jarrylf Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 (Reuters) - Larry Hagman, who created one of American television's most supreme villains in the conniving, amoral oilman J.R. Ewing of "Dallas," died on Friday, the Dallas Morning News reported. He was 81. Hagman died at a Dallas hospital of complications from his battle with throat cancer, the newspaper said, quoting a statement from his family. He had suffered from liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver in the 1990s after decades of drinking. Hagman's mother was stage and movie star Mary Martin and he became a star himself in 1965 on "I Dream of Jeannie," a popular television sitcom in which he played Major Anthony Nelson, an astronaut who discovers a beautiful genie in a bottle. "Dallas," which made its premiere on the CBS network in 1978, made Hagman a superstar. The show quickly became one of the network's top-rated programs, built an international following and inspired a spin-off, imitators and a revival in 2012. "Dallas" was the night-time soap-opera story of a Texas family, fabulously wealthy from oil and cattle, and its plot brimmed with back-stabbing, double-dealing, family feuds, violence, adultery and other bad behavior. In the middle of it all stood Hagman's black-hearted J.R. Ewing - grinning wickedly in a broad cowboy hat and boots, plotting how to cheat his business competitors and cheat on his wife. He was the villain TV viewers loved to despise during the show's 356-episode run from 1978 to 1991. "I really can't remember half of the people I've slept with, stabbed in the back or driven to suicide," Hagman said of his character in Time magazine. In his autobiography, "Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life," Hagman wrote that J.R. originally was not to be the focus of "Dallas" but that changed when he began ad-libbing on the set to make his character more outrageous and compelling. http://tv.yahoo.com/...-044041015.html ____________________________________________________________________________________________ This got me.....Dallas is my new show, BUT, I didnt grow up with cable, and network TV used to play reruns of shows like Bewtiched, The Monkeys, Andy Griffin, Good Times, What's Happening and I dream of Jeannie.......I dream of Jeannie was always 1 of my favorites when I was little....... so this really got me sad right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Awww fuck! That's so sad ! I knew he was ill during filming of the new revamp season but I assumed he got better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 I know that the new season starts on Jan.28th (DAY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY), so I really hope that they got alot done with him. I love how happy and excited he seemed about being back on the show, he really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I'm sure they did - I think they've filmed most of it and tbh - they knew he was ill so they probably prepared for it. He wasn't in every episode of the "first" season this year so it could be he's hardly in the "2nd" one too - but HE was THE show. I'm sure they'll give Larry and JR a great send off. This is a sad loss for TV - he's played the greatest TV character ever IMO. Literally all my auntes uncles, parents loved him more than any TV show character. I hope his family are ok . To us he's a TV icon...to them he's family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrylf Posted November 24, 2012 Author Share Posted November 24, 2012 I'm sure they did - I think they've filmed most of it and tbh - they knew he was ill so they probably prepared for it. He wasn't in every episode of the "first" season this year so it could be he's hardly in the "2nd" one too - but HE was THE show. I'm sure they'll give Larry and JR a great send off. This is a sad loss for TV - he's played the greatest TV character ever IMO. Literally all my auntes uncles, parents loved him more than any TV show character. I hope his family are ok . To us he's a TV icon...to them he's family. YES, you know I love the new Dallas, but the majority of that love was for HIM, he was old and sick but played that evil old man like he was still in his prime. He did really good. My mom felt tthe same way., and yea he REALLY was the greatest character. He made you forget all about Jeannie if you knew him from that lol. Yea I feel the same way, he seemed to be such a sweet guy, and I liked when he'd talk about his wife in interviews, or when she was there and he'd just be adorable with her ( I LOVE old couples), he and his wife have been married for 58 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 Rest in Peace, Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Major Nelson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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