Pilot Film for the Color 1960's "Dragnet" Series

After the famous pop culture 1950's "Dragnet" series (1951-1959) ended, Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday took a break for seven years, returning in 1966 with a new version of the TV series shot in color as a two-hour pilot movie for the Dragnet Franchise.

"Dragnet was perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in media history."

The 1960s revival featured Officer Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) as Sgt. Friday's new partner. The new Dragnet series ran from January 12, 1967 to April 16, 1970. The network didn't cancel it, instead Jack Webb called it quits. He went on to produce other cop TV series with his Mark VII production company, shows such as Adam 12, Emergency!, Project U.F.O, and others -- some making it, some not so good.

Jack Webb died at age 62 from a sudden, massive heart attack in 1982, while working on yet another Dragnet series for the 1980s, starring Adam-12's Kent McCord as his new partner (Harry Morgan had just finished M*A*S*H).  Interesting personal details about Webb are here.  He was married 4 times, and paid nearly a million dollars in alimony. Webb was a heavy drinker and smoker, smoking packs of Chesterfields and L&M-brand cigarettes, which likely killed him.  He was a great friend to have: getting his friends work on his shows.  Very kind and generous.  A good man who is missed by all who knew him.

Herewith is the pilot movie for that four-season series, never aired on TV until 1969.