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.
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
External links
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/nm0418148
Wikipedia: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q498840
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Filmography (Movies)
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Character:Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Release Date:28/07/2004
Inchon
Character:David Feld
Release Date:04/05/1981
City in Fear
Character:Vince Perrino
Release Date:30/03/1980
S.O.S. Titanic
Character:John Jacob Astor
Release Date:29/02/1980
High Ice
Character:Glencoe MacDonald
Release Date:07/01/1980
The Golden Gate Murders
Character:Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
Release Date:03/10/1979
Covert Action
Character:Lester Horton
Release Date:03/03/1978
Nowhere to Run
Character:Harry Adams
Release Date:16/01/1978
Superdome
Character:Mike Shelley
Release Date:09/01/1978
Golden Rendezvous
Character:Charles Conway
Release Date:25/12/1977
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
Character:Michael Delaney
Release Date:06/06/1977
Mayday at 40,000 Feet
Character:Capt. Pete Douglass
Release Date:29/04/1977
Warhead
Character:Tony Stevens
Release Date:15/02/1977
Two-Minute Warning
Character:Steve
Release Date:12/11/1976
Stalk the Wild Child
Character:Dr. James Hazard
Release Date:03/11/1976
Joys
Character:Self
Release Date:05/03/1976
The Swiss Conspiracy
Character:David Christopher
Release Date:01/03/1976
Once Is Not Enough
Character:Tom Colt
Release Date:20/06/1975
Fer-de-Lance
Character:Russ Bogan
Release Date:18/10/1974
Smile Jenny, You're Dead
Character:Harry Orwell
Release Date:03/02/1974
Pioneer Woman
Character:Robert Douglas
Release Date:19/12/1973
Hijack!
Character:Jake Wilkenson
Release Date:26/09/1973
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
Character:Harry Orwell
Release Date:11/03/1973
Birds of Prey
Character:Harry Walker
Release Date:30/01/1973
Moon of the Wolf
Character:Sheriff Aaron Whitaker
Release Date:26/09/1972
The Longest Night
Character:Alan Chambers
Release Date:12/09/1972
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
Character:James O'Hara
Release Date:02/04/1971
Macho Callahan
Character:Diego Callahan
Release Date:28/02/1971
Night Chase
Character:Adrian Vico
Release Date:20/11/1970
Generation
Character:Jim Bolton
Release Date:15/12/1969
Marooned
Character:Ted Dougherty
Release Date:11/12/1969
Where It's At
Character:A.C. Smith
Release Date:07/05/1969
The Shoes of the Fisherman
Character:George Faber
Release Date:14/11/1968
The Green Berets
Character:George Beckworth
Release Date:04/07/1968
Warning Shot
Character:Sgt. Tom Valens
Release Date:18/01/1967
My Six Loves
Character:Marty Bliss
Release Date:03/04/1963
Belle Sommers
Character:Danny Castle
Release Date:30/05/1962
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Character:Self
Release Date:06/01/1962
Man-Trap
Character:Vince Biskay
Release Date:20/09/1961
Twenty Plus Two
Character:Tom Alder
Release Date:13/08/1961
Ring of Fire
Character:Sergeant Steve Walsh
Release Date:14/06/1961
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Character:Arnold Rothstein
Release Date:11/06/1961
Dondi
Character:Dealey
Release Date:26/03/1961
Hell to Eternity
Character:Sgt, Bill Hazen
Release Date:01/08/1960
Lafayette Escadrille
Character:Duke Sinclair
Release Date:28/02/1958
The Girl He Left Behind
Character:Capt. Genaro
Release Date:26/10/1956
Showdown at Abilene
Character:Verne Ward
Release Date:01/10/1956
Away All Boats
Character:uncredited
Release Date:16/08/1956
Francis in the Haunted House
Character:Police Lieutenant Hopkins
Release Date:09/07/1956
Toy Tiger
Character:Larry Tripps
Release Date:29/06/1956
Never Say Goodbye
Character:Dave Heller
Release Date:10/03/1956
The Square Jungle
Character:Jack Lindsay
Release Date:30/12/1955
To Hell and Back
Character:Lt Lee
Release Date:22/09/1955
All That Heaven Allows
Character:Freddie Norton (uncredited)
Release Date:25/08/1955
Francis in the Navy
Character:Lieutenant Anders
Release Date:24/08/1955
The Private War of Major Benson
Character:Young Lieutenant
Release Date:02/08/1955
Chief Crazy Horse
Character:Lt. Colin Cartwright
Release Date:01/04/1955
Cult of the Cobra
Character:Rico Nardi
Release Date:30/03/1955
Yankee Buccaneer
Character:Beckett
Release Date:16/09/1952
Francis Goes to West Point
Character:Corporal Thomas
Release Date:01/07/1952
No Room for the Groom
Character:Soldier (scenes deleted)
Release Date:13/06/1952
Television Appearances
The Word
Character:Steve Randall
Centennial
Character:Narrator
Dinah!
Character:Self
Harry O
Character:Harry Orwell
Police Story
Character:
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
Character:
Cannon
Character:
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Character:Self (uncredited)
The Hollywood Palace
Character:Self
The Fugitive
Character:Richard Kimble
The Eleventh Hour
Character:Hal Kincaid
The Merv Griffin Show
Character:Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character:Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self - Co-Host
The Mike Douglas Show
Character:Self
Target: The Corruptors!
Character:
The Dick Powell Show
Character:Kenneth 'Ken' Morgan
Cain's Hundred
Character:Dan Mullin
Route 66
Character:Karno Starling
Checkmate
Character:Len Kobalsky
Adventures in Paradise
Character:Scotty Bell
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Character:Ross Ingraham
Naked City
Character:Blair Cameron
Naked City
Character:Carl Ashland
Alcoa Theatre
Character:Mike Harper
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Character:Richard Diamond / Chuck Garrett
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Dix Porter
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Character:Seth Larker
Whack-O!
Character:Boy in hobby class
U.S. Marshall
Character:Arnie Hix
Matinee Theater
Character:
The Millionaire
Character:Peter Miller
The Millionaire
Character:David Barrett
General Electric Theater
Character:Pat Howard
Boston Blackie
Character:Armored Car Driver (uncredited)
Lux Video Theatre
Character:Ralph / Joe Davies
Lux Video Theatre
Character:Johnny Reynolds, Jr.
Golden Globe Awards
Character:Self - Nominee
Images
