David Janssen

star 9.3

  • publicWebsite:
    Visit
  • group Other Names:
    Dave Janssen, David Harold Meyer

description About

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

Info

  • wc Gender: Male
  • calendar_month Birth Date: 1931-03-27
  • event Death Date 1980-02-13
  • school Known for: Acting
  • star Popularity: 9.3
  • info Birth Place Naponee, Nebraska, USA
  • share Share:
  • visibility Views: 2 views
  • star User Ratings:
    Login to rate

    0.0

    (0 Votes)

image Images

smart_display Movies and TV shows by David Janssen

5.6

Chief Crazy Horse

1955-04-01

5.8

The Green Berets

1968-07-04

6.1

Two-Minute Warning

1976-11-12

5.9

Marooned

1969-12-11

5.9

Cult of the Cobra

1955-03-30

6

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

1961-06-11

6.6

Hell to Eternity

1960-08-01

4.8

The Swiss Conspiracy

1976-03-01

5.5

Francis in the Navy

1955-08-24

6.6

To Hell and Back

1955-09-22

4.9

Golden Rendezvous

1977-12-25

4.7

Moon of the Wolf

1972-09-26

7.7

Los Angeles Plays Itself

2004-07-28

6

Man-Trap

1961-09-20

5

Birds of Prey

1973-01-30

5.8

Yankee Buccaneer

1952-09-16

6.2

City in Fear

1980-03-30

6.1

Smile Jenny, You're Dead

1974-02-03

6

S.O.S. Titanic

1980-02-29

4.5

Generation

1969-12-15

6

Twenty Plus Two

1961-08-13

6.6

Warning Shot

1967-01-18

5.3

Once Is Not Enough

1975-06-20

2

Where It's At

1969-05-07

5.9

Fer-de-Lance

1974-10-18

6.7

The Private War of Major Benson

1955-08-02

5.9

Ring of Fire

1961-06-14

0

Covert Action

1978-03-03

3.9

Inchon

1981-05-04

5.2

Showdown at Abilene

1956-10-01

4.6

Lafayette Escadrille

1958-02-28

5.2

No Room for the Groom

1952-06-13

3.7

Dondi

1961-03-26

6.6

Never Say Goodbye

1956-03-10

6

High Ice

1980-01-07

3.4

Warhead

1977-02-15

5.6

My Six Loves

1963-04-03

4.8

Pioneer Woman

1973-12-19

6.6

Hijack!

1973-09-26

5.1

Francis in the Haunted House

1956-07-09

6.2

Toy Tiger

1956-06-29

7

Nowhere to Run

1978-01-16

6.5

Mayday at 40,000 Feet

1977-04-29

4.2

Superdome

1978-01-09

6.7

The Shoes of the Fisherman

1968-11-14

6

The Square Jungle

1955-12-30

7

The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers

1962-01-06

4.3

Macho Callahan

1971-02-28

5.5

A Sensitive, Passionate Man

1977-06-06

7.3

All That Heaven Allows

1955-12-25

5.5

Night Chase

1970-11-20

4

The Girl He Left Behind

1956-10-26

0

Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On

1973-11-03

5.1

Away All Boats

1956-08-16

5.8

Francis Goes to West Point

1952-07-01

8

The Golden Gate Murders

1979-10-03

4

Joys

1976-03-05

6.2

The Longest Night

1972-09-12

0

Belle Sommers

1962-05-30

10

O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra

1971-04-02

0

Stalk the Wild Child

1976-11-03

4.7

Cain's Hundred

1961-09-19

5.3

Naked City

1958-09-30

5.3

The Merv Griffin Show

1962-10-01

6.5

Cannon

1971-09-14

7.7

Centennial

1978-10-01

3.5

Target: The Corruptors!

1961-09-29

4.6

Harry O

1974-09-12

7.1

Police Story

1973-03-20

7.3

The Fugitive

1963-09-17

5

The Millionaire

1955-01-19

4.5

The Hollywood Palace

1964-01-04

6.5

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

1967-09-09

5.5

Lux Video Theatre

1950-10-02

6

Richard Diamond, Private Detective

1957-07-01

6

The Eleventh Hour

1962-10-03

5.5

Lux Video Theatre

1950-10-02

5.7

Adventures in Paradise

1959-10-05

4.4

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

1958-10-06

5.5

O'Hara, U.S. Treasury

1971-09-17

6.4

Route 66

1960-10-07

5.5

General Electric Theater

1953-02-01

3.3

Matinee Theater

1955-10-31

5.8

Alcoa Theatre

1957-09-30

5.5

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956-10-05

5.5

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956-10-05

5.3

Naked City

1958-09-30

5

The Millionaire

1955-01-19

6

Dinah!

1974-10-21

4.9

The Mike Douglas Show

1961-12-11

5

The Word

1978-11-12

4.2

Checkmate

1960-09-17

7.5

U.S. Marshall

1956-09-21

4.2

The Dick Powell Show

1961-09-26

3.5

Goldene Kamera Verleihung

1966-01-25

4.9

The Mike Douglas Show

1961-12-11