CineScope
David Janssen picture

David Janssen

Acting
Known For

48 Years Old

David Janssen was born David Harold Meyer 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

Born

Naponee, Nebraska, USA on 27th March 1931

Died

13th February 1980

All Credits

Matinee Theater Image
Matinee Theater
The Merv Griffin Show Image
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Image
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Seth Larker
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Image
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dix Porter
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
Golden Globe Awards Image
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Image
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self
Alcoa Theatre Image
Alcoa Theatre
Mike Harper
The Dick Powell Show Image
The Dick Powell Show
Kenneth 'Ken' Morgan
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show Image
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse Image
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Ross Ingraham
Adventures in Paradise Image
Adventures in Paradise
Scotty Bell
No Image
Lux Video Theatre
Johnny Reynolds, Jr.
No Image
Lux Video Theatre
Ralph / Joe Davies
Cannon Image
Cannon
Route 66 Image
Route 66
Karno Starling
The Eleventh Hour Image
The Eleventh Hour
Hal Kincaid
Target: The Corruptors! Image
Target: The Corruptors!
The Adventures of Boston Blackie Image
The Adventures of Boston Blackie
Armored Car Driver (uncredited)
Cain's Hundred Image
Cain's Hundred
Dan Mullin
The Hollywood Palace Image
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Host
The Fugitive Image
The Fugitive
Richard Kimble
Harry O Image
Harry O
Harry Orwell
Richard Diamond, Private Detective Image
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
Richard Diamond / Chuck Garrett
Police Story Image
Police Story
The Millionaire Image
The Millionaire
David Barrett
The Millionaire Image
The Millionaire
Peter Miller
No Image
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
Naked City Image
Naked City
Carl Ashland
Naked City Image
Naked City
Blair Cameron
Centennial Image
Centennial
Narrator
Whack-O! Image
Whack-O!
Boy in hobby class
Dinah! Image
Dinah!
Self
Checkmate Image
Checkmate
Len Kobalsky
U.S. Marshall Image
U.S. Marshall
Arnie Hix
General Electric Theater Image
General Electric Theater
Pat Howard
Marooned Image
Marooned
Ted Dougherty
The Word Image
The Word
Steve Randall
The Green Berets Image
The Green Berets
George Beckworth
Pioneer Woman Image
Pioneer Woman
Robert Douglas
All That Heaven Allows Image
All That Heaven Allows
Freddie Norton (uncredited)
The Swiss Conspiracy Image
The Swiss Conspiracy
David Christopher
The Shoes of the Fisherman Image
The Shoes of the Fisherman
George Faber
Away All Boats Image
Away All Boats
uncredited
S.O.S. Titanic Image
S.O.S. Titanic
John Jacob Astor
To Hell and Back Image
To Hell and Back
Lt Lee
Once Is Not Enough Image
Once Is Not Enough
Tom Colt
Chief Crazy Horse Image
Chief Crazy Horse
Lt. Colin Cartwright
Two-Minute Warning Image
Two-Minute Warning
Steve
Los Angeles Plays Itself Image
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Never Say Goodbye Image
Never Say Goodbye
Dave Heller
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra Image
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
James O'Hara
Cult of the Cobra Image
Cult of the Cobra
Rico Nardi
The Girl He Left Behind Image
The Girl He Left Behind
Capt. Genaro
Warning Shot Image
Warning Shot
Sgt. Tom Valens
Man-Trap Image
Man-Trap
Vince Biskay
Inchon Image
Inchon
David Feld
The Golden Gate Murders Image
The Golden Gate Murders
Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
Macho Callahan Image
Macho Callahan
Diego Callahan
The Private War of Major Benson Image
The Private War of Major Benson
Young Lieutenant
Superdome Image
Superdome
Mike Shelley
Moon of the Wolf Image
Moon of the Wolf
Sheriff Aaron Whitaker
Hell to Eternity Image
Hell to Eternity
Sgt, Bill Hazen
Francis in the Haunted House Image
Francis in the Haunted House
Police Lieutenant Hopkins
Lafayette Escadrille Image
Lafayette Escadrille
Duke Sinclair
The Longest Night Image
The Longest Night
Alan Chambers
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein Image
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein
Twenty Plus Two Image
Twenty Plus Two
Tom Alder
Yankee Buccaneer Image
Yankee Buccaneer
Beckett
Golden Rendezvous Image
Golden Rendezvous
Charles Conway
A Sensitive, Passionate Man Image
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
Michael Delaney
My Six Loves Image
My Six Loves
Marty Bliss
Francis Goes to West Point Image
Francis Goes to West Point
Cpl. Thomas (as Dave Janssen)
Mayday at 40,000 Feet Image
Mayday at 40,000 Feet
Capt. Pete Douglass
Showdown at Abilene Image
Showdown at Abilene
Verne Ward
The Square Jungle Image
The Square Jungle
Jack Lindsay
Smile Jenny, You're Dead Image
Smile Jenny, You're Dead
Harry Orwell
Joys Image
Joys
Self
Generation Image
Generation
Jim Bolton
Francis in the Navy Image
Francis in the Navy
Lieutenant Anders
Birds of Prey Image
Birds of Prey
Harry Walker
No Room for the Groom Image
No Room for the Groom
Soldier (scenes deleted)
Covert Action Image
Covert Action
Lester Horton
Hijack! Image
Hijack!
Jake Wilkenson
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On Image
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
Harry Orwell
City in Fear Image
City in Fear
Vince Perrino
Dondi Image
Dondi
Dealey
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers Image
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
Self
Fer-de-Lance Image
Fer-de-Lance
Russ Bogan
Night Chase Image
Night Chase
Adrian Vico
Warhead Image
Warhead
Tony Stevens
Toy Tiger Image
Toy Tiger
Larry Tripps
Nowhere to Run Image
Nowhere to Run
Harry Adams
Where It's At Image
Where It's At
A.C. Smith
Ring of Fire Image
Ring of Fire
Sergeant Steve Walsh
High Ice Image
High Ice
Glencoe MacDonald
Stalk the Wild Child Image
Stalk the Wild Child
Dr. James Hazard
Belle Sommers Image
Belle Sommers
Danny Castle