David Janssen
Date of Birth: 27 Mar 1931
Country: USA
Biography: David Janssen was born to be a TV star. The Janssen family settled in Hollywood when he was a teenager and he attended Fairfax High School, where he developed an interest in acting. His film debut was a bit part in It's a Pleasure (1945), and at the age of 18 signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. However, the studio dropped him after allegedly becoming disenchanted with his odd hairline and big prominent ears. Janssen had better luck at Universal, where he signed on in the early 1950s and bec
Total Credits at Criticker: 56 (Actor)
Biography submitted by Dunstan-xxx and picture by Gauntlet
Find more information about David Janssen at The Internet Movie Database
Titles you haven't rated - Actor (56)
Col. Mike Kirby picks two teams of crack Green Berets for a mission in South Vietnam. First off is to build and control a camp that is trying to be taken by the enemy the second mission is to kidnap a North Vietnamese General (imdb)
A psychotic man, armed with a hunting rifle and acting alone, goes on a sniping spree and is hunted by the police and a SWAT team. Sniper and SWAT converge at a crowded major-league football game, where at the two-minute warning shots ring out and mass panic ensues. (imdb)
After spending several months in an orbiting lab, three astronauts prepare to return to earth only to find their rockets wont fire. After initially thinking they might have to abandon them in orbit, NASA decides to launch a daring rescue. Their plans are complicated by a Hurricane headed towards the launch site and a shrinking air supply in the astronauts capsule. (imdb)
Moon of the Wolf (1972) - TV Movie
After several locals are viciously murdered, a Louisiana sheriff starts to suspect he may be dealing with a werewolf. (imdb)
True-life account of the military career of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in WWII... (imdb)
Superdome (1978) - TV Movie
It's Superbowl. And there's a lot of drama, one of the players, Dave Wolecki, has been so preoccupied with the game and if his bum knee will hold out until the game, has been completely ignoring his wife. And McCauley, the team's star quarterback, is being courted by a management firm, and the man the firm has assigned to get him into the firm has been told that if he doesn't get him, he will be out. But that's nothing compared to the real drama. There's a killer running around... (imdb)
A depiction of the 1950 invasion of Inchon during the Korean War, which was masterminded by General Douglas MacArthur.
When his adoptive Japanese-American family is sent to Manzanar after Pearl Harbor, a young Chicano enlists in the marines to become a hero in the Battle of Saipan. (imdb)
A Russian man, released from a Siberian prison after 20 years, takes a strong religious stance against the world's problems, including nuclear war, and becomes elected Pope. (Yahoo.com)
A Major noted for advancing with his mouth before thinking is given a choice: to be drummed out of the Army, or take command of and shape up the ROTC program at Sheridan Academy before it fails its next inspection. At Sheridan he encounters three hundred pre-teen cadets who range from rascally to adorable, and a female doctor who has just the right prescription for him. (IMB)
A police sergeant kills a man who pulls a gun on him during a stakeout. The man's gun disappears, and the sergeant is charged with manslaughter. The sergeant works to clear his name and determine where the gun went and why the man was there at all. (imdb)
Jeffrey Hunter stars as an impressionable fellow whose old marine buddy talks him into a questionable business venture. Hunter joins Janssen in a plot to hijack nearly four million dollars from the Mob. The results are far from beneficial, either for Hunter or his alcoholic, promiscuous young wife. (Answers.com)
In present-day U.S., Dr. Michael Parker, a prominent surgeon, unexpectedly runs into his German-born wife whom he thought was dead. Victor, an artist and his "dead" wife's now boyfriend, berates Dr. Parker for "killing" her. The bulk of the story flashes back to Austria during World War II as we learn how Dr. Parker met and married his wife, and the one mistake that may have cost him his family. (imdb)
This adventure, set upon the mighty Mississippi, features two former Tarzans. One of them is a river-boat captain who was shell shocked in the war. The other is an evil trapper. The trouble is caused by their shared affection for a pretty young woman. Their rivalry climaxes as the two wrestle it out in an alligator hole. This was the only film in which one of the Tarzans (Johnny Weismuller) did not play a man from the jungle. (allmovie.com)
A U.S. Navy ship in the first half of the 19th century, under the command of Captain David Porter, is expecting to put ashore after a year on the seas; but the arrival of one of Porter's ex-students, the willful and independent Lt. David Farragut, brings a new mission: to disguise the ship and crew as a pirate ship and help the Navy locate the criminals who have been robbing America's merchant fleet... (imdb)
City in Fear (1980) - TV Movie
A psycho-on-the-loose story, about a burned-out newspaper columnist and his circulation-hungry publisher who wants him to turn the killer into Page One news. (imdb)
Grocery clerk Eddie Quaid, in danger of losing his father to alcoholism and his girl Julie through lack of career prospects, goes into boxing. His cop friend McBride finances him; ex-con Bernie Browne trains him. Three years later, he is a challenger for the championship, and Julie re-enters his life. (imdb)
S.O.S. Titanic (1979) - TV Movie
The Titanic disaster is depicted, primarily as seen through the eyes of one couple in each of the three classes on board. (imdb)
The plot concerns high-sea hijinks aboard the Caribbean Star, a combination cargo ship and floating casino. In the midst of the high rollers and spinning roulette wheels appears Luis Carreras, an amoral mercenary who hijacks the ship. Taking his marching orders from a mysterious mastermind, he installs an atomic device mid-ship, holding both the passengers and the bomb hostage, hoping to exchange them for the gold bullion of an U.S. Treasury ship... (allmovie.com)
This biography of the famous Lakota Sioux war chief is told entirely from the Indian viewpoint. (imdb)
American youth and flying ace flies for France in World War I; meets and loves a French girl and prostitute (imdb)
Successful Broadway star Janice Courtney collapses from exhaustion and is ordered to rest for six weeks at her country home in Connecticut. While there, she meets some people who change her life permanently, and discovers true love and happiness. (imdb)
Frank Gorshin and his girlfriend, Joyce Taylor, are on the run from the law when apprehended and arrested by the Sherriff, David Janssen. During the transport to jail Gorshin escapes and in the ensuing chase a forest fire is started. The nearby small town is threatened and the only means of escape is by train, led by David Janssen. (imdb)
When a Swiss bank finds that the confidentiality of some of its more vulnerable customers has been compromised it calls in an American investigator, who soon uncovers a web of deceit and blackmail. With old debts being paid off his own health is soon in danger, but at least he starts to gets to know one of the bank's female customers pretty well. (imdb)
A man tricked into enlisting in the Confederate army is later thrown into a hellish stockade on desertion charges. He eventually breaks out of the prison camp, reunites with his old partner and sets out to kill the man who was responsible for his being in the camp in the first place. However, after accidentally killing a Confederate officer, he finds himself pursued by a gang of vicious bounty hunters intent on collecting the reward put up by the dead officer's widow. (imdb)
CIA agent's life is endangered after he writes a book about his career with the agency. (imdb)
The story of flamboyant Prohibition-era gangster, gambler and bootlegger Arnold Rothstein. (imdb)
An over-the-hill movie producer marries a wealthy, spiteful woman and closeted lesbian just to please his spoiled daughter who then, in an attempt to spite him, seduces both a wealthy playboy and a local screenwriter. (imdb)
Fer-de-Lance (1974) - TV Movie
An American submarine leaves Tierra Del Fuego, and one of its crew has secretly brought aboard a container full of poisonous snakes which escape storage and bite key personnel on the submarine, causing an accident that cripples the vehicle so that it drops to the bottom of the Southern Ocean. Worse still, the snakes are still at large on the submarine and complicate the efforts of the crew to escape the sunken vessel. (imdb)
On a gloomy night outside the old MacLeod castle, Francis, a talking mule, witnesses the castle's curator, Mr. Jason, and handyman Hugo murder lawyer Roger Andrews. Much wackiness ensues (TCM)
Birds of Prey (1973) - TV Movie
Harry Walker, X-military pilot, works for a radio station in Salt Lake City as a traffic helicopter pilot. While on his rounds he observes a bank robbery taking place and the abduction of a female teller. He follows, 1st the criminals in their car, then they transfer to a helicopter. Harry is running out of fuel so he stops on the road to flag down a tanker truck, gets fuel then continues the pursuit. (imdb)
Francis the talking mule gets his owner in and out of trouble while he is taking basic training at West Point. (imdb)
Complaining that Francis the Mule was getting more fan mail than he was, Donald O'Connor bade adios to the "Francis" series with this 1955 entry. Once more, O'Connor plays Army lieutenant Peter Sterling, who heads to a navy base when it looks like his old pal Francis is about to be auctioned off as surplus. In short order, Sterling is mistaken for a bos'n's mate whom he resembles, and it's off to sea for both Peter and the mule. (allmovie.com)
College students Andy Shaeffer and Susan Daniels are pinned. While Susan works hard to put herself through college, Andy sponges off his parents, his mother, Madeline Shaeffer, who in particular will give him whatever he wants. In other words, Andy is a mama's boy, which he doesn't really realize. Andy and Susan have used the word love to describe their relationship, but Susan isn't sure if that's what they are really feeling for each other or if it is solely a loveless passion. (imdb)
Smile Jenny, You're Dead (1974) - TV Movie
An ex-cop moonlighting as a private investigator looks into the murder of the son-in-law of his friend and gets involved with the victim's wife, who is his friend's daughter. (imdb)
Hijack! (1973) - TV Movie
Two truck drivers are hired to transport a top-secret cargo from New York to Houston. Along the way they must evade attempts by a terrorist group to hijack the material. (imdb)
The Denbow family hope to freeze out homesteaders by denying access across their land; but to evade a murder charge, Glenn Denbow marries the only witness, Jane, who's conveniently in love with him, but favors the settlers. When Glenn goes back to his blackmailing old flame Lottie, a warm regard develops between Jane and cousin Kirk Denbow. Things come to a head when an impending range war coincides with a rustling foray. (imdb)
Pioneer Woman (1973) - TV Movie
A homesteading family in the 1867 Wyoming faces a crisis when the husband is killed and the wife must decide whether to remain or take her son and daughter back East. (imdb)
Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (1976) - TV Movie
The co-pilot and engineer of a passenger jet struggle to keep the plane airborne until it can reach an open airfield after a killer aboard the plane fires a gun at an engine and pilot of the plane. (imdb)
The educated chimp moves in with a college football coach's family. (imdb)
Based on a popular comic strip, this touching children's drama centers on an adorable saucer-eyed Italian war orphan who sneaks into the U.S. by stowing away aboard a returning naval ship. He did this in part to be with the benevolent soldiers who showed him kindness on the Christmas Eve before the war ended. (allmovie.com)
Jim Bolton, a well-off businessman from Chicago hears that his daughter Doris is pregnant in New York. Since he did not even know she was seeing anyone he fears the worst. Unbeknownst to him, his daughter and the father of his grandchild, Walter marry shortly before Jim's arrival in New York. Upon his arrival he is shocked to hear that Doris and Walter plan not only a natural childbirth but the birth will take place in their apartment NOT a hospital. (imdb)
An elderly, venerable priest, goes over the Golden Gate bridge and everyone except his nurse, Sister Benecia, believes that it was suicide. Sister Benecia finally convices the police department to assign a dectective, the cynical, irascible Paul Silver, to investigate. The "Mad Nun" and the "Mad Cop" become a formidable investigative team -- and much, much more. (imdb)
Don Martin is a star hockey player with the Wildcats until he is barred from Hockey for hitting a referee. Through the actions of Chris, Don is able to get a job with Buzz Fletcher's ice-show as the novelty act. Chris trains with Don and he is a success, and they marry. But Gale is also interested in Don and when Don has a chance to leave and join Jack's premiere show, Gale takes him drinking. As an alcoholic, he is in no shape to skate for Jack; so Buzz has Chris do a routine. (imdb)
The Longest Night (1972) - TV Movie
Daughter of a wealthy family is kidnapped and imprisoned underground in a coffin, while her family and the police search for her. (imdb)
Jim Trask, former sheriff of Abilene, returns to the town after fighting for the Confederacy to find everyone thought he was dead. His old friend Dave Mosely is now engaged to Trask's former sweetheart and is one of the cattlemen increasingly feuding with the original farmers. Trask is persuaded to take up as sheriff again but there is something about the death of Mosely's brother in the Civil War that is haunting him.
A private eye's (David Janssen) search for a missing heiress leads him to a woman (Dina Merrill) from his Korean War past. (moviefone.com)
The Fugitive (1963) - TV Series
A doctor, wrongly convicted for a murder he didn't commit, escapes custody and must stay ahead of the police to find the real killer. (imdb)
Harry O (1973) - TV Series
Harry Orwell is a world-weary private investigator who was forced to leave the San Diego Police Department after a bullet became lodged near his spine. He lived on the beach, and, when not working on a current case, spent much of his time fixing up his boat, which was called The Answer. Harry O was unusual in that he didn't own a flashy car in which to conduct high-speed chases, preferring to ride the bus instead.
A "Sixties Generation" comedy about an offbeat father-son relationship. Dad runs a Las Vegas hotel-casino and his son is a college student with a different set of moral and ethical standards. When they meet in Vegas, they immediately clash in their efforts to understand one another. (imbd)
The Word (1978) - TV Mini-Series
A document is discovered that appears to be an ancient eyewitness account of the life of Jesus Christ. A public relations executive is hired to publicize this document as a new version of the Bible, but he finds himself enmeshed in controversy and intrigue.
A Sensitive, Passionate Man (1977) - TV Movie
The marriage of a wealthy, outwardly happy couple is threatened by the husband's alcoholism.
Stalk the Wild Child (1976) - TV Movie
A young boy who had been abandoned as a child and raised by wild dogs is taken to a university, where a team attempts to teach him civilized behavior.
Night Chase (1970) - TV Movie
A man fleeing the scene of his wife's shooting forms an unexpected relationship with the tough cab driver he hires to drive him to the Mexican border.
Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) - TV Series
Richard Diamond is a suave private investigator, who, at first, walks the mean streets of New York City, then later packs up and moves to Los Angeles, California, where he tools around in a convertible with a car phone. His sexy receptionist Sam, whose face we never see, minds the office, while Diamond solves his cases.