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