with Ed O’Neill, which I had absolutely forgotten about. So never mind, and keep using this one to discuss the original.

Like, say, the episode where two young parents hopped up on Mary Jane forgot their daughter was in the bath, and she drowned. Never mind that their reactions looked more like they were on speed or LSD than on marijuana. That is a classic.

It’s also fascinating because the LAPD was portrayed as such a bunch of saints, when the reality was that they had one of the more corrupt police departments in the country. They needed the good publicity.

Edited by TWoP Howard, Jun 4, 2012 @ 9:52 PM.

[taiko]

I have never seen the 1951 show besides one TV movie/episode. The 60s reboot in color always seemed to be packaged with Adam-12. I think there was a 90s version which was also packaged with a new Adam-12 that went directly to syndication. In Adam-12 there was a Black and White team, in Dragnet a White and Latino pair.


edit, The actor Bernard White is Sri Lakan, he often plays Latinos

Edited by taiko, Jun 4, 2012 @ 10:30 PM.

[Willowsmom]

By the time the 1967 version was on the LAPD was squeaky clean, thanks to Chief Parker.

[txhorns79]

They're so damn hokey and I don't think there was ever anyone as square as Joe Friday. The acting is frequently horrific, but I find myself glued to the screen whenever they're on. Tell me I'm not alone?

No, you aren't. I find them fascinating, and there is such a train wreck feeling when watching them. I think that feeling is strongest when Friday is forced to interact with the youth culture and his disgust is so palpable that you half expect him to start strangling whatever hippie crosses his path.

[4Sibes]

This has been a favorite of mine since the 80's when Nick At Night began running episodes. One of my favorite episodes was one in which dogs had been trained to steal women's purses.

[Luciaphile]

The 1950s ones are better generally because most of them tend to be more straightforward police procedurals. In the 60s reboot, they mostly seem to be Jack Webb's personal crusade against marijuana: the gateway drug. I was watching the one with the baby in the tub the other day and realized for the first time that the father was played by Tim Donnelly (Chet from my other guilty pleasure: Emergency!)

I do love the opening shots of LA and anytime Virginia Gregg is guesting. She's usually a total hoot.

[taiko]

By the time the 1967 version was on the LAPD was squeaky clean, thanks to Chief Parker.

It wasn't until the Rampart scandel and Perez's/CRASH inspiration for The Shield and the Strike Team that corruption was thought of as a problem again. Brutality and the paramilitary culture of Chief Gates and SWAT which happened in the 65 riots but more so after Dragnet ended its 67 run is mostly what people think about when talking LAPDs problems and the need for federal overseers

[Willowsmom]

Dragnet didn't end until 1970. It started it's second run in 1967.

[4Sibes]

One thing that I remember about the change in technology was how in the early days Friday & his partner would have to pull the car over to a police box to respond to radio calls.

There was a Christmas episode in the 50's with a stolen baby Jesus that was remade word-for-word in the 60's.

In closing, don't forget Sgt Joe Friday's manner of walking with straight arms.

[Willowsmom]

The same Christmas episode was used on the radio show.

[4Sibes]

The same Christmas episode was used on the radio show.

Oh yeah? Well, you can't improve upon the classics!

For those who use Hulu+, you can stream the 60's episodes.

[Willowsmom]

Legend has it that Friday never said "Just the facts ma'am". It comes from a comedy recording by Stan Freberg, St. George and the Dragon Net.

[prairiegal]

And the 60's version of the Christmas show has a groovy young Barry Williams...

Edited by prairiegal, Jun 5, 2012 @ 7:37 PM.

[Willowsmom]

If you watch there are lots of people who later became TV stars. My favorite is Howard Hessman as a fellow guest on a TV/Radio show Friday is on. It's just like Johnny Fever wold have been in the 60's.

[hlisy]

While most of the colorized shows were so stilted the early B&W shows were surprisinglyv good. My fav was the one with a young Lee Marvin playing a hitchhiker who robbed and murdered the men who gave him a ride. Marvin played it just right with a hint of menace. Friday had a different partner not Morgan. The one line I remember is when asked why he killed, the suspect replied it was just something to do. Pretty realistic for the time. Unfortunately, by the end of Dragnet, the acting and the stories had gotten hokey with Friday running a one man crusade against flower power.

[Willowsmom]

Friday started with Ben Romero, played on radio and TV by Barton Yarborough. Unfortunately Mr. Yarborough died suddenly and was eventually replaced by Ben Alexander playing Frank Smith.
When the series was re-booted in the 60's Alexander was contracted to another show.
And Lee Marvin was always amazing.

[Luciaphile]

In closing, don't forget Sgt Joe Friday's manner of walking with straight arms.

That always cracks me up. I noticed it in today's episode where Bill was pretending to be a businessman at a hotel in search of some "action."

[4Sibes]

Is that the episode where Sgt Joe, also undercover, says something like "Charlie Red has fire for his friends"?

[prairiegal]

I also noticed Jack Webb's "straight arms walking" at the end of the Christmas show when Friday and Gannon walk down the aisle of the church.I giggled madly when Friday and Gannon stopped at the end of the aisle, look back at the priest and nod in unison.When I was a kid, I thought it was the most reverent Christmas tv show I had ever seen...

Edited by prairiegal, Jun 6, 2012 @ 9:01 PM.

[4Sibes]

Something else that I think is interesting about the progression of Dragnets is that the oldest ones didn't have the Miranda readings.

[taiko]

Makes sense the Miranda decision was in 1966. And Bill Gannon would pull out the card and read it just to make sure there were no mistakes, as Sgt Friday watched approvingly.

[Luciaphile]

Makes sense the Miranda decision was in 1966. And Bill Gannon would pull out the card and read it just to make sure there were no mistakes, as Sgt Friday watched approvingly.

And Friday never makes a mistake so naturally once those were out, they'd be adhering to them.

Someone mentioned the missing baby Jesus episode and I remembered reading Barry Williams' Growing Up Brady autobiography (hey, it was $2 on a remainder table). Williams recounted how Webb used the teleprompter exclusively and seemed surprised at how well Williams did having memorized the lines the old-fashioned way.

[thatguy01]

Legend has it that Friday never said "Just the facts ma'am". It comes from a comedy recording by Stan Freberg, St. George and the Dragon Net.

which is on outubeyay.

Edited by thatguy01, Jun 8, 2012 @ 1:20 PM.

[Willowsmom]

The baby drowns because of pothead parents is on...

Stan Freberg is a national treasure.

[prican58]

I watched the pot episode today and practically laughed my head off! I love this show and am old enough to remember the 1960's shows.

Production values were so miniscule. I totally dig the scene where the Pot People were dancing at their "party". The music was that vaguely psychedelic sound that all the cool kids supposedly danced to. Same stuff one would hear in a Beach flick. If anything they'd be grooving to The Doors or The Chambers Brothers

What I love about this show is Harry Morgan. His Gannon is so funny with his asides about Joe's social life.

One of today's episodes had Burt Mustin as a 74 year old burglar with a bad attitude. Damn, ol' Burt could really move back then. Also love how the neighbors always make an appearance to gripe about shit or give their know it all opinions.

[prairiegal]

I also watched the pot episode and laughed so hard that I ran to that unnamed movie site to watch it again. The unintentionally funny moments are offset by Harry's truly funny moments hassling Jack Webb. Harry Morgan was a terrific actor, what a gem.
Love the ending close up of the bag of weed in Jack Webb's hands, which he then crushes. Yes, Sgt.Friday, we get it:
POT BAD.

[4Sibes]

There should be a postage stamp in honor of Burt Mustin.

I enjoy the episodes with Sgt Joe Friday off duty. Uptight and laid back simultaneously.

And I also love Bill Gannon and his neuroses.

[Willowsmom]

I love Gannon's weird eating habits. Some of his recipes are just criminal.