It’s only a few months since Larry Hagman returned to the role he is most famous for, JR Ewing, in the new version of Dallas. It will sadly be his last hurrah, as it’s been revealed that he’s passed away, aged 81, after suffering from throat cancer.
While Hagman became iconic playing JR in the wildly successful Dallas, which ran from 1978-1991, he was already well known to audiences thanks to the likes of I Dream Of Jeannie (1965-1970). The son of legendary Broadway actress Mary Martin, Hagman started his career on the stage, before enrolling in the US Air Force. Once he’d completed his service he went back to the theatre but also began making appearances on screen.
Real fame came thanks to I Dream Of Jeannie. After that series ended he appeared in other sitcom such as The Good Life and Here We Go Again, as well as guest starring in various other shows. Hagman also appeared in several movies, such as the musical Applause, The Eagle Has Landed and Superman, although this was an era when TV actors generally stayed on TV and movie actors were solely in films.
He became an icon around the world thanks to Dallas, and continued to appear in guest roles in TV series after that show ended, such as Nip/Tick and Desperate Housewives, as well as taking supporting roles in movies such as JFK, Nixon, and Primary Colors. However his career was complicated by health problems. He first got cancer in 1995, which necessitated a liver transplant. He recovered and vowed to stay away from drink and nicotine.
It was revealed a few months ago that he had throat cancer, which at the time he described as treatable. Sadly it turns out that wasn’t the case. He passed away at Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas, Texas. It is said Dallas co-star Linda Evans was at his side.
Larry Hagman – September 21, 1931-November 23, 2012 – RIP.
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