David Janssen
58 movies · 25 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Mar 27, 1931
- Died
- Feb 13, 1980 (age 48)
- Place of birth
- Naponee, Nebraska, USA
- Also known as
- Dave Janssen · David Harold Meyer
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
Profiles IMDb
Known for
David Janssen: movies and TV shows
Acting (83)
- 1981 Inchon
as David Feld
- 1980 City in Fear
as Vince Perrino
- 1980 S.O.S. Titanic
as John Jacob Astor
- 1980 High Ice
as Glencoe MacDonald
- 1979 The Golden Gate Murders
as Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
- 1978
- 1978
- 1978 Covert Action
as Lester Horton
- 1978 Nowhere to Run
as Harry Adams
- 1978 Superdome
as Mike Shelley
- 1977 Golden Rendezvous
as Charles Conway
- 1977 A Sensitive, Passionate Man
as Michael Delaney
- 1977 Mayday at 40,000 Feet
as Capt. Pete Douglass
- 1977 Warhead
as Tony Stevens
- 1976 Two-Minute Warning
as Steve
- 1976 Stalk the Wild Child
as Dr. James Hazard
- 1976 The Swiss Conspiracy
as David Christopher
- 1975 Once Is Not Enough
as Tom Colt
- 1974 Fer-de-Lance
as Russ Bogan
- 1974
- 1974 Smile Jenny, You're Dead
as Harry Orwell
- 1973 Pioneer Woman
as Robert Douglas
- 1973 Hijack!
as Jake Wilkenson
- 1973
- 1973 Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
as Harry Orwell
- 1973 Birds of Prey
as Harry Walker
- 1972 Moon of the Wolf
as Sheriff Aaron Whitaker
- 1972 The Longest Night
as Alan Chambers
- 1971
- 1971
- 1971 O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
as James O'Hara
- 1971 Macho Callahan
as Diego Callahan
- 1970 Night Chase
as Adrian Vico
- 1969 Generation
as Jim Bolton
- 1969 Marooned
as Ted Dougherty
- 1969 Where It's At
as A.C. Smith
- 1968 The Shoes of the Fisherman
as George Faber
- 1968 The Green Berets
as George Beckworth
- 1967 Warning Shot
as Sgt. Tom Valens
- 1963
- 1963 My Six Loves
as Marty Bliss
- 1962
- 1962 Belle Sommers
as Danny Castle
- 1961
- 1961 Man-Trap
as Vince Biskay
- 1961
- 1961 Twenty Plus Two
as Tom Alder
- 1961 Ring of Fire
as Sergeant Steve Walsh
- 1961 King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
as Arnold Rothstein
- 1961 Dondi
as Dealey
- 1960
- 1960
- 1960 Hell to Eternity
as Sgt, Bill Hazen
- 1959
- 1958
- 1958
- 1958
- 1958 Lafayette Escadrille
as Duke Sinclair
- 1957
- 1957
- 1956 The Girl He Left Behind
as Capt. Genaro
- 1956
- 1956
- 1956 Showdown at Abilene
as Verne Ward
- 1956 Away All Boats
as uncredited
- 1956 Francis in the Haunted House
as Police Lieutenant Hopkins
- 1956 Toy Tiger
as Larry Tripps
- 1956 Never Say Goodbye
as Dave Heller
- 1955 The Square Jungle
as Jack Lindsay
- 1955
- 1955 To Hell and Back
as Lt Lee
- 1955 All That Heaven Allows
as Freddie Norton (uncredited)
- 1955 Francis in the Navy
as Lieutenant Anders
- 1955 The Private War of Major Benson
as Young Lieutenant
- 1955 Chief Crazy Horse
as Lt. Colin Cartwright
- 1955 Cult of the Cobra
as Rico Nardi
- 1955
- 1953
- 1952 Yankee Buccaneer
as Beckett
- 1952 Francis Goes to West Point
as Corporal Thomas
- 1952 No Room for the Groom
as Soldier (scenes deleted)
- 1951
- 1950
Talk shows and appearances (11)
- 2007
- 1976
- 1974 Dinah!
2 episodes
- 1968 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1 episode
- 1964 The Hollywood Palace
1 episode
- 1962 The Merv Griffin Show
2 episodes
- 1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1 episode
- 1962
- 1961 The Mike Douglas Show
2 episodes
- 1961 The Dick Powell Show
1 episode
- 1944 Golden Globe Awards
1 episode