Ben Alexander's illustrious career in the entertainment industry commenced in 1915, when he began landing roles in films directed by esteemed directors such as Cecil B. DeMille and D.W. Griffith. As he matured, he progressed from playing child roles to assuming juvenile leads and supporting parts in sound films, with a notable appearance in the groundbreaking film All Quiet on the Western Front, released in 1930.
However, as his acting career began to slow down in the mid-1930s, Alexander discovered a new passion in radio announcing, which ultimately became a successful and fulfilling career. It wasn't until much later, when he was already semi-retired, that producer Jack Webb sought him out to play the role of his detective partner in the iconic TV series Dragnet, which premiered in 1951.
Years later, Alexander reprised his detective persona in the TV series The Felony Squad, starring alongside Howard Duff, in 1966.