My Name's Friday : The Unauthorized but True Story of Dragnet and the Films of Jack Webb

Rating:
Summary: The Jack Webb story: fine book, hard to put down
Review: "My Name's Friday" tells the story of producer-director-actor-writer Jack Webb. Fans of "Dragnet" will be surprised by the sheer volume of Webb's work in radio, television, and motion pictures. The scope of Michael Hayde's engrossing book goes beyond "Dragnet" and discusses all things Webb, with plenty of color and numerous "exhibits": first-person recollections by those involved in production, radio and TV episode guides, dozens of photos, transcripts of Webb's most memorable on-air speeches, even samples of "Dragnet" merchandise from the 1950s. The author takes pains to show the various facets of Webb's personality: intense workaholic, perceptive critic, enthusiastic jazz aficionado, loyal friend. Best of all for curious readers, the author has done a terrific research job, admirably placing the "Dragnet" phenomenon in its proper historical context. A fine book: Sgt. Friday would salute this one.

Rating:
Summary: The Jack Webb story: fine book, hard to put down
Review: "My Name's Friday" tells the story of producer-director-actor-writer Jack Webb. Fans of "Dragnet" will be surprised by the sheer volume of Webb's work in radio, television, and motion pictures. The scope of Michael Hayde's engrossing book goes beyond "Dragnet" and discusses all things Webb, with plenty of color and numerous "exhibits": first-person recollections by those involved in production, radio and TV episode guides, dozens of photos, transcripts of Webb's most memorable on-air speeches, even samples of "Dragnet" merchandise from the 1950s. The author takes pains to show the various facets of Webb's personality: intense workaholic, perceptive critic, enthusiastic jazz aficionado, loyal friend. Best of all for curious readers, the author has done a terrific research job, admirably placing the "Dragnet" phenomenon in its proper historical context. A fine book: Sgt. Friday would salute this one.

Rating:
Summary: Finally Just the Facts About Webb!
Review: Finally we now have a comprehensive look at the man behind Dragnet and all of those classic TV shows that we have grown to love. Michael Hayde's in depth portrayal of Webb covers everything we the hungry nostalgia buffs have been looking for. It is one of those books that you just can't seem to put down.

Rating:
Summary: My Names Pardlow I and love this book!
Review: Great,great,great that's all that can be said about this book on ol' Jack Webb. Definately recommend that you get it,causes it's truly Dragnet A to Z. Buy it and remember when T.V. was new.

Rating:
Summary: Solid
Review: Greatly superior in organization and analysis to _Just the Facts, Ma'am_, this book does well both discussing Jack Webb and Dragnet, and the love-hate relationship they had with each other. With lots of examples from the various scripts Webb wrote or oversaw, the book provides a solid guide to the man and his works, and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in either.

Rating:
Summary: Solid
Review: Greatly superior in organization and analysis to _Just the Facts, Ma'am_, this book does well both discussing Jack Webb and Dragnet, and the love-hate relationship they had with each other. With lots of examples from the various scripts Webb wrote or oversaw, the book provides a solid guide to the man and his works, and is a must-read for anyone who is interested in either.

Rating:
Summary: Rare reading experience.
Review: I am beyond impressed with this book. The extensive research is nothing short of scholarly. The total number of hours reading, viewing, and interviewing required to produce this work is beyond my ability to imagine. Mr. Hayde presents this story like an archeologist gently piecing together shards to again display the original nature of an old amphora, letting the cracks show where they occur - yet not finishing until all the shards are found and in place. All this is conveyed in the most simple language, remaining true to the style of the original work his book covers. Although never devoting a particular section to Mr. Webb's personality, there is a thread here, a strand there, choices, actions, reactions, and interactions occurring as the programs and movies unfold. By the time one has finished this book one has a since of having been able to see Mr. Webb's personality in much more fine detail than if Mr. Hayde had presented it in the form of a character study. There are no conclusions - this the author leaves to the reader. Very refreshing from the "in your face" style often encountered today. Following the conclusion of the main body of work there are appendixes which standing alone would present more information than even most devoted fans would ever think to ask. This is one of the few books I have read which I would put down not because of boredom, rather because I needed to assimilate all the information I had read before continuing. I had not expected this of a book on this subject. Reading this book was totally enjoyable at each phase, and more informative and interesting than I would ever have expected a book on Jack Webb could possibly be. For anyone interested in Mr. Webb's life, his works, his style, or the influences and interactions behind television and movies as we finally see them (not only those of Mr. Webb), or just simply interested in exceptionally well presented reading material, this is the book.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST Read
Review: I have known Mike since the beginning of this undertaking and cannot begin to express the amount of time and care he has put into this book. It is truly a labor of love. Even if the subject of Golden Age television does not appeal to you, Mike's easy writing style, attention to detail and intense passion for this aspect of radio/television history will draw you in and not let you put this book down.

Rating:
Summary: Just What I've Been Waiting For!!
Review: I just put down my copy of this book and I can say after reading it and "Just the Facts Ma'am" - this is the book to read. The author, Michael Hayde, has really done his homework on this nice retrospective on Jack Webb and all the works he did before he died in 1982. While both books are good, the attention to detail is outstanding, making this Jack Webb book, in my opinion, the best ever written to date. This book covers Mr. Webb's associations, detailed history and traditions in the creation and production of Dragnet from its inception, to Adam-12 (1968-1975), Emergency!, Hec Ramsey, and many other Jack Webb related projects. Jack Webb's historic contributions to television production and filming is detailed nicely, outlining many aspects that have not been widely known. I couldn't put it down, and neither will you. Mr. Hayde's years of research really stands out, and there is also a section dedicated the terminology of the LAPD in that era as well. If your a fan of Jack Webb, the Los Angeles Police Department, and vintage cop shows, this book will make an outstanding addition to your collection.

Rating:
Summary: Just What I've Been Waiting For!!
Review: I just put down my copy of this book and I can say after reading it and "Just the Facts Ma'am" - this is the book to read. The author, Michael Hayde, has really done his homework on this nice retrospective on Jack Webb and all the works he did before he died in 1982. While both books are good, the attention to detail is outstanding, making this Jack Webb book, in my opinion, the best ever written to date. This book covers Mr. Webb's associations, detailed history and traditions in the creation and production of Dragnet from its inception, to Adam-12 (1968-1975), Emergency!, Hec Ramsey, and many other Jack Webb related projects. Jack Webb's historic contributions to television production and filming is detailed nicely, outlining many aspects that have not been widely known. I couldn't put it down, and neither will you. Mr. Hayde's years of research really stands out, and there is also a section dedicated the terminology of the LAPD in that era as well. If your a fan of Jack Webb, the Los Angeles Police Department, and vintage cop shows, this book will make an outstanding addition to your collection.