The Silver State Chronicles

A long overdue stern reprimand!

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Sound insights from Mr. Jack Webb

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Sgt Friday’s partner risks life & limb

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“You may sell that jazz to another pothead…”

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A stern reprimand by Sgt Joe Friday

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Stay straight & sober, troops!

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The names have been changed to protect the innocent

This is the city…

Dragnet had enjoyed a very successful run on radio and on television, but as the 1950s wrapped up, Mr. Webb grew tired of the confines of a weekly program, and Dragnet closed its final case in 1959.  But in the seven years since the original version ended production, punitive “law and order” sentiments had generally fallen out of favor with the American public, particularly with the Kennedy administration and an out-of-control liberal-minded federal judiciary setting the tone for a somewhat less stringent attitude toward criminals.

The changing dynamic helped prompt Mr Webb to relaunch Dragnet on television in 1966.  Mr. Webb produced a TV movie pilot for the new, color version of the show for Universal Television, although it did not air until 1969. NBC bought the show on the strength of the pilot movie and debuted it as a mid-season replacement in 1967 for the sitcom The Hero on Thursday nights in January 1967.

The 1966 TV movie is fairly rare, showing up on tv occasionally in the modern era, despite the fact that Dragnet has had succressful repeat runs on cable channels like TV Land.  The opening sets the stage for the film – 3 crimes are commited in Los Angeles.  Sgt Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon are on the case.  Top shelf stuff!  Enjoy!

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“Don’t think you have a corner on all of virtue, vision and the country.”

It’s no secret that my favorite series on this blog is Fridays for Friday, my continuing homage to one of my great heroes and role models, Mr. Jack Webb.

Well, I found this excellent verbal reprimand of some long haired liberal punks made soft by their instant orange juice very relevant today!  Enjoy!

In Webb We Trust!

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In Webb We Trust!

Well it’s been a while since my latest entry in the Fridays for Friday series of posts.  Originally intended just for the Fall of 2007, I do like to revisit it now and then when something good crosses my desk here at the world headquarters of The Silver State Chronicles.

So when I found this great short video of Mr. Jack Webb introducing The Story of Old Glory!  Enjoy!

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Just the facts, Ma’am

I came upon this neat story of the real-life Detective Joe Friday, courtesy of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Enjoy!

City was protected by the real Joe Friday

By AMY RABIDEAU SILVERS
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: Sept. 17, 2001

Little did Edmund and Hedwig Friday realize 75 years ago what a nuisance their son’s name would be for much of his life.

Joseph E. Friday grew up to be a Milwaukee police officer and detective. By the time he wore a badge, TV Detective Joe Friday had made the name famous, his deadpan “Just the facts, ma’am” a part of television history.

“That name always gave him trouble,” said Detective Jim Cler in 1986, as his partner retired after 32 years.

“I used to listen to him on the phone. He’d say, ‘This is Joe Friday of the Milwaukee Police. . . . Well, my name is Joe Friday. . . . No, I’m not putting you on.’ ” Cler repeated. “Sometimes it would take a little convincing.”

The real Detective Joe Friday died of lung cancer Tuesday, going quietly in his sleep while in hospice care at his Brookfield home. He was 75.

Born in Stevens Point and raised in Milwaukee, he served with the Army in Europe and Africa during World War II.

“During the Battle of the Bulge, he and a friend got caught behind enemy lines,” said his son, Paul J. Friday of Milwaukee. “They were hidden by civilians and made it back to our side.”

Also memorable for Friday, something of an amateur musician, was performing with the USO.

“He played guitar with Jack Benny,” said another son, Mark J. Friday of New Berlin.

After the war, Friday worked as a tool and die maker until switching to police work in 1954.

By then, “Dragnet” was one of the biggest hits of early television. The show began as a radio program in 1949, moving to television in 1951. Jack Webb continued acting in his Joe Friday role until 1959, later returning to the program in 1967 for two more years.

Soon after Friday was hired, he received a telegram from Webb.

“Very best wishes on your new job from both of us, Joe Friday and me,” the actor wrote.

In 1955, the two met when Webb stopped in Milwaukee to promote his movie, “Pete Kelly’s Blues.”

Webb “told me he had looked all over the country for a name he could use, and he thought there wasn’t anyone with the name Joe Friday,” Friday later recalled. “He apologized, and we went out to dinner. I enjoyed his company.”

The name also necessitated the unusual step of getting an unlisted phone number in the 1950s.

“I’d get phone calls all night long, at 3 and 4 in the morning,” Friday said. “Mostly kids who would sing, ‘dum-de-dum-dum,’ and hang up.”

Read more…

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