David Janssen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Janssen
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Janssen in The Fugitive (1963)
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| Born |
David Harold Meyer
March 27, 1931 Naponee, Nebraska, U.S.
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| Died | February 13, 1980 (aged 48) Malibu, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1945–1980 |
| Spouse(s) |
Ellie Graham
(m. 1958; div. 1968)Dani Crayne
(m. 1975) |
David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer) (March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was a famous American actor. He was best known for playing Dr. Richard Kimble in the popular TV show The Fugitive from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen also starred in other TV series like Richard Diamond, Private Detective, O'Hara, U.S. Treasury, and Harry O.
In 1996, TV Guide magazine listed him as number 36 on their "50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time" list.
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David Janssen's Early Life
David Janssen was born on March 27, 1931. His birthplace was Naponee, a small village in Nebraska, USA. His father, Harold Edward Meyer, was a banker. His mother, Berniece Graf, was a former beauty queen and performer.
When David was five years old, his parents divorced. He moved to Los Angeles with his mother. In 1940, his mother married Eugene Janssen. Young David later used his stepfather's last name when he started acting.
He went to Fairfax High School. He was a great basketball player there. He even set a school scoring record that lasted for over 20 years! David got his first movie role when he was just thirteen. By the time he was 25, he had already been in twenty films. He also spent two years serving in the United States Army. While in the Army, he became friends with other future actors, Martin Milner and Clint Eastwood.
David Janssen's Acting Career
Before getting his own TV shows, David Janssen appeared in many other television series. In 1956, he was in an episode of Sheriff of Cochise. He also guest-starred in the medical drama The Eleventh Hour in 1962. He even joined his friend Martin Milner in an episode of Route 66 that same year.
David Janssen became famous for starring in four of his own television series:
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957–1960): This was a popular show where he played a private detective. It also featured early appearances by Mary Tyler Moore and Barbara Bain.
- The Fugitive (1963–1967): This was his most famous role. He played Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly accused of murder, who was always on the run.
- O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1971–1972): In this show, he played a U.S. Treasury agent.
- Harry O (1974–1976): Here, he played a private detective based in San Diego who had a disability.
The final episode of The Fugitive aired in August 1967. It set a record for how many American homes watched a series finale. About 72 percent of homes with TVs tuned in! In 1996, TV Guide ranked The Fugitive as number 36 on its list of the "50 Greatest Shows of All Time."
David Janssen also acted in many movies. Some of his notable films include:
- To Hell and Back (1955): This movie was about the life of Audie Murphy, a very brave American soldier from World War II.
- Hell to Eternity (1960): Another World War II movie.
- The Green Berets (1968): A Vietnam War film starring John Wayne.
- Marooned (1969): He played an astronaut sent to rescue three stranded men in space, alongside Gregory Peck.
- The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968): He played a TV journalist reporting on the election of a new Pope.
He also played a police detective in the 1967 film Warning Shot. This movie was filmed during a break from The Fugitive TV series. In 1973, he starred as a pilot in the action movie Birds of Prey.
Janssen also appeared in several TV movies. He was in A Sensitive, Passionate Man (1977) with Angie Dickinson. He also played an engineer who found a way to win at blackjack in Nowhere to Run (1978). His deep voice was used to narrate the TV mini-series Centennial (1978–79). He also appeared in the last episode of that series. In 1979, he starred as John Jacob Astor IV in the TV mini-series S.O.S. Titanic.
David Janssen had a small role as a journalist in the film Inchon. He took the role to work with the famous actor Laurence Olivier. Sadly, his scenes were later cut from the final movie. At the time of his death, he had just started filming a TV movie. He was playing Father Damien, a priest who helped people with leprosy in Hawaii. Another actor, Ken Howard, took over the role.
David Janssen's Personal Life
David Janssen was married two times. His first wife was Ellie Graham, a model and interior decorator. They got married in Las Vegas on August 25, 1958. They divorced in 1968.
In 1975, he married actress and model Dani Crayne Greco. They stayed married until David's death.
David Janssen's Death
David Janssen passed away suddenly from a heart attack on February 13, 1980. He was at his home in Malibu, California. He was only 48 years old. At the time, he was still filming the TV movie Father Damien.
He was buried at the Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Culver City, California. A funeral service was held on February 17. His friend and Fugitive co-star, Barry Morse, said that David Janssen was known as one of the hardest-working actors in the USA. He often worked 12–14 hours a day.
For his important work in television, David Janssen has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You can find it on the 7700 block of Hollywood Boulevard.
Images for kids
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Janssen in The Fugitive (1963)
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David Janssen in 1957
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Janssen as Richard Diamond (1959)
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David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimble in the TV series The Fugitive, 1967 (final episode)
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Janssen in Harry O (1975)
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In 1974
See also
In Spanish: David Janssen para niños
