My Take
David Janssen is one of those actors who absolutely owned the early television era, and I don't think he gets nearly enough credit for it today. His run as Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive from 1963 to 1967 was genuinely gripping television — that perpetual-man-on-the-run premise sounds simple, but Janssen brought a quiet, weathered intensity to it that made viewers care deeply every single week. He had this naturally lined, world-weary face that conveyed exhaustion and determination at the same time, and that's not something you can fake. The 1966 Golden Globe was well deserved. Beyond The Fugitive he kept working steadily in film and TV right up until his death in 1980 at just 48 — a loss that felt genuinely premature, because you sensed there was still a lot of good work left in him. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame says it all: the industry knew what it had.
Overview
David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer; March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series The Fugitive (1963–1967). Janssen also had the title roles in three other series: Richard Diamond, Private Detective; O'Hara, U.S. Treasury; and Harry O.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- David Janssen
- Name (Japanese)
- デビッド・ジャンセン
- Reading
- でびっど・じゃんせん
- Born
- March 27, 1931 – February 13, 1980
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Goat
- Origin
- Naponee, Nebraska, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / film actor / television actor / dramaturge
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Fairfax High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1966 Golden Globe Awards
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.