American actor, producer, and director Larry Hagman spent more than 50 years making his mark on Hollywood. His most well-known role was as “J.R. Ewing,” the evil character, in the 1978 episode of the serial opera “Dallas.” He played the same part in “Dallas” in 2012. In the popular TV sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie,” he also portrayed Major Anthony Lenson, a bewildered but amiable astronaut. His other well-known TV shows were “The Defenders,” “Sea Hunt,” “Diagnosis: Unknown,” “Nixon,” “Primary Colors,” and “The Edge of Night.” He has made cameos in the television shows “Nip/Tuck” and “Desperate Housewives.” The Group, Mother, Jugs & Speed, The Eagle Has Landed, Superman, S.O.B., Sidekicks, and The Return of the World’s Greatest Detective is just a few of the films he has acted in. I Get That a Lot, his most recent film, was released in 2013. As a result of his drinking, Larry needed a liver transplant. He received a cancer diagnosis not long after. On November 23, 2012, Larry passed away as a result of cancer complications. When he passed away, he was 81 years old.
Early Childhood & Life
Mother Mary Martin and father Benjamin Jackson Hagman welcomed Larry into the world on September 21, 1931, in Fort Worth, Texas. His father was a lawyer and accountant, while his mother was an actress on Broadway.
Larry spent the majority of his time with his grandmother following his parents’ divorce. His mother was a paid actor who worked for “Paramount.” In 1940, after his mother’s marriage to Richard Halliday, Larry moved in with her.
In order to concentrate on her acting career, Larry’s mother relocated to New York after the birth of his stepsister in 1941. Larry once more had to relocate to California with his grandmother.
His mother frequently participated in auditions, earning the moniker “Audition Mary.” Larry attended the “Black-Foxe Military Institute” while his mother was preoccupied with her acting career.
Larry moved in with his mother in New York when his grandmother passed away. In 1946, he eventually returned to his hometown.
He was a student at Weatherford High School. Larry understood what he wanted to accomplish with his life, despite the fact that his father had wanted him to become a lawyer.
When he graduated from high school, Larry made the decision to pursue acting as a career. As they say, the rest is history.
Earlier Years of Larry Hagman
The Woodstock Playhouse in New York hosted Margaret Webster’s school performances, where Larry made his acting debut. His part in “The Taming of the Shrew” was rather minor.
Larry worked as a production assistant and played tiny roles with Margo Jones’ theater company while attending “Bard College” in New York.
He was forced to take a hiatus in 1952 to join the “US Air Force.” He returned to New York after his military to concentrate on his career.
He began by acting in stage productions and afterward did a lot of theater work. He made an appearance in the “Off-Broadway” production Once Around the Block.
The career of Larry Hagman
With “Comes a Day,” Larry made his Broadway debut in 1958. His performances in plays like “God and Kate Murphy,” “The Nervous Set,” and “The Beauty Part” demonstrated his interest in “Broadway.”
In addition to working on “Broadway” plays, Larry also became quite interested in TV. In 1957, he made his debut on television in the criminal drama “Decoy.”
He appeared in a number of programs, including “The Defenders,” “Harbormaster,” “Sea Hunt,” and “Diagnosis: Unknown” in the 1950s and 1960s (1961). With the 1965 sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie,” in which he played “Major Anthony Nelson,” a kind guy who discovers a bottle containing “Jeannie” (played by Barbara Eden), he experienced a significant career breakthrough.
The much-needed boost to Larry’s career came from “I Dream of Jeannie.” He also appeared in the films “I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later” (1985) and “I Still Dream of Jeannie” (1991).
Before portraying the villainous businessman “J. R. Ewing” in the wildly popular TV series “Dallas,” Larry established himself as a familiar face on American television and continued to appear in shows like “The Good Life” (1971), “Here We Go Again” (1973), “Ellery Queen” (1975), and “The Rockford Files” (1977).
Dallas made its primetime debut in 1978 and went on to become one of the most popular drama programs on US television. Because of this program, Larry rose to prominence as one of the greatest TV actors ever.
One of the key factors in “Dallas” being a worldwide success was its shocking conclusion in the 1979–1980 season, which caused “Who shot J.R.?” to become the most talked-about TV topic. Later it was discovered that the person shot had been the character’s mistress and sister-in-law, “Kristin Shepard” (played by Mary Crosby).
Due to his popularity, Larry was the only actor on the show to appear in every episode of “Dallas.” He received numerous accolades, nominations, and awards for his performance as “J.R. Ewing.”
In Dallas’ 2012 revival, he returned to the character of “J. R. Ewing.” In the TV shows “The Simpsons” (1989), “Orleans” (1997), “Nip/Tuck” (2006), and “Desperate Housewives,” he continued to make frequent cameos (2010).
As an actor, Larry appeared in movies including “The Group” from 1966, “Sidekicks” from 1974, “Mother, Jugs & Speed” from 1976, “Superman” from 1978, “S.O.B.” from 1981, “Nixon” from 1995, and “Primary Colors” (1998). His final role was in the 2013 movie “I Get That a Lot,” which was published after his passing.
Various Works of Larry Hagman
In 1972, Larry also served as the director of the horror film “Beware! The Blob.” The film was a continuation of the terrifying 1958 movie “The Blob.”
In 1980, Larry also cut a single called “Ballad of the Good Luck Charm.”
Recognition & Achievements
In the years 1980 and 1981, Larry received two nominations for the coveted “Emmy Award” in the category “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” for the television series “Dallas.”
Between 1981 and 1985, he received four “Golden Globe Award” nominations for “Dallas.”
He received nominations for “Dallas” in seven different categories for “Soap Opera Digest Awards.” Five times, he was the winner.
Individual Life of Larry Hagman
Hagman wed Maj Axelsson, a Swedish fashion designer, in 1954. Heidi Kristina, a daughter, and Preston, a son, are their two children. California’s Malibu was the family’s first residence, although they eventually relocated to Ojai. In 2008, Maj. Hagman received an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. 2016 saw her passing.
A member of the “Peace and Freedom Party,” Hagman. He first encountered marijuana through his pal Jack Nicholson. Hagman was a well-known advocate for marijuana use as a superior alcohol substitute.
Larry Hagman took part in charitable endeavors on a regular basis. He strictly prohibited smoking and served as the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout’s chairperson from 1981 to 1992. He supported organ donation as well. Hagman served as the National Spokesperson for the 1996 “US Transplant Games” organized by the “National Kidney Foundation” a year after having a liver transplant. He received recognition for his efforts to raise public awareness about organ donation with an award.
Hagman received a diagnosis of throat cancer in 2011. He received treatment and carried on with his job, but in 2012 the disease returned. On November 23, 2012, Larry Hagman passed away due to complications from leukemia. In the company of his loved ones, he passed away quietly. His remains were burned and dispersed in Southfork Ranch, Texas.
Facts of Larry Hagman
Hagman’s co-star in “Dallas,” actress Linda Gray, described him as a “pied piper of life, who gave delight to everyone.” Hagman was referred to as “a fighter who fought gently against all hurdles” by another co-star, Patrick Duffy.
Hagman has a reputation for being peculiar. He used to observe complete quiet on one day each week to test his self-control. Following the removal of his gallstones, he had a ring created from them. Every time a fan came up to him for a signature, he made them perform a song or a joke before signing.
Larry Hagman’s Net Worth
At the time of his passing in 2012, American actor Larry Hagman had a $30 million fortune in both cinema and television. Dallas, a television series from the 1980s, featured Larry Hagman as the evil oil magnate J. R. Ewing. Larry first became well-known for his role as Major Anthony Nelson on the sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie” early in his career. Throughout his career, Hagman has made numerous cinematic appearances, including “Fail Safe,” “Harry and Tonto,” and “Primary Colors.”