Name
David Janssen
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1931-03-27
Deathday
1980-02-13 (49 years old)
Place of Birth
Naponee, Nebraska, USA
Biography
David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer; March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was an American actor. He was born in Naponee, Nebraska, to Berniece Mae (Graf) and Harold Edward Meyer, a banker. He was of German, and some Swiss-German and Ulster-Scots, descent. David took the surname of his stepfather, Eugene Janssen. The Janssen family settled in Hollywood when he was a teenager and he attended Fairfax High School, where he developed an interest in acting. His film debut was a bit part in It's a Pleasure (1945), and at the age of 18 signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. However, the studio dropped him after allegedly becoming disenchanted with his odd hairline and big prominent ears. Janssen had better luck at Universal, where he signed on in the early 1950s and became a supporting player in 32 films before appearing on TV as the star of Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1956). He resumed his movie career in 1961, a year after the series ended. His biggest success came from his lead in the series The Fugitive (1963), playing the haunted, hunted Dr. Richard Kimble, on the run for a murder he didn't commit. After the series ended, Janssen launched himself into a grueling schedule by appearing in lead and supporting roles in movies, but he had better luck with made-for-TV-movie roles and a short-lived series, O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1971). He had another hit series with the cult favorite Harry O (1973). Janssen continued appearing in lead roles in nearly 20 made-for-TV-movies during the 1970s as well as other TV projects. He died in 1980 from a sudden heart attack at his Malibu home at the age of 48. Unfounded speculation holds that Janssen succumbed to alcoholism, a problem that plagued him most of his adult life. There were even unfounded rumors about drug use. However, a much more reasonable explanation for David Janssen's sudden demise is that this intense, dedicated, determined actor simply worked himself to death.
From an IMDB Mini-Bio for David Janssen
Known For
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The story of USS 'Belinda', a U.S. naval ship, and its crew during the battle of the Pacif...
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Col. Mike Kirby picks two teams of crack Green Berets for two missions in South Vietnam. T...
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While stationed in Asia, six American G.I.'s witness the secret ritual of Lamians (worship...
6.3
A psychotic sniper plans a massive killing spree in a Los Angeles football stadium during ...
6.4
In present-day U.S., Dr. Michael Parker, a prominent surgeon, unexpectedly runs into his G...
7.3
Two different social classes collide when Cary Scott, a wealthy upper-class widow, falls i...
6.8
Ukrainian bishop Kiril Lakota, a political prisoner in a Soviet gulag for twenty years, is...
6.333
Based on the story about Guy Gabaldon, a Los Angeles Hispanic boy raised in the 1930s by a...
- 1955 Chief Crazy Horse as Lt. Colin Cartwright
- 1968 The Green Berets as George Beckworth
- 1976 Two-Minute Warning as Steve
- 1969 Marooned as Ted Dougherty
- 1955 Cult of the Cobra as Rico Nardi
- 1961 King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein as Arnold Rothstein
- 1960 Hell to Eternity as Sgt, Bill Hazen
- 1976 The Swiss Conspiracy as David Christopher
- 1955 Francis in the Navy as Lieutenant Anders
- 1955 To Hell and Back as Lt Lee
- 1977 Golden Rendezvous as Charles Conway
- 1972 Moon of the Wolf as Sheriff Aaron Whitaker
- 1961 Man-Trap as Vince Biskay
- 1973 Birds of Prey as Harry Walker
- 1952 Yankee Buccaneer as Beckett
- 1980 City in Fear as Vince Perrino
- 1974 Smile Jenny, You're Dead as Harry Orwell
- 1980 S.O.S. Titanic as John Jacob Astor
- 1969 Generation as Jim Bolton
- 1961 Twenty Plus Two as Tom Alder
- 1967 Warning Shot as Sgt. Tom Valens
- 1975 Once Is Not Enough as Tom Colt
- 1969 Where It's At as A.C. Smith
- 1974 Fer-de-Lance as Russ Bogan
- 1955 The Private War of Major Benson as Young Lieutenant
- 1961 Ring of Fire as Sergeant Steve Walsh
- 1978 Covert Action as Lester Horton
- 1981 Inchon as David Feld
- 1956 Showdown at Abilene as Verne Ward
- 1958 Lafayette Escadrille as Duke Sinclair
- 1952 No Room for the Groom as Soldier (scenes deleted)
- 1961 Dondi as Dealey
- 1956 Never Say Goodbye as Dave Heller
- 1980 High Ice as Glencoe MacDonald
- 1977 Warhead as Tony Stevens
- 1963 My Six Loves as Marty Bliss
- 1973 Pioneer Woman as Robert Douglas
- 1973 Hijack! as Jake Wilkenson
- 1956 Francis in the Haunted House as Police Lieutenant Hopkins
- 1956 Toy Tiger as Larry Tripps
- 1978 Nowhere to Run as Harry Adams
- 1977 Mayday at 40,000 Feet as Capt. Pete Douglass
- 1978 Superdome as Mike Shelley
- 1968 The Shoes of the Fisherman as George Faber
- 1955 The Square Jungle as Jack Lindsay
- 1962 The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers as Self
- 1971 Macho Callahan as Diego Callahan
- 1977 A Sensitive, Passionate Man as Michael Delaney
- 1955 All That Heaven Allows as Freddie Norton (uncredited)
- 1970 Night Chase as Adrian Vico
- 1956 The Girl He Left Behind as Capt. Genaro
- 1973 Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On as Harry Orwell
- 1956 Away All Boats as uncredited
- 1952 Francis Goes to West Point as Corporal Thomas
- 1979 The Golden Gate Murders as Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
- 1976 Joys as Self
- 1972 The Longest Night as Alan Chambers
- 1962 Belle Sommers as Danny Castle
- 1971 O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra as James O'Hara
- 1976 Stalk the Wild Child as Dr. James Hazard
- 2007 Tim Conway: Timeless Comedy as Self (archive footage)
- 1961 Cain's Hundred ( 1 episode ) as Dan Mullin
- 1958 Naked City ( 1 episode ) as Blair Cameron
- 1962 The Merv Griffin Show ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1971 Cannon ( 1 episode )
- 1978 Centennial ( 12 episodes ) as Narrator
- 1961 Target: The Corruptors! ( 1 episode )
- 1974 Harry O ( 44 episodes ) as Harry Orwell
- 1973 Police Story ( 1 episode )
- 1963 The Fugitive ( 120 episodes ) as Richard Kimble
- 1955 The Millionaire ( 1 episode ) as Peter Miller
- 1964 The Hollywood Palace ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1968 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ( 1 episode ) as Self (uncredited)
- 1950 Lux Video Theatre ( 2 episodes ) as Ralph / Joe Davies
- 1957 Richard Diamond, Private Detective ( 77 episodes ) as Richard Diamond / Chuck Garrett
- 1960 Route 66 ( 1 episode ) as Karno Starling
- 1950 Lux Video Theatre ( 1 episode ) as Johnny Reynolds, Jr.
- 1959 Adventures in Paradise ( 1 episode ) as Scotty Bell
- 1953 General Electric Theater ( 1 episode ) as Pat Howard
- 1962 The Eleventh Hour ( 1 episode ) as Hal Kincaid
- 1958 Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse ( 1 episode ) as Ross Ingraham
- 1971 O'Hara, U.S. Treasury ( 22 episodes )
- 1955 Matinee Theater ( 1 episode )
- 1957 Alcoa Theatre ( 1 episode ) as Mike Harper
- 1956 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre ( 1 episode ) as Seth Larker
- 1956 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre ( 1 episode ) as Dix Porter
- 1958 Naked City ( 1 episode ) as Carl Ashland
- 1955 The Millionaire ( 1 episode ) as David Barrett
- 1974 Dinah! ( 2 episodes ) as Self
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show ( 1 episode ) as Self - Co-Host
- 1978 The Word ( 4 episodes ) as Steve Randall
- 1960 Checkmate ( 1 episode ) as Len Kobalsky
- 1958 U.S. Marshall ( 0 episode ) as Arnie Hix
- 1961 The Dick Powell Show ( 1 episode ) as Kenneth 'Ken' Morgan
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1956 Whack-O! ( 6 episodes ) as Boy in hobby class
- 1951 Boston Blackie ( 1 episode ) as Armored Car Driver (uncredited)
- 1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ( 1 episode ) as Self
- 1944 Golden Globe Awards ( 1 episode ) as Self - Nominee
