# History of TV character deaths

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 26, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654 "2014-09-26T17:11:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/history-of-tv-character-deaths/699654/101 "2014-10-02T04:01:46Z")

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> [@CaptMurdock](#):
>
> IIRC, the old _Dragnet_ series had to replace Joe Friday’s partner (Ben Smith, I think) because the actor Barton Yarborough died between seasons. The character was written as having died suddenly as well, and Friday is unusually emotional throughout the episode.

The character’s name was Ben Romero. He was played by Yarborough in both the radio and TV version of _Dragnet_. When he died in December 1951, he and Jack Webb had just filmed three episodes of the TV show which debuted in January 1952.

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