"Dragnet" & Its Cast Of Character Actors

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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - For years, filmed entertainment producers and directors have known that having great starring actors and actresses is not enough. It's the surrounding cast, including guest stars, that compliment the show. And one show that made extraordinary use of character actors was Dragnet, created and directed by Jack Webb.

The show started on the NBC Radio Network and ran from 1949-1957. It then started on NBC Television in 1952 through 1959. But the version most people remember today is the one from 1967-1970, also on NBC. I think most everyone is familiar with the show: its open, its no nonsense approach, and its theme music. But what made this show really great was its use of character actors, especially those in recurring roles and ones that the audience would remember that make you say, "I know that person!"

Set in Los Angeles, Webb cast himself as Sgt. Joe Friday and Harry Morgan was his partner, Officer Bill Gannon. According to the website IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base), I counted that the show cast over 250 guest stars over its three year run. Some actors and actresses were used only once and some were used up to 31 times. And this cycle of Dragnet only made 98 shows (there were also versions of Dragnet in 1989 and 2003 in addition to the 1950s series but were cancelled rather quickly). Webb was a genius in casting guest stars as police officers, doctors, witnesses, victims, and of course the perpetrators!

Now I cannot list all of the guest stars here but some you may remember. Don Ross (Carl Freeman) ranks #1 in the most appearances in the show: 31 out of 98 shows. Clark Howat (Capt. Al Trembly) was in 21 episodes. Art Balinger (Capt. Hugh Brown) appeared in 18 shows. Virginia Gregg (13 appearances) was a former radio star on Orson Welles' LUX Radio Theatre on the CBS Radio Network and was one of network radio's busiest actors. Kent McCord and Martin Milner appeared and later had another Jack Webb production, Adam-12, also on NBC. Finally, Burt Mustin, a guy from Pittsburgh who was a salesman most of his life, started his acting career at age 67 (viewers may remember him as Gus the fireman on Leave It To Beaver). He also hosted a weekly radio variety show on KDKA in Pittsburgh in 1921 (KDKA is owned by CBS Radio, a division of CBS, and the copyright holder of this blog).

So there you have it… just the facts! Above is that memorable opening theme music!