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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
March 27, 1931
Died
February 13, 1980
Place of Birth
Naponee, Nebraska, USA
Also Known As
- Dave Janssen
- David Harold Meyer
David Janssen
0.8 Popularity
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
Known For
7.6
Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
Los Angeles Plays Itself
2004
3.4
David Feld
Inchon
1981
5.1
Vince Perrino
City in Fear
1980
5.9
John Jacob Astor
S.O.S. Titanic
1980
5.8
Glencoe MacDonald
High Ice
1980
8.0
Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
The Golden Gate Murders
1979
5.0
Steve Randall
The Word
1978
7.7
Narrator
Centennial
1978
0.0
Lester Horton
Covert Action
1978
7.0
Harry Adams
Nowhere to Run
1978
Credits
Los Angeles Plays Itself
as Steve in Two-Minute Warning (archive footage)
2004
7.6
Inchon
as David Feld
1981
3.4
City in Fear
as Vince Perrino
1980
5.1
S.O.S. Titanic
as John Jacob Astor
1980
5.9
High Ice
as Glencoe MacDonald
1980
5.8
The Golden Gate Murders
as Det. Sgt. Paul Silver
1979
8.0
The Word
as Steve Randall
1978
5.0
Centennial
as Narrator
1978
7.7
Covert Action
as Lester Horton
1978
0.0
Nowhere to Run
as Harry Adams
1978
7.0
Superdome
as Mike Shelley
1978
4.4
Golden Rendezvous
as Charles Conway
1977
4.9
A Sensitive, Passionate Man
as Michael Delaney
1977
5.5
Mayday at 40,000 Feet
as Capt. Pete Douglass
1977
6.7
Warhead
as Tony Stevens
1977
3.0
Two-Minute Warning
as Steve
1976
6.2
Stalk the Wild Child
as Dr. James Hazard
1976
0.0
Joys
as Self
1976
4.0
The Swiss Conspiracy
as David Christopher
1976
4.6
Once Is Not Enough
as Tom Colt
1975
5.0
Dinah!
as Self
1974
6.7
Fer-de-Lance
as Russ Bogan
1974
5.2
Harry O
as Harry Orwell
1974
4.6
Smile Jenny, You're Dead
as Harry Orwell
1974
6.4
Pioneer Woman
as Robert Douglas
1973
4.8
Hijack!
as Jake Wilkenson
1973
6.6
Police Story
1973
6.9
Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On
as Harry Orwell
1973
8.0
Birds of Prey
as Harry Walker
1973
5.5
Moon of the Wolf
as Sheriff Aaron Whitaker
1972
4.7
The Longest Night
as Alan Chambers
1972
6.3
O'Hara, U.S. Treasury
1971
5.5
Cannon
1971
6.6
O'Hara, United States Treasury: Operation Cobra
as James O'Hara
1971
10.0
Macho Callahan
as Diego Callahan
1971
4.2
Night Chase
as Adrian Vico
1970
5.5
Generation
as Jim Bolton
1969
4.5
Marooned
as Ted Dougherty
1969
5.9
Where It's At
as A.C. Smith
1969
2.0
The Shoes of the Fisherman
as George Faber
1968
6.7
The Green Berets
as George Beckworth
1968
5.7
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as Self (uncredited)
1968
6.6
Warning Shot
as Sgt. Tom Valens
1967
6.3
The Hollywood Palace
as Self
1964
4.5
The Fugitive
as Richard Kimble
1963
7.2
My Six Loves
as Marty Bliss
1963
5.6
The Eleventh Hour
as Hal Kincaid
1962
6.0
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
as Self
1962
7.5
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self
1962
6.2
Belle Sommers
as Danny Castle
1962
0.0
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene Stealers
as Self
1962
7.0
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self - Co-Host
1961
5.4
The Mike Douglas Show
as Self
1961
5.4
Target: The Corruptors!
1961
3.5
The Dick Powell Show
as Kenneth 'Ken' Morgan
1961
5.5
Man-Trap
as Vince Biskay
1961
5.5
Cain's Hundred
as Dan Mullin
1961
4.7
Twenty Plus Two
as Tom Alder
1961
6.2
Ring of Fire
as Sergeant Steve Walsh
1961
5.8
King of the Roaring 20's – The Story of Arnold Rothstein
as Arnold Rothstein
1961
6.0
Dondi
as Dealey
1961
3.4
Route 66
as Karno Starling
1960
6.3
Checkmate
as Len Kobalsky
1960
4.1
Hell to Eternity
as Sgt, Bill Hazen
1960
6.3
Adventures in Paradise
as Scotty Bell
1959
5.7
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
as Ross Ingraham
1958
5.8
Naked City
as Blair Cameron
1958
5.5
Naked City
as Carl Ashland
1958
5.5
Lafayette Escadrille
as Duke Sinclair
1958
4.4
Alcoa Theatre
as Mike Harper
1957
6.5
Richard Diamond, Private Detective
as Richard Diamond / Chuck Garrett
1957
6.2
The Girl He Left Behind
as Capt. Genaro
1956
3.5
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Dix Porter
1956
6.0
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
as Seth Larker
1956
6.0
Whack-O!
as Boy in hobby class
1956
0.0
Showdown at Abilene
as Verne Ward
1956
5.2
U.S. Marshall
as Arnie Hix
1956
7.3
Away All Boats
as uncredited
1956
5.1
Francis in the Haunted House
as Police Lieutenant Hopkins
1956
5.1
Toy Tiger
as Larry Tripps
1956
6.2
Never Say Goodbye
as Dave Heller
1956
6.5
The Square Jungle
as Jack Lindsay
1955
5.9
Matinee Theater
1955
5.0
To Hell and Back
as Lt Lee
1955
6.6
All That Heaven Allows
as Freddie Norton (uncredited)
1955
7.3
Francis in the Navy
as Lieutenant Anders
1955
5.4
The Private War of Major Benson
as Young Lieutenant
1955
6.6
Chief Crazy Horse
as Lt. Colin Cartwright
1955
5.6
Cult of the Cobra
as Rico Nardi
1955
6.0
The Millionaire
as Peter Miller
1955
5.0
The Millionaire
as David Barrett
1955
5.0
General Electric Theater
as Pat Howard
1953
6.4
Yankee Buccaneer
as Beckett
1952
5.8
Francis Goes to West Point
as Corporal Thomas
1952
5.8
No Room for the Groom
as Soldier (scenes deleted)
1952
5.5
Boston Blackie
as Armored Car Driver (uncredited)
1951
4.0
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Ralph / Joe Davies
1950
6.3
🎬
Lux Video Theatre
as Johnny Reynolds, Jr.
1950
6.3
Golden Globe Awards
as Self - Nominee
1944
7.2