"He Walked By Night" (1948) was released first, 'Big'. Jack Webb was impressed with the "stark realism" [and the "technical advisors"] of the film, he wanted to do a radio show along the same lines (police detectives meticulously track down their suspects, often leading to a "big shootout"), and- winding up his gig as ABC radio's "PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE"- convinced NBC to take "DRAGNET" as a summer series in June 1949.
Adapted from a July 21, 1949 radio episode. This originally appeared as a "preview" on the short-lived "CHESTERFIELD SOUND-OFF TIME" (which was dropped by Liggett & Myers in favor of the TV edition of "DRAGNET" in January 1952). Barton Yarborough appeared only in the first two episodes before his death from a heart attack in December 1951; that's why Barney Phillips briefly replaced him as "Ed Jacobs"- on radio and TV- in early 1952.
@fromthesidelines Excellent footnotes as always.....Which came 1st? Dragnet radio show or the film "He walked by Night"? Did one inspire the other (Which came 1st the hen or the egg)? Watching that film (with Webb in a somewhat minor role) it is Dragnet . I came to this conclusion before knowing he was in the cast or seeing Webb in the film.
Actually, this episode features Ben Romero, Joe Friday's original partner from the radio series, who was played by Barton Yarbourough. It was a surprise to see Raymond Burr as Thad Browne, the Deputy Chief of Detectives, especially since the spoof character in the MATHNET series was Thad Greene, who was portrayed by James Earl Jones in the one story in which he appears.
Ray-O-Vac batteries! Wooo Hooo!
panhead1219 1 week ago
Rest in Peace
951Alpha 2 months ago
"He Walked By Night" (1948) was released first, 'Big'. Jack Webb was impressed with the "stark realism" [and the "technical advisors"] of the film, he wanted to do a radio show along the same lines (police detectives meticulously track down their suspects, often leading to a "big shootout"), and- winding up his gig as ABC radio's "PAT NOVAK FOR HIRE"- convinced NBC to take "DRAGNET" as a summer series in June 1949.
fromthesidelines 2 months ago
Adapted from a July 21, 1949 radio episode. This originally appeared as a "preview" on the short-lived "CHESTERFIELD SOUND-OFF TIME" (which was dropped by Liggett & Myers in favor of the TV edition of "DRAGNET" in January 1952). Barton Yarborough appeared only in the first two episodes before his death from a heart attack in December 1951; that's why Barney Phillips briefly replaced him as "Ed Jacobs"- on radio and TV- in early 1952.
fromthesidelines 2 months ago
@fromthesidelines Excellent footnotes as always.....Which came 1st? Dragnet radio show or the film "He walked by Night"? Did one inspire the other (Which came 1st the hen or the egg)? Watching that film (with Webb in a somewhat minor role) it is Dragnet . I came to this conclusion before knowing he was in the cast or seeing Webb in the film.
Bigstooler0 2 months ago
Its too bad they couldn't have kept Burr on......Ed Jacobs & The Big September Man
Chronos127 3 months ago
Actually, this episode features Ben Romero, Joe Friday's original partner from the radio series, who was played by Barton Yarbourough. It was a surprise to see Raymond Burr as Thad Browne, the Deputy Chief of Detectives, especially since the spoof character in the MATHNET series was Thad Greene, who was portrayed by James Earl Jones in the one story in which he appears.
Glammazon 4 months ago
walter schuman was sued over the theme to dragnet by miklos rosza because irt sounded too much like the killers
spacepatrolman 4 months ago