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David Janssen‌

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1931-03-27

Popularity

star5.3

David Janssen

Naponee, Nebraska, USA

David Janssen

Naponee, Nebraska, USA

Gender

Male

Birthday

calendar1931-03-27

Popularity

star5.3

Biography

David Janssen was born David Harold Meyer in 1931 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

Movie Credits

Chief Crazy Horse

Chief Crazy Horse‌
star5.6
calendar 1955

The Green Berets

The Green Berets‌
star5.7
calendar 1968

Two-Minute Warning

Two-Minute Warning‌
star6.2
calendar 1976

Marooned

Marooned‌
star5.9
calendar 1969

Cult of the Cobra

Cult of the Cobra‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

Hell to Eternity

Hell to Eternity‌
star6.6
calendar 1960

King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein

King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein‌
star6.0
calendar 1961

The Swiss Conspiracy

The Swiss Conspiracy‌
star4.8
calendar 1976

Francis in the Navy

Francis in the Navy‌
star5.5
calendar 1955

To Hell and Back

To Hell and Back‌
star6.6
calendar 1955

Golden Rendezvous

Golden Rendezvous‌
star4.9
calendar 1977

Moon of the Wolf

Moon of the Wolf‌
star4.7
calendar 1972

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself‌
star7.7
calendar 2004

Man-Trap

Man-Trap‌
star6.0
calendar 1961

Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey‌
star5.0
calendar 1973

Yankee Buccaneer

Yankee Buccaneer‌
star5.8
calendar 1952

City in Fear

City in Fear‌
star6.2
calendar 1980

Smile Jenny, You're Dead

Smile Jenny, You're Dead‌
star6.1
calendar 1974

S.O.S. Titanic

S.O.S. Titanic‌
star5.9
calendar 1980

Generation

Generation‌
star4.5
calendar 1969

Twenty Plus Two

Twenty Plus Two‌
star6.0
calendar 1961

Warning Shot

Warning Shot‌
star6.6
calendar 1967

Once Is Not Enough

Once Is Not Enough‌
star5.2
calendar 1975

Where It's At

Where It's At‌
star2.0
calendar 1969

Fer-de-Lance

Fer-de-Lance‌
star5.9
calendar 1974

Ring of Fire

Ring of Fire‌
star5.8
calendar 1961

The Private War of Major Benson

The Private War of Major Benson‌
star6.7
calendar 1955

Covert Action

Covert Action‌
star0.0
calendar 1978

Inchon

Inchon‌
star3.8
calendar 1981

Showdown at Abilene

Showdown at Abilene‌
star5.2
calendar 1956

Lafayette Escadrille

Lafayette Escadrille‌
star4.6
calendar 1958

No Room for the Groom

No Room for the Groom‌
star5.6
calendar 1952

Dondi

Dondi‌
star3.7
calendar 1961

Never Say Goodbye

Never Say Goodbye‌
star6.6
calendar 1956

High Ice

High Ice‌
star5.8
calendar 1980

Warhead

Warhead‌
star3.3
calendar 1977

My Six Loves

My Six Loves‌
star5.6
calendar 1963

Pioneer Woman

Pioneer Woman‌
star4.8
calendar 1973

Hijack!

Hijack!‌
star6.6
calendar 1973

Francis in the Haunted House

Francis in the Haunted House‌
star5.1
calendar 1956

Toy Tiger

Toy Tiger‌
star6.2
calendar 1956

Nowhere to Run

Nowhere to Run‌
star7.0
calendar 1978

Mayday at 40,000 Feet

Mayday at 40,000 Feet‌
star6.5
calendar 1977

Superdome

Superdome‌
star4.2
calendar 1978

The Shoes of the Fisherman

The Shoes of the Fisherman‌
star6.7
calendar 1968

The Square Jungle

The Square Jungle‌
star6.0
calendar 1955

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers‌
star7.0
calendar 1962

Macho Callahan

Macho Callahan‌
star4.3
calendar 1971

A Sensitive, Passionate Man

A Sensitive, Passionate Man‌
star5.5
calendar 1977

All That Heaven Allows

All That Heaven Allows‌
star7.3
calendar 1955

Night Chase

Night Chase‌
star5.5
calendar 1970

The Girl He Left Behind

The Girl He Left Behind‌
star4.0
calendar 1956

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On‌
star0.0
calendar 1973

Away All Boats

Away All Boats‌
star5.1
calendar 1956

Francis Goes to West Point

Francis Goes to West Point‌
star5.8
calendar 1952

The Golden Gate Murders

The Golden Gate Murders‌
star8.0
calendar 1979

Joys

Joys‌
star4.0
calendar 1976

The Longest Night

The Longest Night‌
star6.2
calendar 1972

Belle Sommers

Belle Sommers‌
star0.0
calendar 1962

O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra

O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra‌
star10.0
calendar 1971

Stalk the Wild Child

Stalk the Wild Child‌
star0.0
calendar 1976

Tv Credits

Cain's Hundred

Cain's Hundred‌
star4.7
calendar 1961

Naked City

Naked City‌
star5.3
calendar 1958

The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show‌
star5.6
calendar 1962

Cannon

Cannon‌
star6.5
calendar 1971

Centennial

Centennial‌
star7.7
calendar 1978

Target: The Corruptors!

Target: The Corruptors!‌
star3.5
calendar 1961

Harry O

Harry O‌
star4.6
calendar 1974

Police Story

Police Story‌
star7.1
calendar 1973

The Fugitive

The Fugitive‌
star7.2
calendar 1963

The Millionaire

The Millionaire‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

The Hollywood Palace

The Hollywood Palace‌
star4.5
calendar 1964

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In‌
star6.4
calendar 1967

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

Richard Diamond, Private Detective‌
star6.2
calendar 1957

The Eleventh Hour

The Eleventh Hour‌
star6.0
calendar 1962

Route 66

Route 66‌
star6.4
calendar 1960

Adventures in Paradise

Adventures in Paradise‌
star5.7
calendar 1959

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater‌
star6.0
calendar 1953

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre‌
star6.0
calendar 1950

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse‌
star5.3
calendar 1958

O'Hara, U.S. Treasury

O'Hara, U.S. Treasury‌
star5.5
calendar 1971

Matinee Theater

Matinee Theater‌
star4.6
calendar 1955

Alcoa Theatre

Alcoa Theatre‌
star6.2
calendar 1957

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre‌
star5.5
calendar 1956

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre‌
star5.5
calendar 1956

Naked City

Naked City‌
star5.3
calendar 1958

The Millionaire

The Millionaire‌
star5.0
calendar 1955

Dinah!

Dinah!‌
star6.5
calendar 1974

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show‌
star5.1
calendar 1961

The Word

The Word‌
star5.0
calendar 1978

Checkmate

Checkmate‌
star4.1
calendar 1960

U.S. Marshall

U.S. Marshall‌
star7.5
calendar 1956

The Dick Powell Show

The Dick Powell Show‌
star5.0
calendar 1961

Goldene Kamera Verleihung

Goldene Kamera Verleihung‌
star3.5
calendar 1966

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show‌
star5.1
calendar 1961

Whack-O!

Whack-O!‌
star0.0
calendar 1956

Best of The Dean Martin Variety Show

Best of The Dean Martin Variety Show‌
star0.0
calendar 1966