Larry Martin Hagman

 Larry Martin Hagman (September 21, 1931 – November 23, 2012)

Hagman was the son of Mary Martin and best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1980s soap opera Dallas, and Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson in the 1960s I Dream of Jeannie. Hagman had supporting roles in numerous films, including Fail-Safe, Nixon, and Primary Colors. His television appearances also included guest roles on dozens of shows spanning from the late 1950s up until his death, and a reprisal of his signature role on the 2012 revival of Dallas. He also worked as a producer and director on television. Hagman's first television role was as Kenneth Davidson in the 1957 episode "Saturday Lost" of the syndicated crime drama, Decoy, starring Beverly Garland as the first female police officer in a television lead. Hagman then appeared three times in 1958 on Lloyd Bridges' syndicated adventure series, Sea Hunt. In 1960, he was cast in the CBS summer medical series Diagnosis: Unknown in the role of Don Harding in the episode, "The Case of the Radiant Wine". In 1963 and 1964, he appeared twice in segments of the CBS legal drama, The Defender. After years in guest roles, he landed the part of Major Tony Nelson on NBC's I dream of Jeannie, which was meant to answer rival network shows such as Bewitched and My Favorite Martian. After the show ended, Hagman was in two short lived series in the 1970's, Here We Go Again and The Good Life. When considering the role of J.R. Ewing, Hagman his wife read the script for Dallas, and both felt the part was well suited for him. Seen in more than 90 countries, the show became a worldwide success, inspiring several prime-time soaps. Hagman became one of the best known television stars of the era.

Producers were keen to capitalize on that love/hate family relationship of J.R., building anticipation to a fever-pitch in "Who shot J.R.?", the 1980 cliffhanger season finale in which J.R. is shot by an unknown assailant. He had also made five guest appearances on the Dallas spin-off series Knots Landing in the early 1980s's, and reprised his role when Dallas returned to TV in 2012. Larry Hagman died on November 23, 2012, at Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas following complications from acute myeloid leukemia. He was 81 years old.