1931-03-27 Naponee, Nebraska, USA
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
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Los Angeles Plays Itself | Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage) | 2004-07-28 |
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Inchon | David Feld | 1981-05-04 |
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High Ice | Glencoe MacDonald | 1980-01-07 |
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S.O.S. Titanic | John Jacob Astor | 1980-02-29 |
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City in Fear | Vince Perrino | 1980-03-30 |
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The Golden Gate Murders | Det. Sgt. Paul Silver | 1979-10-03 |
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Superdome | Mike Shelley | 1978-01-09 |
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Sono stato un agente C.I.A. | Lester Horton | 1978-03-03 |
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Nowhere to Run | Harry Adams | 1978-01-16 |
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Warhead | Tony Stevens | 1977-02-15 |
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A Sensitive, Passionate Man | Michael Delaney | 1977-06-06 |
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Mayday at 40,000 Feet! | Capt. Pete Douglass | 1977-04-29 |
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Golden Rendezvous | Charles Conway | 1977-12-25 |
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The Swiss Conspiracy | David Christopher | 1976-03-01 |
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Joys | Self | 1976-03-05 |
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Two-Minute Warning | Steve | 1976-11-12 |
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Stalk the Wild Child | Dr. James Hazard | 1976-11-03 |
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Once Is Not Enough | Tom Colt | 1975-06-20 |
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Smile Jenny, You're Dead | Harry Orwell | 1974-02-03 |
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Fer-de-Lance | Russ Bogan | 1974-10-18 |
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Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On | Harry Orwell | 1973-11-03 |
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Hijack! | Jake Wilkenson | 1973-09-26 |
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Birds of Prey | Harry Walker | 1973-01-30 |
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Pioneer Woman | Robert Douglas | 1973-12-19 |
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The Longest Night | Alan Chambers | 1972-09-12 |
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Moon of the Wolf | Sheriff Aaron Whitaker | 1972-09-26 |
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O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra | James O'Hara | 1971-04-02 |
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Macho Callahan | Diego Callahan | 1971-02-28 |
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Night Chase | Adrian Vico | 1970-11-20 |
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Generation | Jim Bolton | 1969-12-15 |
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Marooned | Ted Dougherty | 1969-12-11 |
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Where It's At | A.C. Smith | 1969-05-07 |
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The Green Berets | George Beckworth | 1968-07-04 |
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The Shoes of the Fisherman | George Faber | 1968-11-14 |
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Warning Shot | Sgt. Tom Valens | 1967-01-18 |
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My Six Loves | Marty Bliss | 1963-04-03 |
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The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers | Self | 1962-01-06 |
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Belle Sommers | Danny Castle | 1962-05-30 |
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King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein | Arnold Rothstein | 1961-06-11 |
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Man-Trap | Vince Biskay | 1961-09-20 |
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Ring of Fire | Sergeant Steve Walsh | 1961-06-14 |
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Twenty Plus Two | Tom Alder | 1961-08-13 |
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Dondi | Dealey | 1961-03-26 |
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Hell to Eternity | Sgt, Bill Hazen | 1960-08-01 |
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Lafayette Escadrille | Duke Sinclair | 1958-02-28 |
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Showdown at Abilene | Verne Ward | 1956-10-01 |
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The Girl He Left Behind | Capt. Genaro | 1956-10-26 |
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Away All Boats | uncredited | 1956-08-16 |
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Never Say Goodbye | Dave Heller | 1956-03-10 |
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Francis in the Haunted House | Police Lieutenant Hopkins | 1956-07-09 |
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Toy Tiger | Larry Tripps | 1956-06-29 |
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The Private War of Major Benson | Young Lieutenant | 1955-08-02 |
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Cult of the Cobra | Rico Nardi | 1955-03-30 |
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Francis in the Navy | Lieutenant Anders | 1955-08-24 |
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To Hell and Back | Lt Lee | 1955-09-22 |
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Chief Crazy Horse | Lt. Colin Cartwright | 1955-04-01 |
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All That Heaven Allows | Freddie Norton (uncredited) | 1955-12-25 |
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The Square Jungle | Jack Lindsay | 1955-12-30 |
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Yankee Buccaneer | Beckett | 1952-09-16 |
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No Room for the Groom | Soldier (scenes deleted) | 1952-06-13 |
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Francis Goes to West Point | Cpl. Thomas (as Dave Janssen) | 1952-07-01 |
