David Janssen Biography

Fast Facts

• Has a Star on the Walk of Fame for Television, which he received posthumously in 1989
• Developed an interest in acting in high school and signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox when he was 18, though the studio didn't uphold the contract for long
• Proved himself capable of giving sensitive, layered performances in "The Fugitive․"
• Pushed himself to appear in as many leading and supporting roles as possible, even if it meant an exhausting schedule
• Enjoyed reading, songwriting and photography and owned planes and racehorses
• When his close friend Richard Harris heard about his death, he was struck so hard that he sat outside a New York cathedral in the snow for several hours