1931-03-27 ( 94 years old ) in 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
Movies
Los Angeles Plays Itself
2004-07-28
Inchon
1981-05-04
City in Fear
1980-03-30
S.O.S. Titanic
1980-02-29
High Ice
1980-01-07
The Golden Gate Murders
1979-10-03
Covert Action
1978-03-03
Nowhere to Run
1978-01-16
Superdome
1978-01-09
Golden Rendezvous
1977-12-25
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
1977-06-06
Mayday at 40,000 Feet
1977-04-29
Warhead
1977-02-15
Two-Minute Warning
1976-11-12
Stalk the Wild Child
1976-11-03
Joys
1976-03-05
The Swiss Conspiracy
1976-03-01
Once Is Not Enough
1975-06-20
Fer-de-Lance
1974-10-18
Smile Jenny, You're Dead
1974-02-03
Pioneer Woman
1973-12-19
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
1973-11-03
Hijack!
1973-09-26
Birds of Prey
1973-01-30
Moon of the Wolf
1972-09-26
The Longest Night
1972-09-12
Macho Callahan
1971-02-28
Night Chase
1970-11-20
Generation
1969-12-15
Marooned
1969-12-11
Where It's At
1969-05-07
The Shoes of the Fisherman
1968-11-14
The Green Berets
1968-07-04
Warning Shot
1967-01-18
My Six Loves
1963-04-03
Belle Sommers
1962-05-30
Man-Trap
1961-09-20
Twenty Plus Two
1961-08-13
Ring of Fire
1961-06-14
Dondi
1961-03-26
Hell to Eternity
1960-08-01
Lafayette Escadrille
1958-02-28
The Girl He Left Behind
1956-10-26
Showdown at Abilene
1956-10-01
Away All Boats
1956-08-16
Francis in the Haunted House
1956-07-09
Toy Tiger
1956-06-29
Never Say Goodbye
1956-03-10
The Square Jungle
1955-12-30
All That Heaven Allows
1955-12-25
To Hell and Back
1955-09-22
Francis in the Navy
1955-08-24
The Private War of Major Benson
1955-08-02
Chief Crazy Horse
1955-04-01
Cult of the Cobra
1955-03-30
Yankee Buccaneer
1952-09-16
Francis Goes to West Point
1952-07-01
No Room for the Groom
1952-06-13
Powered by Powerxsoft Ltd using the TMDB API