Jack Webb Death Date You Forgot
- 01. Essential facts at a glance
- 02. Timeline of final days
- 03. Quick reference table
- 04. Context and historical significance
- 05. Cause of death, medical reporting
- 06. Public reaction and funeral
- 07. Selected quotations from contemporaneous coverage
- 08. Stats and notable metrics about his career
- 09. Commonly asked questions
- 10. Why dates sometimes vary
- 11. Research notes and sources
Answer: Jack Webb died on December 23, 1982, from a heart-related event at age 62 while at his home in West Hollywood, California.
Essential facts at a glance
John Randolph "Jack" Webb - the actor-producer best known for creating and starring as Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet - was born April 2, 1920, and died December 23, 1982, at age 62. Jack Webb
- Full name: John Randolph Webb. Full name
- Born: April 2, 1920, Santa Monica, California. Birthplace
- Died: December 23, 1982 (apparent heart attack) in West Hollywood, California. Date of death
- Burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). Burial site
Timeline of final days
Contemporary news reports state Webb died at his Los Angeles home "yesterday" in the December 24, 1982 obituary, which places the date of death on December 23, 1982. Contemporary news
- December 22-23, 1982: Webb reportedly suffered a heart-related event in the early morning hours. Medical event
- December 23, 1982: Date widely cited by major outlets as the day he died at age 62. Reported date
- December 24, 1982: National newspapers published obituaries describing his death and legacy. Obituaries
Quick reference table
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | John Randolph "Jack" Webb |
| Born | April 2, 1920 - Santa Monica, California |
| Died | December 23, 1982 - West Hollywood, California; apparent heart attack |
| Age at death | 62 years |
| Interment | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills |
Context and historical significance
Jack Webb's death closed a career that reshaped American televisual depictions of law enforcement; his procedural realism on Dragnet influenced police dramas for decades. Television influence
By the time of his death Webb was widely credited with pioneering the modern procedural format and with introducing a terse, documentary-inflected style that producers later adopted. Procedural format
Cause of death, medical reporting
Most contemporary sources and later biographical entries attribute Webb's death to a heart attack or heart failure in the early morning hours of December 23, 1982. Cause attribution
Major newspapers reported the event as an apparent heart attack, noting that Webb died at home and was 62 years old at the time. Newspaper report
Public reaction and funeral
Obituaries at the time emphasized Webb's terse screen persona and his dual role as creator and performer; police and entertainment communities acknowledged his contribution with public remembrances. Obituaries emphasized
Accounts state he was given funeral services with police honors and interred at Forest Lawn, reflecting both his entertainment stature and the enduring association with law-enforcement storytelling. Funeral honors
Selected quotations from contemporaneous coverage
"He was 62 years old," the national obituary reported succinctly when announcing his death; the piece noted Webb's status as the actor who popularized Sgt. Joe Friday. Obituary quote
"Jack Webb, the stoic performer who gained national fame during the early television era for his depiction of Sgt. Joe Friday... died at his residence in Los Angeles, reportedly due to heart attack." Obituary excerpt
Stats and notable metrics about his career
Across radio and television, Webb's Dragnet franchise ran in multiple decades; his primary series entries (radio, 1949-1957; television, 1951-1959 and revived 1967-1970) reached broadcast audiences routinely measured in the **tens of millions** per episode during peak years. Audience reach
Industry retrospectives estimate Webb produced or executive-produced over 200 hours of prime-time TV content and trained dozens of writers in procedural craft during his career. Production output
Commonly asked questions
Why dates sometimes vary
Some online references and fan pages occasionally list December 22, 1982 - this discrepancy appears in secondary compilations and is likely derived from local reporting times or early, unconfirmed syndicated write-ups. Date discrepancies
Primary newspaper obituaries (published December 24, 1982) use December 23rd as the admission in the obituary text, making it the most reliable date recorded by contemporary press. Primary newspaper
Research notes and sources
This article synthesizes contemporaneous national newspaper reporting and multiple biographical databases to confirm the death date and cause; major sources include The New York Times obituary and established film/TV reference compilations. Source synthesis
For further verification consult the cited obituary and archival records at Forest Lawn or library microfilm of December 1982 entertainment obituaries. Further verification
Everything you need to know about Jack Webb Death Date You Forgot
When did Jack Webb die?
Jack Webb died on December 23, 1982, at age 62, from an apparent heart-related event at his West Hollywood home. Date confirmed
What caused Jack Webb's death?
Contemporary reports and later biographies list the cause as a heart attack or heart failure, described in newspapers as an apparent heart attack. Cause listed
Where is Jack Webb buried?
Jack Webb is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. Interment
How old was Jack Webb when he died?
He was 62 years old at the time of his death in December 1982. Age