Trivia

A close friend of Richard Harris, who was so upset by Janssen's death that he sat outside a cathedral in New York for hours in the snow upon hearing the news.

Pallbearers at his funeral on February 17, 1980 included Rod Stewart, Gregory Peck, Gene Kelly, Richard Harris, Milton Berle, Linda Evans's husband Stan Herman, and Suzanne Pleshette's husband Tom Gallagher.

Was close friends with Stuart Whitman. On the morning that David Janssen died, Whitman was driving by his house on his way to work at a West Hollywood studio when he witnessed an ambulance and fire truck arrive outside Janssen's house and entered with them. He accompanied Janssen to the hospital. He attended Janssen's funeral.

Linda Evans on David Janssen: I never met anyone who didn't adore David. To this day I still miss that guy; he was one of a kind. (from Evans' 2011 memoir "Recipes for Life").

18-year old David held a 3-year-old Cher, when her mother, Georgia Holt, couldn't get a babysitter while filming a watch commercial.

His mother and both of his sisters appeared as extras in The Fugitive (1963).

Quinn Martin's eulogy for David Janssen on February 17, 1980: He was a true professional, a superstar.

He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, only about a block away from the Chinese Theater. When it was placed there, it was in front of David's favorite ice cream shops as a child. The star dedication was on his mother's birthday in 1989.

According to actress Debbie Reynolds in her 2013 memoir, "Unsinkable", David Janssen believed he was the illegitimate son of Clark Gable.

As a contract player at Universal-International in the 1950s, he attended Universal's acting classes with a fellow Universal contractee, Clint Eastwood. The two became acquaintances, and Eastwood very briefly dated Janssen's widow, Dani Crayne.

During the production of The Fugitive (1963), David Janssen worked twelve to fourteen hours a day, and missing dinners and social events.

Angie Dickinson on David Janssen: He was a great gentleman, a great date, and a great love. [Vanity Fair, December 31, 2007].

Both Linda Evans, his co-star in Guardian at the Gates (1974), and Jean Seberg, his co-star in Macho Callahan (1970), have said that David Janssen was their moms' favorite actor.

He smoked four packs of cigarettes a day.

Was a voracious reader. He'd buy two copies of whatever book he wanted to read, one for his home in L.A. and one for his home in Palm Springs.

He was a top track star at school.

David was the son of Berniece Mae (Graf) and Harold Edward Meyer. He took on the surname of his stepfather, Eugene Janssen. His paternal grandparents were William Meyer and Myra Angela Wert. His maternal grandparents were Werner Daniel Graf and Verna Eliza Waggoner. His ancestry was German, and some Swiss-German and Scottish-Irish.

Best remembered by the public for his starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble on The Fugitive (1963).

Although naturally having a rugged exterior, issues with alcohol, excessive cigarette smoking and overwork caused the actor to age prematurely by the time he approached his early 40s as was evident from his appearances in his films from 1975 to 1980.

David Janssen played tennis, golf and was ambidextrous.

Made 21 TV movies, which includes two mini-series.

Close friend of Jerry Orbach, whom he met doing a stage play in Dayton, Ohio, during the summer of 1959. Janssen had the lead in Mister Roberts and Orbach appeared as the character Mannion.

At the beginning of his film career he declined to have surgery to make his ears less prominent.

Was also a songwriter.

Worked frequently for Dick Powell on TV.

Advised Farrah Fawcett to turn down Charlie's Angels (1976).

Frank Liberman, a veteran Hollywood publicist who had many famous clients, represented David Janssen for 16 years and has cited Janssen as one of his favorite clients: "He was wonderful. He was one of the brightest men I've ever known. Very articulate".

His last role was in the film Inchon (1981). Even though he died before the movie was completed, his part was not deleted (this was a widespread rumor).

Patrick Macnee on David Janssen: The best television actor by far of anybody was David Janssen.

He was against the Vietnam War, although his involvement in The Green Berets (1968) caused many to think he supported US involvement in the conflict.

Deborah Raffin on David Janssen: I was frightened by his rough, tough image. He's totally different, sensitive, considerate, a true gentleman. (The Indianapolis Star, July 26, 1975, p. 14).

Contributed a turkey pot pie recipe to Diana Millay's cookbook "I'd Rather Eat Than Act." Diana Millay was his co-star in The Middle Man (1962).

Twisted his right knee in 1948 while pole vaulting for reporters from the Hollywood Citizen News.

Excelled at basketball in high school. Set a school-scoring record that lasted over 20 years.

Died of a sudden heart attack at his house in bed during the early morning hours before dawn. His wife Dani had called the police and fire department at 4:19 am-PST which arrived at his Malibu home within 20 minutes. He was taken to a nearby hospital in Santa Monica, arriving at 5:36 am where he was declared dead on arrival at 5:55 am. His autopsy found physical signs of (and damage from) heavy tobacco smoking in his mouth and lungs. His liver was fatty with severe alcoholism signs, but he did not have cirrhosis. The cause of death was listed as a myocardial infarction (medical term for 'heart attack') when the autopsy revealed that Janssen had major blockage in three main heart arteries, probably brought on by years of excessive cigarette smoking.

Younger half-brothers: Larry and Lee Meyer (twins born in 1942).

Older half-brother of Teri Janssen and Jill Janssen.

One of the most successful TV actors of the times.

Called his highly successful TV series "The Fuge".

He did a lot of his own flying in Birds of Prey (1973) (Flying Magazine, June 1988, p.30).

Was good friends with Paul Burke.

His mother was a Ziegfeld beauty and a Miss Nebraska (1928).

On ice skates, David Janssen hosted "Highlights of the Ice Capades" (NBC-TV, Nov. 4, 1970).

Of his first nine roles, six were uncredited, and one was scenes deleted.

In between appearing in 2 failing Broadway plays he was a short order cook in a Times Square drugstore.

Mother, Berniece Janssen.

Had an intense affair with Suzanne Pleshette in the mid-1960s while having marital problems with his first wife Ellie. By the time David was divorced in 1970, Suzanne had gotten married to another man.

He had 6 film credits to his name before he graduated from high school.

Was in a relationship with Sandra Giles in 1956.

He was a liberal Democrat.