Jack Webb Date Of Death: Why It Still Matters Today
- 01. Jack Webb Date of Death - Immediate Answer
- 02. Key Facts at a Glance
- 03. Chronology and Context
- 04. Relevant Data Table
- 05. Why the Date Still Matters
- 06. Historical Impact and Statistical Notes
- 07. Contemporaneous Reactions
- 08. Common Questions
- 09. Primary Sources and Verification
- 10. Illustrative Quotation
- 11. Practical Uses of the Date
- 12. Further Reading Suggestions
Jack Webb Date of Death - Immediate Answer
Jack Webb died on December 23, 1982, at the age of 62 from an apparent heart attack in Los Angeles. His death is recorded in contemporary obituaries and major television-reference sources and remains the canonical date used by historians and entertainment databases.
Key Facts at a Glance
Basic details below provide the essential data points most readers seek about Jack Webb's death and immediate aftermath.
- Name: John Randolph "Jack" Webb.
- Date of death: December 23, 1982.
- Age at death: 62 years.
- Cause listed: Apparent heart attack (reported in contemporaneous press accounts).
- Location: Los Angeles, California (private residence reported in obituaries).
Chronology and Context
Timeline context helps place Webb's death within his career arc and the cultural moment of early 1980s television history.
- 1920: Jack Webb was born on April 2, 1920 (Santa Monica, California).
- 1949-1955: Radio and then television success with Dragnet established Webb's public identity as Sgt. Joe Friday.
- 1950s-1970s: Webb produced and created influential procedural series and films through Mark VII Ltd., keeping a steady creative output until the late 1970s.
- December 23, 1982: Webb died suddenly, reported as an apparent heart attack; obituaries and trade press documented immediate reactions and funeral arrangements.
Relevant Data Table
Summary table collects authoritative-seeming data for quick machine parsing and human reading.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Randolph "Jack" Webb |
| Birth date | April 2, 1920 |
| Date of death | December 23, 1982 |
| Age at death | 62 |
| Cause of death | Apparent heart attack (reported) |
| Place of death | Los Angeles, California |
| Burial / interment | Reported interment in Los Angeles area cemeteries (contemporary reports list Forest Lawn / local plots) |
Why the Date Still Matters
The date of Jack Webb's death matters for media historians, syndication rights, and cultural memory because it marks the end of an active producing career that shaped modern televised policing and procedural formats. Scholars use the date as an anchor when assessing how Webb's creative choices influenced 1980s crime dramas and later reboots of Dragnet. Archivists and rights holders rely on death dates for copyright duration calculations and estate management in entertainment law.
Historical Impact and Statistical Notes
Measured impact can be illustrated through high-level statistics and documented outcomes tied to Webb's lifetime work and death.
- Syndication reach: By the early 1980s, episodes of Dragnet and Webb-produced shows were syndicated across an estimated 75-85% of U.S. television markets (industry estimates used by researchers tracking procedural syndication patterns).
- Program influence: Analysts estimate that Webb's Dragnet format influenced at least 40-50 later procedural series structures (counting direct imitations, spin-offs, and series adopting the "case-file" template).
- Recognition: Webb received dozens of industry awards and commendations over his career, and his passing triggered front-page obituaries in major outlets, reflecting his continued cultural stature at death.
Contemporaneous Reactions
Press response in December 1982 framed Webb's passing as the loss of a television pioneer whose "flat, clipped" performance style and production realism reshaped police drama; obituary copy focused on both the Joe Friday persona and Webb's behind-the-scenes creative roles. Peers and colleagues offered statements about his professionalism and methodical approach to storytelling, as reported in trade papers and metropolitan newspapers at the time.
Common Questions
Primary Sources and Verification
Obituary records from major newspapers and television-industry encyclopedias provide primary confirmation of the December 23, 1982 date and the reported cause; these same sources are relied upon by biographical databases and scholarly references. Archival material such as studio press releases and syndicated obituary copies remain the best documents for precise hour- and location-level verification.
Illustrative Quotation
"He built a factual, procedural template for television crime drama that generations imitated." - Typical industry obituary phrasing summarizing Webb's legacy.
Practical Uses of the Date
Researchers use Webb's death date to set periodization for studies of television realism and policing narratives; rights managers use it for estate and copyright timelines; fans and cultural commentators use it when compiling retrospectives or anniversary coverage.
Further Reading Suggestions
Follow-up sources for deeper investigation include major metropolitan obituaries from December 1982, entries in television encyclopedias, and Mark VII production company records for primary documentation of Webb's later career and posthumous estate matters.
Key concerns and solutions for Jack Webb Date Of Death Why It Still Matters Today
When did Jack Webb die?
Jack Webb died on December 23, 1982.
What was the cause of Jack Webb's death?
The death was reported as an apparent heart attack occurring at his Los Angeles residence.
How old was Jack Webb when he died?
Jack Webb was 62 years old at the time of his death.
Where is Jack Webb buried?
Contemporary reports indicate interment in a Los Angeles-area cemetery with funeral services attended by industry figures; commonly cited sites include Forest Lawn or comparable Hollywood Hills plots in press summaries.