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Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012) was an American film and television actor, director, and producer, best known for playing ruthless oil baron
J. R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
in the 1978–1991 primetime television
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
, ''
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
'', and the befuddled astronaut Major Anthony Nelson in the 1965–1970 sitcom ''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually mar ...
''. Hagman had supporting roles in numerous films, including '' Fail-Safe'', '' Harry and Tonto'', '' S.O.B.'', '' Nixon'', and ''
Primary Colors A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a b ...
''. His television appearances also included guest roles on dozens of shows spanning from the late 1950s until his death, and a reprise of his signature role on the 2012 revival of ''Dallas''. Hagman also worked as a television producer and director. He was the son of actress
Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific'' (194 ...
. Hagman underwent a life-saving liver transplant in 1995. He died on November 23, 2012, from complications of acute myeloid leukemia.


Early life

Hagman was born on September 21, 1931, in
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...
. His mother,
Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific'' (194 ...
, became a Broadway actress and musical comedy star after his birth. His father, Benjamin Jackson Hagman, who was of Swedish descent, was an accountant and lawyer who worked as a district attorney. Hagman's parents divorced in 1936 when he was five years old. He lived with his maternal grandmother, Juanita Presley Martin, in Texas and California, while his mother became a contract player with Paramount in 1938. In 1940, Hagman's mother met and married Richard Halliday before giving birth to a daughter, Heller, the following year. Hagman attended a strict academy, Black-Foxe Military Institute and briefly Woodstock Country School, a boarding school in
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...
. When his mother moved to New York City to resume her Broadway career, Hagman again lived with his grandmother in California. A few years later, his grandmother died, so Hagman joined his mother in New York City. In 1946, Hagman moved back to his hometown of Weatherford, and attended Weatherford High School, from which he graduated. One summer, he worked for oilfield-equipment maker Antelope Tool Company. Although his father wanted Hagman to become a lawyer and join his practice, he was drawn to drama classes and reportedly fell in love with the stage. He graduated from high school in 1949, and decided to pursue acting. He attended Bard College, New York, majoring in dance and drama, but dropped out after one year.


Career

Hagman began his career in 1950 acting in productions at Margaret Webster's school at the Woodstock Playhouse in Woodstock, New York. That summer, during a break from his one year at Bard College, he worked in Dallas as a production assistant and acting in small roles in Margo Jones's theater company. He appeared in ''
The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunk ...
'' in New York City, followed by numerous tent show musicals with St. John Terrell's Music Circus in St. Petersburg, Florida and Lambertville, New Jersey. In 1951, Hagman appeared in the London production of ''
South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
'' with his mother and stayed in the show for nearly a year. In 1952, Hagman received his draft notice and enlisted in the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
. Stationed in London, he spent the majority of his military service entertaining U.S. troops in the United Kingdom and at bases in Europe. After leaving the Air Force in 1956, Hagman returned to New York City, where he appeared in the
off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...
play ''Once Around the Block'', by William Saroyan. That was followed by nearly a year in another off-Broadway play, James Lee's ''
Career The career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' defi ...
''. His Broadway debut occurred in 1958 in ''Comes a Day''. Hagman appeared in four other Broadway plays, ''God and Kate Murphy'', ''The Nervous Set'', ''The Warm Peninsula'' and ''The Beauty Part''. During this period, he also appeared in numerous, mostly live, television programs. Hagman's first television role was as Kenneth Davidson in the 1957 episode "Saturday Lost" of the syndicated
crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and comb ...
, ''
Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...
'', starring Beverly Garland as the first female police officer in a television lead. In 1958, he joined
Barbara Bain Barbara Bain (born Mildred Fogel; September 13, 1931) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cinnamon Carter on the action television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–1969), which earned her three Primetime Emmy Awar ...
as a guest star in the short-lived adventure-drama series '' Harbormaster'' and appeared three times on Lloyd Bridges' syndicated adventure series, '' Sea Hunt''. In 1960, he was cast in the CBS summer medical series '' Diagnosis: Unknown'' in the role of Don Harding in the episode, "The Case of the Radiant Wine". In 1961, Hagman joined the cast of daytime soap opera '' The Edge of Night'' as Ed Gibson and stayed in that role for two years. In 1963 and 1964, he appeared twice in segments of the CBS legal drama, '' The Defenders'' In 1964, he made his film debut in '' Ensign Pulver'', which featured a young Jack Nicholson. That same year, he also appeared in ''Fail-Safe'', with Henry Fonda.


''I Dream of Jeannie''

In 1965, Hagman was cast as "genie" Barbara Eden's master and eventual love interest, Air Force Captain (later Major) Anthony Nelson, in the NBC situation comedy ''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually mar ...
'', which ran for five seasons from 1965 to 1970. The show entered the top 30 in its first year and was NBC's answer to the successful 1960s magical
comedies Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term origin ...
, ''
Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typ ...
'' on ABC and '' My Favorite Martian'' on CBS. Two reunion movies were later made, both televised on NBC: '' I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later'' (1985) and ''
I Still Dream of Jeannie ''I Still Dream of Jeannie'' is a 1991 American made-for-television fantasy- comedy film produced by Columbia Pictures Television (in association with Jeannie Entertainment, Carla Singer Productions and Bar-Gene Television) which premiered on NBC ...
'' (1991), but Hagman did not appear in either of them. At Dragon Con, in 2010, Hagman said he was never approached about it. In 1999, after 29 years, Hagman agreed to reunite with ''Jeannie'' co-stars Barbara Eden and Bill Daily and creator/producer Sidney Sheldon on '' The Donny and Marie Show''. In 2002, when ''I Dream of Jeannie'' was set to join the cable channel TV Land, Hagman once again took part in a reunion with Eden and Daily, this time on '' Larry King Live''. On the ''TV Land Awards'' in March 2004, Hagman and Eden were the first presenters to reunite on stage. The following October, Hagman and Daily appeared at the Ray Courts Hollywood Autograph Show. And the following year, 2005, brought all three surviving stars from ''I Dream of Jeannie'' to the first cast reunion at the Chiller Expo Show. Hagman and Eden reunited in March 2006 for a publicity tour in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to promote the first-season DVD of ''I Dream of Jeannie''. He reunited once again with Eden on stage in the play '' Love Letters'' at the College of Staten Island in New York and the
United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
,
West Point, New York West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...
. The appearance marked the first time the two performers had acted together since Eden appeared with Hagman in a five-episode arc on ''Dallas'' in 1990.


''Dallas''

In 1978, Hagman was offered two roles on two television series that were debuting. One was for ''
The Waverly Wonders ''The Waverly Wonders'' is an American sitcom starring Joe Namath that aired Fridays at 8:00 pm on NBC from September 7 to October 6, 1978. Premise Conceived as a vehicle for Namath (who had retired from the Los Angeles Rams after the 1977 NFL ...
'' and the other for ''
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
'', in the role of conniving elder son and businessman J.R. Ewing. When Hagman read the ''Dallas'' script at his wife's suggestion, they both concluded it was perfect for him. Hagman based his portrayal in part on memories of the eldest son who had won the Antelope Tool Company succession battle. ''Dallas'' became a worldwide success, airing in 90 countries, most notably the United Kingdom, where it was enjoyed even by members of the country's royal family, and led to several successful primetime spin-offs. Hagman became one of the best-known television stars of the era. Producers were keen to capitalize on that love/hate family relationship of J.R., building anticipation to a fever pitch in " A House Divided", the 1980 cliffhanger season finale in which J.R. is shot by an unknown assailant, leading to the world-wide " Who shot J.R.?" phenomenon. At the beginning of the fourth season later that year, audience and actors were trying to guess "Who shot J.R.?", now one of fictional TV's most famous questions. During the media buildup, Hagman was involved in contract negotiations, delaying his return in the fourth season. Holding out for a higher salary, Hagman did not appear in the first episode of the show until the final few minutes. Producers were faced with a dilemma of whether to pay the greatly increased salary or to write J.R. out of the program. Lorimar Productions, the makers of the series, began shooting different scenes of ''Dallas'' that did not include Hagman. In the midst of negotiations, Hagman took his family to London for their July vacation. He continued to fight for his demands and network executives conceded that they wanted J.R. to remain on ''Dallas''. From then on, Hagman became one of the highest-paid stars in television. At the beginning of the 1980–81 season, writers were told to keep the storylines away from the actors until they really found out who actually shot J.R. and three weeks passed until the culprit was revealed on November 21, 1980, in a ratings record-breaking episode. For his performance as J.R. Ewing, Hagman was nominated for two
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1980 and 1981, but did not win. He was also nominated for four
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
s, between 1981 and 1985. He was nominated for a ''Soap Opera Digest'' award seven times for Outstanding Villain on a Prime Time Serial, Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role on a Prime Time Serial, Favorite Super Couple: Prime Time and Outstanding Actor in a Comic Relief Role on a Prime Time Serial and won five times. Hagman received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement from Academy member
Ray Lee Hunt Ray Lee Hunt (born 1943) is an American billionaire heir and businessman. Early life Hunt is the son of the late H. L. Hunt (1889–1974), founder of Hunt Oil Co. His parents married in 1957. Hunt's sisters include June Hunt, Swanee Hunt, a ...
at the 1981 Achievement Summit in Dallas. In 1984, co-star
Barbara Bel Geddes Barbara Bel Geddes (October 31, 1922 – August 8, 2005) was an American stage and screen actress, artist, and children's author whose career spanned almost five decades. She was best known for her starring role as Miss Ellie Ewing in the te ...
left ''Dallas'', following a contract dispute that had resulted from her March 1983 quadruple heart bypass surgery. At one point, Hagman suggested to his real-life mother Mary Martin that she play Miss Ellie, but she rejected the suggestion and Bel Geddes was briefly replaced by Donna Reed for the 1984–1985 season, before Bel Geddes returned in better health for the 1985–1986 season. By the end of its 14th season in 1991, ratings had slipped to the extent that CBS decided to end ''Dallas''. Hagman was the only actor to appear in all 357 episodes. He had also made five guest appearances on the ''Dallas'' spin-off series ''
Knots Landing ''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives ...
'' in the early 1980s. Some years after ''Dallas'' ended, Hagman appeared in two subsequent ''Dallas'' television movies: '' J.R. Returns'' in 1996 and '' War of the Ewings'' in 1998. Hagman reprised his role as J.R. Ewing in TNT's continuation of ''Dallas'', which began in 2012. In 2011, while filming the new series, Hagman said, "Of course it's fun to play the villain." As a result of Hagman's death in 2012, his character J.R. was killed off in season two of ''Dallas''. Unused footage of Hagman was used in season three as part of the season's story arc, which aired in 2014.


Other work


Television

Hagman starred in two short-lived series in the 1970s, '' The Good Life'' (1971–1972) and '' Here We Go Again'' (1973). In 1993, Hagman starred in ''Staying Afloat'' as a down-on-his-luck former millionaire who agrees to work undercover with the FBI to maintain his playboy lifestyle. Originally ordered for two TV movies and a weekly series by NBC, the pilot movie aired in November 1993 to critical drubbing and low ratings, ending production. In January 1997, Hagman starred in a short-lived television series titled '' Orleans'' as Judge Luther Charbonnet, which lasted only eight episodes. In 2002, he made an appearance in the fourth series of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's British comedy panel game, '' Shooting Stars'', often appearing bewildered at the nonsensical questions and the antics of the hosts - during the show Hagman even stated that he would fire his agent as a result. In January 2011, Hagman made a guest appearance in the seventh season of '' Desperate Housewives'' as a new husband for Lynette Scavo's mother, Stella (played by
Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan in '' The Helen ...
). He also directed episodes of ''I Dream of Jeannie'' and '' The Good Life'', as well as several episodes of ''Dallas'' and '' In the Heat of the Night'', which was the only series he directed, but in which he did not act.


Film

Hagman appeared in such feature films as '' The Group'', ''Fail-Safe'', '' Harry and Tonto'', ''
Mother, Jugs & Speed ''Mother, Jugs & Speed'' is a 1976 American black comedy film directed by Peter Yates. It stars Bill Cosby (Mother), Raquel Welch (Jugs), Harvey Keitel (Speed), and Larry Hagman as employees of an independent ambulance service trying to survive i ...
'', '' In Harm's Way'', '' The Eagle Has Landed'', ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'', ''S.O.B.'', ''Nixon'' and ''Primary Colors''. His television work included ''Getting Away from It All'', '' Sidekicks'', '' The Return of the World's Greatest Detective'', ''Intimate Strangers'', ''
Checkered Flag or Crash ''Checkered Flag or Crash'' is a 1977 American adventure comedy film about off-road racing through the Philippines jungle, starring Joe Don Baker and Susan Sarandon and featuring Larry Hagman, Alan Vint and Parnelli Jones. It was written ...
'' and ''
A Howling in the Woods ''A Howling in the Woods'' is a 1971 American made-for-television thriller film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, John Rubinstein, and Vera Miles. The teleplay was written by Richard DeRoy based on the 1968 novel by ...
'' Hagman also directed (and appeared briefly in) a low-budget comedy and horror film in 1972 called '' Beware! The Blob'', also called ''Son of Blob'', a sequel to the classic 1958 horror film ''
The Blob ''The Blob'' is a 1958 American science fiction horror film directed by Irvin Yeaworth, and written by Kay Linaker and Theodore Simonson. It stars Steve McQueen (in his first feature film leading role) and Aneta Corsaut and co-stars Earl Rowe ...
''. This was the only feature film he directed.


Music

The release of a Columbia single performed with his mother Mary Martin, ''Get Out Those Old Records'', in 1950, was credited to Mary Martin and her Son Larry, with orchestration by Mitch Miller. It was released in Australia as a-78 rpm single, catalogue number DO-3409. In 1980, Hagman recorded a single called "Ballad of the Good Luck Charm".


Product spokesman

During the 1980s, Hagman was featured in a national televised Schlitz beer campaign, playing on, but not explicitly featuring, the J.R. character. He wore the same kind of Western business outfit – complete with cowboy hat – that he wore in his role. The end of each 30-second spot featured a male
voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...
saying, "Refreshing Schlitz beer...the gusto's back..." Hagman, grinning into the camera, added: "...and I'm gonna get it!" He also made commercials for
BVD BVD is a brand of men's underwear, which are commonly referred to as "BVDs". The brand was founded in 1876 and named after the three founders of the New York City firm: (Joseph W.) Bradley, (Luther C.) Voorhees, and (Lyman H.) Day (thus "B.V.D ...
brand underwear. In 2010, Hagman was hired as a spokesman for SolarWorld, a German
solar energy Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture. It is an essen ...
commercial enterprise. While the SolarWorld commercials specifically mention neither ''Dallas'' nor J. R. Ewing, Hagman essentially revisits the character (complete with a picture of Hagman as J. R. Ewing from the original series on the mantle), stating that his oil company days are long over, "though still in the energy business", meaning solar energy, instead, which alternative energy now plays a major part of the next-generation Ewing family war between Christopher and John Ross III.


Personal life

In 1973, his stepfather Richard Halliday died and Hagman reconciled with his mother, Mary Martin, soon after. The two were close until her death from
colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowe ...
in 1990. In 1954, Hagman married Swedish-born Maj Axelsson (born May 13, 1928, in Eskilstuna, Södermanlands län, Sweden – died May 31, 2016, in Los Angeles, California); they had two children, Heidi Kristina (born 1958) and Preston (born 1962). Longtime residents of Malibu, California, they then moved to Ojai. Hagman was a member of the Peace and Freedom Party from the 1960s. Hagman derided U.S. President George W. Bush prior to the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. In 1969, Hagman's friend, musician David Crosby, supplied him with LSD after a concert: "LSD was such a profound experience in my life that it changed my pattern of life and my way of thinking and I could not exclude it rom my autobiography" Hagman was introduced to
marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various t ...
by Jack Nicholson as a safer alternative to Hagman's heavy drinking. "I liked it because it was fun, it made me feel good and I never had a hangover." Although Hagman was a member of a
12-step program Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), aided its members ...
, he publicly advocated marijuana as a better alternative to alcohol. In 1995, Hagman underwent a life-saving liver transplant after he was diagnosed with liver cancer, which was most likely brought on by roughly 40 years of heavy drinking.Larry Hagman undergoes liver transplant
UPI archives (United Press International), Aug. 23, 1995.
His clinical picture was further complicated by cirrhosis of the liver, which had been diagnosed three years earlier in 1992. Hagman did not receive preferential treatment as a celebrity, with a 1995 UPI article stating that the donor liver "matched Hagman's anonymous physical profile listed with the United Network for Organ Sharing." He was also a heavy smoker as a young man before quitting at age 34. He was the chairman of the American Cancer Society's annual Great American Smokeout for many years and also worked on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation. After attending a soccer game in
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north o ...
between FC Steaua București and West Ham United, he became a well-known fan of the Romanian team. In 2001, Hagman wrote his autobiography titled ''Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life''. In a 2007 interview, Hagman discussed his support for alternative energy. On a 2008 episode of '' Living With Ed'', Hagman and his wife showed actor
Ed Begley Jr. Edward James Begley Jr. (born September 16, 1949) is an American actor and environmental activist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He played Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the television series ''St. E ...
their solar-powered, super- energy efficient home named "Heaven" and talked about their
green lifestyle Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of Earth's natural resources by an individual or society. It is referred to as zero wastage living" or "net zero living". Its practitioners often attempt to reduce their ...
. Maj Hagman was diagnosed with
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As ...
in 2008 and Hagman at first took the lead in caring for her, but her condition deteriorated. By 2010, she required 24-hour nursing care. As a result, Hagman put their 43-acre estate in Ojai up for sale listing it at $11 million.


Friendship with Carroll O'Connor

Hagman had a long friendship with actor Carroll O'Connor, beginning in 1959 when Hagman was starring in the Broadway play ''God and Kate Murphy'' and O'Connor was working as an assistant stage manager. Later, as the two struggled as young actors, they rented apartments near each other in New York. Over the years, they had much in common. O'Connor renegotiated his contract over his salary on '' All in the Family'' in 1974, causing him to miss two episodes and Hagman did the same during his tenure with ''Dallas'', with similar results. Hagman's daughter Heidi, whom O'Connor had known since her childhood, joined the cast for one season of ''
Archie Bunker's Place ''Archie Bunker's Place'' is an American television sitcom produced as a continuation of ''All in the Family''. It aired on CBS from September 23, 1979, to April 4, 1983. While not as popular as its predecessor, the show maintained a large enough ...
''. Hagman directed several episodes of O'Connor's later series ''In the Heat of the Night''. They both endured serious health issues: O'Connor underwent heart bypass surgery and Hagman received a liver transplant. The two remained close after the death of O'Connor's son Hugh and Hagman delivered a eulogy at the funeral.


Illness and death

In June 2011, Hagman said he had stage 2 throat cancer. He commented, "As J. R. I could get away with anything — bribery, blackmail and adultery, but I got caught by cancer. I do want everyone to know that it is a very common and treatable form of cancer. I will be receiving treatment while working on the new ''Dallas'' series. I could not think of a better place to be than working on a show I love, with people I love." Hagman had an acorn-sized tumor removed from his tongue in 2011. In June 2012, the cancer was said to be in remission. Then, in July 2012, doctors diagnosed Hagman with myelodysplastic syndrome (formerly known as preleukemia). Hagman died on November 23, 2012, at
Medical City Dallas Hospital Medical City Dallas is a hospital located at 7777 Forest Lane, just west of North Central Expressway ( US 75), in north Dallas, Texas (USA). It is operated by Hospital Corporation of America History Medical City opened its doors after Dr. Fran ...
in
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
following complications from acute myeloid leukemia, after being interviewed for the National Geographic documentary, ''The '80s: The Decade that Made Us'', which aired in April 2013. In a statement to the '' Dallas Morning News'', Hagman's family said: "Larry's family and close friends had joined him in Dallas for the
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
holiday. He died surrounded by loved ones. It was a peaceful passing, just as he had wished for." ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' described him as "one of television's most beloved villains".


Tributes

Actress Barbara Eden, a longtime friend of Hagman's, who played Jeannie on ''I Dream of Jeannie'' and Lee Ann de la Vega on ''Dallas'', said: "Larry was one of the most intelligent actors I ever worked with. He more than hit his marks. And when you're working with another actor, you know immediately if the ball isn't tossed back. Plus, Larry was savvy about the business, which I wasn't." In an interview with Australia's News 10, she commented that their on-screen chemistry on the set of ''Jeannie'' "was not work" and "our timing was right. I can't even explain it. It was wonderful." Actress Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen Ewing on ''Dallas'', called Hagman her "best friend for 35 years" and was at his bedside when he died, her agent told the BBC. In a statement, she said: "He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, generous, funny, loving and talented and I will miss him enormously. He was an original and lived life to the fullest." Actor Patrick Duffy, who played
Bobby Ewing Bobby James Ewing is a fictional character in the American television series '' Dallas'' and its 2012 revival. The youngest son of Jock and Miss Ellie Ewing, he was portrayed by actor Patrick Duffy (1978–1985, 1986–1991). Bobby had been ki ...
on ''Dallas'', was also at his bedside when he died. In a statement, he said: "Friday, I lost one of the greatest friends ever to grace my life. The loneliness is only what is difficult, as Larry’s peace and comfort is always what is important to me, now as when he was here. He was a fighter in the gentlest way, against his obstacles and for his friends. I wear his friendship with honor."


TV and filmography

*'' Search for Tomorrow'' (1951) (TV series) (1957) as Curt Williams *'' The Edge of Night'' (1956) (TV series) as Ed Gibson *'' The West Point Story'' (1956) (TV series) Miscredited *''
Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...
'' (1957) (TV series) as Kenneth Davidson *''The Outcasts of Poker Flat'' (1958) (TV film) *'' Sea Hunt'' (1958–1959) (TV series) *''Once Around the Block'' (1960) ( The Play of the Week) as Officer Joe Smith *''The Silver Burro'' (1963) (TV film) *''
The Cavern The Cavern Club is a nightclub on Mathew Street, Liverpool, England. The Cavern Club opened in 1957 as a jazz club, later becoming a centre of the rock and roll scene in Liverpool in the late 50s and early 1960s. The club became closely asso ...
'' (1964) as Capt. Wilson *'' Ensign Pulver'' (1964) as Billings *''
Fail Safe In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that in the event of a specific type of failure, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, to the environment or to people. Unlike inherent safe ...
'' (1964) as Buck *'' The Rogues'' (1964) (TV series) *'' In Harm's Way'' (1965) as Lieutenant Cline *''
I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series, created by Sidney Sheldon that starred Barbara Eden as a sultry, 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman, as an astronaut with whom she falls in love and eventually mar ...
'' (1965–1970) (TV series) as Major Anthony Nelson / Various characters *'' The Group'' (1966) as Harald Peterson *'' Three's a Crowd'' (1969) (TV film) as Jim Carson *'' Up in the Cellar'' (1970) as Maurice Camber *'' Night Gallery'' (1970) (TV series) as Cedric Acton (segment "The Housekeeper") *''Vanished'' (1971) (TV-film) as Jerry Freytag *'' The Hired Hand'' (1971) (TV film) as Sheriff (uncredited) *''
A Howling in the Woods ''A Howling in the Woods'' is a 1971 American made-for-television thriller film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, John Rubinstein, and Vera Miles. The teleplay was written by Richard DeRoy based on the 1968 novel by ...
'' (1971) (TV film) as Eddie Crocker *'' The Good Life'' (1971) (TV series) as Albert Miller *''
Getting Away from It All ''Getting Away from It All'' is a 1972 American made-for-television comedy film directed by Lee Philips and starring Larry Hagman, Barbara Feldon, Gary Collins, Jim Backus, Vivian Vance, and Burgess Meredith. It was aired on January 18, 1972 ...
'' (1972) (TV film) as Fred Clark *'' Beware! The Blob'' (1972) as Young Hobo (directorial debut) *'' No Place to Run'' (1972) (TV film) as Jay Fox *''
Applause Applause ( Latin ''applaudere,'' to strike upon, clap) is primarily a form of ovation or praise expressed by the act of clapping, or striking the palms of the hands together, in order to create noise. Audiences usually applaud after a performanc ...
'' (1973) (TV) as Bill Sampson *'' Here We Go Again'' (1973) (TV-series) as Richard Evans *''The Toy Game'' (1973) as Major *''
The Alpha Caper ''The Alpha Caper'' (also known as ''The Inside Job'') is a 1973 American made-for-television crime thriller film directed by Robert Michael Lewis. It stars Henry Fonda as an embittered parole officer forced into early retirement, who decides to ta ...
'' (1973) (TV) as Tudor *''Blood Sport'' (1973) (TV) as Coach Marshall *''What Are Best Friends For?'' (1973) (TV film) as Frank Ross *''Antonio'' (1973) as Mark Hunter *'' Sidekicks'' (1974) (TV film) as Quince Drew *'' Harry and Tonto'' (1974) as Eddie *''
Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dep ...
'' (1974) (TV film) as Paul Damon *''
Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...
'' (1974) as Porter Lee Austin *'' Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic'' (1975) (TV film) as Jerry Travis *'' Police Woman'' (1974 TV Series) – Series 1 Episode 4 as Tony Bonner *''The Big Rip-Off'' (1975) (TV film) as Frank Darnell *'' Ellery Queen'' – The Adventure of the Mad Tea Party (1975) (TV series, one episode) as Paul Gardner *''
Mother, Jugs & Speed ''Mother, Jugs & Speed'' is a 1976 American black comedy film directed by Peter Yates. It stars Bill Cosby (Mother), Raquel Welch (Jugs), Harvey Keitel (Speed), and Larry Hagman as employees of an independent ambulance service trying to survive i ...
'' (1976) as Murdoch *'' The Return of the World's Greatest Detective'' (1976) (TV film) as Sherman Holmes *'' The Big Bus'' (1976) as Parking Lot Doctor *'' The Eagle Has Landed'' (1976) as Col. Clarence E. Pitts *'' The Rhinemann Exchange'' (1977) (TV miniseries) as Col. Edmund Pace *''
Checkered Flag or Crash ''Checkered Flag or Crash'' is a 1977 American adventure comedy film about off-road racing through the Philippines jungle, starring Joe Don Baker and Susan Sarandon and featuring Larry Hagman, Alan Vint and Parnelli Jones. It was written ...
'' (1977) as Bo Cochran *'' Intimate Strangers'' (1977) (TV film) as Mort Burns *'' The Rockford Files'' (1977) (TV series, one episode) as Richard Lessing *'' The President's Mistress'' (1978) (TV film) as Ed Murphy *''Last of the Good Guys'' (1978) (TV film) as Sergeant Frank O'Malley *''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' (1978) as Major *''A Double Life'' (1978) (TV film) as Doyle Rettig *''
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
'' (1978–1991) (TV series) as
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*''
Knots Landing ''Knots Landing'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially centered on the lives ...
'' (1980–1982) (TV series) as J.R. Ewing *'' S.O.B.'' (1981) as Dick Benson *''I Am Blushing'' (1981) as Larry Hagman *''Deadly Encounter'' (1982) (TV film) as Sam *'' Dallas: The Early Years'' (1986) (TV film) as
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*''Lone Star'' (1986) (TV documentary) *''
The Richest Cat in the World ''The Richest Cat in the World'' is a 1986 American made-for-television adventure drama film directed by Greg Beeman and released by Walt Disney Television. It originally aired March 9, 1986 as a presentation of '' The Disney Sunday Movie'' on ABC ...
'' (1986) as Leo Kohlmeyer (voice, uncredited) *''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
'' (1989) (TV series) (one episode, 2006) as Wallace Brady *'' Ein Schloß am Wörthersee'' (1992, 1993–1994) (German TV series) as Himself *''Staying Afloat'' (1993) (TV film) as Alexander Hollingsworth III *'' Nixon'' (1995) as Jack Jones *'' Dallas: J.R. Returns'' (1996) (TV film) as
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*'' Orleans'' (1997) (TV series) as Judge Luther Charbonnet *'' The Third Twin'' (1997) (TV film) as Berrington Jones *''
Primary Colors A set of primary colors or primary colours (see spelling differences) consists of colorants or colored lights that can be mixed in varying amounts to produce a gamut of colors. This is the essential method used to create the perception of a b ...
'' (1998) as Gov. Fred Picker *'' Dallas: War of the Ewings'' (1998) (TV film) as
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*'' Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork'' (2004) (TV special) as Himself /
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*'' Nip/Tuck'' (2006) (TV series) as Burt Landau *'' Lindenstraße'' (2006) (German soap opera) as Himself *''
Fuel A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chemical energy b ...
'' (2008) as Himself *'' Somos cómplices'' (2009) (Spanish soap opera) as Richard Slater *'' Desperate Housewives'' (2010) (TV series) as Frank Kaminsky *'' Das Traumschiff'' (2010) (German TV-Series) as Larry Hagman *''The Flight of the Swan'' (2011) as Corporate President * ''Ushi and the Family'' (2011) (Dutch TV-Series) as Hairy Legman *''
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
'' (2012–2013) (TV series) as
J.R. Ewing John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series ''Dallas'' (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived ''Dallas'' series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series ...
*'' I Get That a Lot'' (2013) (released posthumously)


Stage

*''
South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
'' (1950) London *''
The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunk ...
'' (1951) Broadway *''Comes a Day'' (1958) Broadway *''God and Kate Murphy'' (1958) Broadway *''
The Nervous Set ''The Nervous Set'' is a 1959 Broadway musical written by Jay Landesman and Theodore J. Flicker which centers on the Beat Generation. It tells the story of a wealthy publisher and his wife from a Connecticut suburb exploring the Greenwich Villag ...
'' (1959) Broadway *''The Warm Peninsula'' (1959) Broadway *'' The Beauty Part'' (1962) Broadway *'' Love Letters'' (2005 - 2006) tour


References


External links

* *
Larry Hagman
at
Legacy.com Legacy.com is a United States-based website founded in 1998, the world's largest commercial provider of online memorials. The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths.Keagle, Lauri Harvey"Death in the D ...
* * * * *
Larry Hagman at Classic Television Showbiz
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hagman, Larry 1931 births 2012 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American non-fiction writers American autobiographers American cannabis activists American male film actors American male soap opera actors American male stage actors American male television actors American people of Swedish descent American television directors Bard College alumni California Democrats Deaths from cancer in Texas Deaths from acute myeloid leukemia Deaths from myelodysplastic syndrome Film directors from California Film directors from New York City Film directors from Texas Liver transplant recipients Male actors from Fort Worth, Texas Male actors from Malibu, California Military personnel from Texas People from Ojai, California Television producers from California Television producers from New York City Television producers from Texas Texas Democrats Trinity School (New York City) alumni United States Air Force airmen Writers from California Writers from Texas