Who’s Still Alive From ‘Dragnet’?

DRAGNET, Jack Webb, Harry Morgan, 1967-70 — Everett Collection

In the early days of 1950s television, crime dramas helped define the medium, and none was more influential than Dragnet, which brought a no-nonsense realism to audiences through its famous “just the facts” approach. A decade later, a Dragnet revival series — which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1970 — brought the show back in color while retaining the procedural style that made it so popular in the past.

Each episode followed Sergeant Joe Friday (Jack Webb) and Officer Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan) as they worked cases step by step, focusing on the details of police work rather than dramatic twists. It was one of the earliest examples of a show successfully revived years after its original run, and it helped reinforce the blueprint for police procedurals that followed.

Episodes typically opened with Friday’s “This is the city” narration over shots of Los Angeles, then moved into a case. By the end of each episode, viewers were told exactly what happened to the suspects, reinforcing the show’s documentary-like tone. While Friday and Gannon remained at the center of the series, a steady group of supporting actors helped share the stories, often appearing in multiple roles across different episodes. Here’s who is still alive from that extended cast, along with a memoriam for those we have since lost.

Kent McCord (83)

Officer Martin (and other roles)

Everett Collection; Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

Kent McCord first appeared on Dragnet in small parts, sometimes credited under his real name, Kent McWhirter. In early episodes, he played uniformed officers, including a young undercover policeman accused of robbery. One of his bigger roles came in 1968, when he was cast as Officer Jim Reed on Adam-12, another Jack Webb series that shared the same realistic style. The show ran for seven seasons and made McCord one of the most recognizable TV police officers of the era.

McCord continued working steadily afterward, with roles in Galactica 1980, seaQuest DSV, and JAG, and later appeared in a recurring role on Farscape between 1999 and 2003. He also served on the national board of the Screen Actors Guild for more than a decade, including time as first national vice president.

Marco Lopez (90)

Bunco Officer (and other roles)

Marco Lopez appeared frequently on Dragnet, often playing uniformed officers or detectives, particularly in the Bunco division. He also worked behind the scenes as Webb’s stand-in for long shots. Lopez went on to a more prominent role in Emergency! beginning in 1971, where he played Firefighter Marco Lopez using his real name.

Afterward, he continued working in television, appearing on shows like Mission: Impossible, MacGyver, and Murder, She Wrote, as well as in smaller film roles, including an uncredited appearance in America’s Sweethearts.

Peggy Webber (100)

Various roles

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Peggy Webber appeared in multiple episodes of Dragnet, playing a wide range of characters. Her extensive background in radio, where she performed hundreds of different characters, translated naturally to the show’s style. She also appeared in The Wrong Man, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and continued acting into the 2000s.

Beyond acting, she built a second career as a writer, director, and producer of stage and audio productions, and she has been recognized for her long-standing contributions to radio theater. She recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

In Memoriam

Jack Webb, who played Sergeant Joe Friday, died on December 23, 1982, at the age of 62 from a heart attack.

Harry Morgan, who played Officer Bill Gannon, died on December 7, 2011, at the age of 96 from pneumonia.

Don Ross, who frequently appeared as Don Hale, died on January 15, 2011, at the age of 90.

Clark Howat, who played Captain Al Trembly, died on October 30, 2009, at the age of 91.

Art Balinger, who appeared as Captain Hugh Brown, died on June 10, 2011, at the age of 96.

Virginia Gregg, who played multiple roles across the series, died on September 15, 1986, at the age of 70 from lung cancer.

Bobby Troup died on February 7, 1999, at the age of 80 from a heart attack.

Where to Watch Dragnet

The 1967–1970 version of Dragnet has been released on DVD or available to purchase on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and continues to air on classic television networks such as MeTV and FETV. You can also stream it for free with ads on Tubi.