You may be surprised to know thatDragnetwas the first television show to be adapted into a full-length feature film in 1954. Whiletelevision has been producing some of Hollywood’s biggest movie starsfor decades, most successful TV series remain in their intended small-screen format. More commonlycelebrated movies have become television showsand prequel or sequel series, which includeCobra Kai,Fargo, and the recentDunemovies withDune: Prophecy.
Successful television shows have certainly drawn their fair share of feature films as well afterDragnetbecame the first to ever do it. Some famous examples includeMiami Vice(2006),21 Jump Street(2012), and more than a dozenStar Trekmovies. Recent examples includeBreaking Bad, which spawned the movie sequelEl Camino, the upcomingCommunitymovie, and the recent Ryan Gosling action comedyThe Fall Guy. Many of these shows were considered outstanding, which inspired their feature film potential.
Dragnet Was The First TV Show To Be Made Into A Full-Length Movie
It was rebooted as a movie once again with Tom Hanks & Dan Aykroyd
Dragnetbecame the first-ever TV series to inspire its own feature film. Even more impressive was that it originally started as a radio drama before becoming a show in 1951. Jack Webb starred in both the 1954 movie and the series, which spanned 176 episodes across eight seasons from 1951 to 1959. The radio series ran on the NBC radio network from 1949 to 1957.Webb played the iconic L.A.P.D. police officer Joe Friday. Ben Alexander and Olan Soule appeared in recurring roles.
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Webb and Alexander both starred in the 1954 movie alongside Richard Boone, Ann Robinson, Vic Perrin, and Stacy Harris. Some have stated that theoriginalDragnetfilm didn’t work as well as the television series. The on-screen magnetism of Webb, who also directed the original series and the film, was still considered the movie’s main attraction. Webb is also known for his other roles in classic movies such asSunset BoulevardandThe D.I.
Dragnet Creator & Star Also Directed The Movie In 1954
He starred in the reboot series Dragnet 1967 alongside Harry Morgan
After Webb starred in and directed theDragnetfilm, he maintained his star role in the series until 1959. He then reprised his iconic Joe Friday role in the TV movieDragnet 1966and the reboot seriesDragnet 1967alongside Harry Morgan of MAS*H acclaim.He created the successful cop seriesAdam-12in 1968. Webb’s last acting credit was onProject U.F.O.before he died of a heart attack on June 02, 2025. Since then, there have been numerous film and television reboots ofDragnet, including the 1987 movie with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd and the 2003 TV reboot starring Ed O’Neill as Joe Friday.
Dragnet
Cast
Dragnet (1951) follows Los Angeles police detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partners as they solve cases. Emphasizing procedural realism, the series captures the meticulous processes of law enforcement while portraying the challenges and complexities faced by officers in the pursuit of justice.
