I have just been listening to the theme music for Dragnet (which version was not given). The announcer gave the familiar "the names have been changed to protect the innocent." I'd swear that it was the voice of Stan Freberg. Has anyone else noticed that? Was it someone else? There is no credit for this announcer given on the Dragnet 1951 IMDB site. Thanks.
shareI seem to recall reading that the voice was that of George Fenneman (Groucho Marx's longtime announcer). The connection was that one of "Dragnet's" sponsors was Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company. Mr. Fenneman's voice was often heard in their radio and television ads.
shareGeroge Fenneman is credited in IMDB with being the announcer in the later version of Dragnet. This website: http://www.timstvshowcase.com/dragnet.html
credits him for the entire run of the show from the 50s to 70s.
Someone else noticed that the voice sounded like Stan Freberg -- An excellent spoof of Dragnet, "Dragon Net" was produced by Freberg. I first heard it around 1956. Any Dragnet fan who also likes radio comedy will enjoy this.
The recording starts with "Only the needle must be changed to protect the record" -- someone familiar with 1950's records will understand this.
Yes! It's a Capitol record by Stan Freberg of "St. George and the Dragonet", with "Little Blue Riding Hood" on the flip side. My family grew up with this 45rpm; it is perfectly done. https://youtu.be/oUdFLyNCeI4?list=RDuWunj7Yw3PQ and https://youtu.be/uWunj7Yw3PQ
shareWhen he read Freberg's script, Jack Webb got such a kick out of the parody that he loaned Freberg Walt Schumann's orchestra for the recording sessions (the same one used in the radio and TV versions of Dragnet).