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Here's how Jack Webb's other Dragnet partner felt about the creator/star
Before Bill Gannon, there was Ben Alexander
Working alongside one's boss is no easy feat, especially if that boss created the whole enterprise. That was the case for Ben Alexander, who starred alongside Jack Webb in the latter's first attempt at a Dragnet TV show in 1951.
Webb was the writer and creator behind the then-fledgling Dragnet franchise. At the time, Webb produced three episodes per week. As if this weren't impressive enough, these TV shows supplemented the Dragnet radio show, which, in '56 was releasing two additional stories every other Sunday.
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Alexander played Officer Frank Smith, partner to Webb's Sergeant Joe Friday. In a 1956 edition of TV People (Vol. 4, #1), Alexander shared how he felt about his onscreen partner. While it might seem like his employment hinged on a positive quote, Alexander would've actually been toeing the company line if he'd buried Webb. At the time, a particularly nasty rumor portrayed Webb as self-centered and vain. Alexander set the record straight, leaving no question as to who Webb was as a partner.
"The instant I met Jack, my entire life changed for the better. There's simply no one like Jack. He's dynamic, dedicated, creative, brilliant... and so damned nice about it, too! [...] Jack Webb is the greatest guy in the world," said Alexander.
While he attested to Webb's character, Alexander was also quick to praise Webb's merits as an artist.
"Jack is one man who knows everything about filming a television show," Alexander said.
"Jack is the creator on Dragnet, while I don't create anything. Jack is the kind of fellow who absorbs knowledge quickly, who has terrific powers of concentration, who just can't be distracted.
"He makes it his business to know everything about cameras, film, lights, sets, angles and scripts... everything!"
The dedication shows as Dragnet and its various iterations continue to delight fans everywhere!
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Barton Yarborough was Friday's first partner Sgt. Ben Romero, however, Yarborough died of a heart attack at age 51 after filming the second episode.
By the way, in the first ever TV episode ("The Human Bomb"), Raymond Burr portrays Deputy Chief Thad Brown...
