- Born
- Died
- Born in Goldthwaite Texas, Barton Yarborough ran away from home as a youth to join vaudeville. In the 1920s he got involved in radio, and in 1932 began a long run as Cliff Barbour on the hugely famous drama "One Man's Family," which he appeared in until his death. Other outstanding radio roles came along the way, such as, in 1938, Doc Long in the "I Love a Mystery" series and Sgt. Ben Romero in the famous "Dragnet" series in 1949. Both of these also had video versions, and Yarborough appeared in three "I Love a Mystery" movies from 1945 to 1946, and the "Dragnet" television series in 1951. But he was only able to film two "Dragnet" episodes. The day after filming the second episode he fell ill and died four days later. Though Yarborough appeared in several movies, his radio work contains his most memorable roles.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary (yarborough) Portillo
- SpousesBarbara Jo Allen(? - 1931) (divorced, 1 child)Janet Warren(? - December 19, 1951) (his death)
- Southern accent on radio
- Joe Friday's first partner in "Dragnet"
- In the first episode after Barton Yarborough's death "The Big Sorrow", the radio episode begins with a brief dedication to him by Jack Webb. The episode fittingly ends with Joe Friday mistakenly calling his new partner "Ben".
- The only "Dragnet" partner taller than Joe Friday
- In the 1940s, appeared in "Hawk Larabee" radio show with another future "Dragnet" co-star, Barney Phillips
- According to a 1982 radio interview with actor Vic Perrin--who played in numerous radio and TV episodes of Dragnet--Yarborough was stricken with the flu immediately after filming the second episode of the TV Dragnet, dying four days later.
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