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Larry Hagman
Keynote Fee : $15000 - $20,000 plus expenses Fee Note Travels From: CA |
Topics
- Celebrities & Causes
- Transplants
Events
- Award Banquets
- Community Outreach - Health Fairs
- Corporate Health - Wellness Forum
- Employee Wellness Programs
- Fundraising
- Galas / Anniversaries
- Women's Conferences
Speaker Information
Perhaps best known as corrupt millionaire JR Ewing on the long-running series "Dallas," actor Larry Hagman has enjoyed a successful career that has encompassed the stage, television and film for over three decades.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Hagman spent a year at Bard College before deciding to follow in the footsteps of his mother, actress Mary Martin. His first stage appearance was with the Margo Jones Theatre-in-the-Round in Dallas, followed by a New York City Center production of "The Taming of the Shrew" and a year in regional theater. He moved to England as a cast member of his mother's stage hit, "South Pacific," and stayed on for five years. While there, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he produced and directed several shows for service members. He also met and married his wife, to whom he is still married.
Completing his military career, Hagman returned to New York for a series of Broadway and off-Broadway plays. He also began his television career with various guest appearances on shows such as "The ALCOA Hour." He was eventually cast in the daytime series "The Edge of Night," in which he starred for two years.
After eight years in New York, Hagman relocated his family to Hollywood. His career truly began with his starring role in the 1965 television comedy series, "I Dream of Jeanie," which enjoyed a five-year run. Hagman then starred in "The Good Life" and "Here We Go Again" and guest-starred on various other series. But it wasn't until 1977, when the prime-time drama "Dallas" came along, that Hagman truly reached star status. The saga of an excessively rich Texas family, with Hagman as the merciless family head and show centerpiece, ran for an unprecedented thirteen seasons, and the famed "Who Shot J.R.?" episode remains the second highest rated television show in the history of the medium. Hagman also starred in several films, including his critically-acclaimed performance in Mike Nichols' "Primary Colors."
Off-screen Hagman is involved in numerous civic and philanthropic activities. An adamant non-smoker, he was chairperson of the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout from 1981 to 1992. Following his own successful liver transplant in 1995, he served as the National Spokesperson for the 1996, 1998, and 2000 U.S. Transplant Games, presented by the National Kidney Foundation. In November 1996, he received the Foundation's Public Service Award for his efforts in heightening public awareness of the importance of organ donation. He continues to serve as an advocate of organ donation and transplantation. He also speaks with audiences across the country about his own success overcoming alcoholism.