American film and television actor, director and producer, most famous for his TV roles as Captain Nelson in “I Dream of Jeannie” (1965-1970) and J.R. Ewing in “Dallas” (1978-1981), a gleefully malevolent character his fans loved to hate. Hagman was an international TV celebrity with tremendous charm and wit. His mother, actress and stage performer, Mary Martin encouraged her son to go into show business.
Hagman started his life in Weatherford, TX with his lawyer father, Ben Hagman and his mother, Mary. Mary was 16 when she married and 17 when Larry was born. His parents divorced when Hagman was five years old. His mother left to perform on the Broadway stage as Mary Martin and Larry was raised by his grandmother in California until he was 12. The boy learned discipline when he was sent to the Black-Foxe Military Institute. He later attended private schools in California, New York, and Vermont before landing at Weatherford High School back in Texas. Hagman recalls the unpleasant treatment as a teen at the hands of Weatherford society, being treated like dirt. Upon graduating from high school, Hagman travelled to Sweden, then enrolled at Bard College majoring in theatre. After his freshman year he quit, disappointing his mother and father.
At 20, he went to London to appear in the chorus of “South Pacific.” The following year, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. For the next four years, he produced and directed shows in Britain and in Europe and booked all the NCO clubs. In 1956, he was discharged from the Air Force and headed for the New York stage. He made his debut in the play, “Comes A Day” with the debuting George C. Scott. After appearing in a string of stage flops, he landed a steady job in the soap, “The Edge of Night” in 1961. Appearing on the soap for almost three years helped to pay off his debts from his work in the theater.
In 1965, Hagman landed the role of Captain Nelson in “I Dream of Jeannie.” As the show was launched into TV syndication heaven, Hagman appeared in forgettable films in the 1970s. On 2 April 1978, CBS unveiled a new television soap opera, “Dallas” about the life of a wealthy Texas family. Hagman chewed up the scenery with his portrayal of the ruthless snake J.R. Ewing. Hagman became an overnight international celebrity when “Dallas” aired on international TV markets.
Hagman met Maj Axelsson, a Swedish designer two years his senior, in London. They married in December 1951 and produced two kids, Heidi born in 1958 and Preston in 1963. The Hagmans lived in a mountaintop home in Ojai, California. He collected medals, National Geographic magazines, owned over 500 hats and over 200 flags. On Sundays, the actor observed a day of silence from sunup to sundown in order to rest his voice and enjoy peace and calm in his life.
In 1966, Hagman had a personal crisis and went for help with psychoanalysis. A steady drinker for many years, on 3 June 1992 Hagman was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Hagman stopped drinking on that day. On 22 June 1994, two years later doctors informed Hagman that he had a cancerous tumour on his liver. After only 33 days on the liver-donor list, Hagman received his liver transplant surgery after pre-op at 7:30 PM on 22 August 1995 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
On watching corruption during his stint in the U.S. Air Force: “I learned about corruption by observing it. I could have become a millionaire, except I’m so straight.”
He died of throat cancer in Dallas, Texas on 23 November 2012, aged 81.
Link to Wikipedia biography