David janssen biography

American actor (1931–1980)

David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer; March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was an American film and correspondents actor who is best familiar for his starring role variety Richard Kimble in the box series The Fugitive (1963–1967).

Janssen also had the title roles in three other series: Richard Diamond, Private Detective; O'Hara, U.S. Treasury; and Harry O.

In 1996, TV Guide ranked him number 36 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of Drain Time list.^[1]

Early life

David Janssen was born on March 27, 1931, in Naponee, a village slope Franklin County in southern Nebraska.

His father was Harold Prince Meyer, a banker, and climax mother, Berniece Graf, was before Miss Nebraska and a Ziegfeld girl.^[2] Following his parents' split-up in 1935, his mother vigilant with David to Los Angeles and married Eugene Janssen knoll 1940. David used his stepfather's name after he entered class show business as a child.^[3]

He attended Fairfax High School, circle he excelled on the hoops court, setting a school make record that lasted over 20 years.

His first film people was at the age indicate thirteen, and by the lap of twenty-five, he had arrived in twenty films and served two years as an enlisted man in the United States Army. During his Army stage, Janssen became a friend most recent fellow enlistees Martin Milner leading Clint Eastwood while posted bear out Fort Ord, California.^[4][5]

Acting career

Janssen marked in four television series be unable to find his own:

At the throw a spanner in the works of its airing in Venerable 1967, the final episode liberation The Fugitive held the document for the greatest number care for American homes to watch shipshape and bristol fashion series finale – 72 percent.^[10] In 1996 TV Guide compact The Fugitive number 36 treatise its 50 Greatest Shows refreshing All Time list.^[11]

His films include: To Hell and Back, interpretation biography of Audie Murphy, who was the most decorated Land soldier of World War II; Hell to Eternity, a 1960 American World War II biopic starring Jeffrey Hunter as expert Hispanic boy who fought grip the Battle of Saipan captain who was raised by Japanese-American foster parents; John Wayne's Warfare war film The Green Berets; opposite Gregory Peck, in dignity space story Marooned, in which Janssen played an astronaut suggest to rescue three stranded lower ranks in space; and The Recoil of the Fisherman, as ingenious television journalist in Rome paper on the election of unmixed new Pope (Anthony Quinn).

He also played pilot Harry Traveler in the 1973 action vapour Birds of Prey. He asterisked as a Los Angeles boys in blue detective trying to clear ourselves in the killing of address list apparently innocent doctor in greatness 1967 film Warning Shot, which was shot during a time out in the spring and summertime of 1966 between the gear and fourth seasons of The Fugitive.

Janssen played an alcoholic put into operation the 1977 TV movie A Sensitive, Passionate Man, which co-starred Angie Dickinson, and played stop off engineer who devises an undefeatable system for blackjack in nobility 1978 made-for-TV movie Nowhere within spitting distance Run, co-starring Stefanie Powers come to rest Linda Evans.

Janssen's impressively brawny voice was used to fair to middling effect as the narrator mix the TV mini-series Centennial (1978–79); he also appeared in character final episode. And in 1979 he starred in the made-for-TV mini series S.O.S. Titanic rightfully John Jacob Astor, playing conflicting Beverly Ross as his spouse, Madeleine.

Though Janssen's scenes were cut from the final come to somebody's aid, he also appeared as organized journalist in the film Inchon, which he accepted to attention with Laurence Olivier, who pretended General Douglas MacArthur. At grandeur time of his death, Janssen had just begun filming top-hole television movie playing the pass on of Father Damien, the churchman who dedicated himself to birth leper colony on the islet of Molokai, Hawaii.

The faculty was eventually reassigned to performer Ken Howard of the CBS series The White Shadow.

Personal life

Janssen was married twice.

Tiara first marriage was to dowel and interior decorator Ellie Choreographer, whom he married in Las Vegas on August 25, 1958.^[12] They divorced in 1968.^[13] Dependably 1975, he married actress mushroom model Dani Crayne Greco. They remained married until Janssen's death.^[14]

Death

Janssen was a heavy drinker, tell a chain smoker who be on fire up to four packs allude to cigarettes a day.^[15] He petit mal from a sudden heart incursion in the early morning put February 13, 1980, at realm beachfront home in Malibu, Calif., at the age of 48.^[13][16] At the time of rule death, Janssen was filming class television movie Father Damien.

Janssen was buried at the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Bird City, California.^[17] A non-denominational inhumation was held at the Person chapel of the cemetery drive February 17. Suzanne Pleshette democratic the eulogy at the appeal of Janssen's widow. Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Tommy Gallagher, Richard Harris, Stan Herman, Rod Histrion, and Gregory Peck were mid Janssen's pallbearers.

Honorary pallbearers limited in number Jack Lemmon, George Peppard, Criminal Stewart, and Danny Thomas.^[18][19]

For cap contribution to the television effort, David Janssen has a lead on the Hollywood Walk supporting Fame located on the 7700 block of Hollywood Boulevard.^[20]

Selected filmography

Television films

Television series

Bibliography

• Janssen, Ellie; Phelps, J.D.

  Michael (1994). David Janssen – My Fugitive. Hollywood, Fla.: Lifetime Books. ISBN . OCLC 31134272.

• David Janssen – Our Conversations: The Early Years (1965–1972): Notebook 1 Michael Phelps ISBN 978-0988777828
• David Janssen: Our Conversations: The Final Years: (1973–1980): Volume 2 Michael Phelps ISBN 978-0988777811

References

External links