Larry Hagman
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Lawrence Martin Hagman (better known as Larry Hagman) (born September 21, 1931) is an American actor most famous for playing J.R. Ewing in the television soap opera Dallas. He and Ken Kercheval were the only cast members to stay with the series throughout its entire run.
Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas. His mother was the legendary stage actress Mary Martin. Hagman served in the United States Air Force and served with an entertainment unit. He began his own acting career shortly afterwards and appeared on television soap operas and began getting movie roles. He appeared as the nervous translator opposite Henry Fonda's President in Sidney Lumet's doomsday thriller Fail-Safe (1964). He also appeared opposite John Wayne in the World War II epic In Harm's Way (1965). Hagman had been a heavy smoker as a young man, but a terrifying experience forced him to quit. He was making a movie in Italy and came down with a severe cough. The doctor mistakingly thought he had cancer but the diagnosis was later corrected. Hagman was so shaken by this incident, he immediately became strongly anti-smoking. He has recorded several public service announcements pleading with smokers to quit and urging non-smokers never to start.
In addition to his role on Dallas, Hagman is well known for his role as Tony Nelson on the popular television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie (1965-1970), on which he co-starred opposite Barbara Eden. Hagman also directed several episodes of this show, but never enjoyed his time on the series; he thought of himself as a serious actor, so Jeannie's silliness was never satisfactory. In fact, in the years after the series, Hagman severely distanced himself from Jeannie, refusing to speak about it until 2001, the year his tell-all book was published. After the series was cancelled, Hagman had two other short-lived series in the 1970s, Here We Go Again and The Good Life. He did guest appearances on television shows such as Love American Style, Medical Center, and McCloud. He appeared in such televison films as Getting Away From It All (1972), Sidekicks (1974), Sarah T...Portrait Of A Teenage Alcoholic (1975), The Return Of The World's Greatest Detective (1976), Intimate Strangers (1977), and Checkered Flag Or Crash (1977). Hagman also appeared in theatrical films such as Harry And Tonto (1974), The Eagle Has Landed (1977), and Superman (1978). He even directed a low-budget horror film in 1972 called Beware The Blob! Some have jokingly called this "the film that JR shot".
Hagman had been typecast somewhat as a "nice guy" and in 1978 he got a chance to break away from this when he was offered the leading role in Dallas, which became television's first prime time "soap opera". There is a story that Hagman's agent had warned him "There is not a single likeable person in this show and they want you to play the worst one." Hagman is said to have replied "I like this already!" The show is the saga of the Ewings, a rich oil family and Hagman played the central character John Ross (J.R.) Ewing. J.R. was perhaps televison's greatest villain. He was greedy, cruel, manipulative and absolutely without morals or scruples. Hagman won wide praise for his performance because many pointed out that he made J.R. oddly charming. For example, many women would come up to him and say "Oh J.R., I hate you! Kiss me!" At the conclusion of the 1979-80 season, J.R. was shot by an unknown assailant and the burning question that summer all over the United States was "Who shot J.R.?" When the culprit was finally revealed on November 21, 1980, the show got the highest ratings in television history. It even rated higher than the final episode of The Fugitive. Larry Hagman stayed with Dallas through 357 episodes until it was cancelled in 1991.
Ironically, considering his previous typecasting as a "nice guy" onstage, many have reported Hagman to be the exact opposite offstage. Cast and crew of I Dream of Jeannie can recall an incident in which, after having a dispute with the producers of the program, Hagman snuck onto the studio in the middle of the night and urinated all over the set. Many also recall his vicious money battles with the producers and how little he liked cooperating when his demands were not met.
In 1996, Hagman underwent a lifesaving liver transplant. He came forward and admitted to having been a heavy drinker for years. In all fairness, it should be noted that according to all accounts, Hagman is nothing like JR in real life. He has given generously to many causes and has been married to the same woman for almost 50 years, a rare occurrence in Hollywood. Hagman is known to friends as an eccentric and a practical joker. For example, he insists that fans sing to him or tell him a joke before they get his autograph and he never says a word on Sundays, a habit he has kept for years. His nickname is the Mad Monk of Malibu.
In January 1997, Larry starred in a short lived TV series named Orleans as Judge Luther Charbonnet. It lasted only 8 episodes (http://www.larryhagman.com/orleans.htm), and was quickly canceled, though it showed that Larry Hagman could be convincing in something other than JR Ewing or Major Tony Nelson.
External links
- The IMDb entry on Hagman (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001306/)
- Larry Hagman's Official Website (http://www.larryhagman.com)de:Larry Hagman