Larry Hagman biography

Synopsis

Early Years

Actor, producer and director Larry Hagman was born on September 21, 1931, in Fort Worth, Texas, to actress Mary Martin and lawyer Ben Martin. After his parents divorced, Hagman moved to Los Angeles with his grandmother and mother. His mother, who ran a dance studio in Texas, moved to California to try to break into Hollywood. She went to a number of auditions, earning the nickname "Audition Mary," and worked hard to network with influential people in show business. At one point, she befriended gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, who was known to babysit Larry on occasion.

As his mother's career took off, Hagman was placed more and more in the care of his grandmother. But when Hagman's grandmother died, the 12-year-old boy was sent to New York City to be reunited with his mother. His mother had a thriving career on Broadway and had wed her second husband, Richard Halliday. During that time, Martin and Halliday also welcomed Hagman's half-sister, Mary.

Hagman was sent to boarding schools, where he first started drinking alcohol—a habit that would become a serious problem for him later in life. He then returned to Texas for the last two years of high school. There Hagman lived with his father, in the small town of Weatherford. During those two years, he developed an interest in theater and showed great promise as a performer.

After high school, Hagman spent a year at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. He then decided to follow in his mother's footsteps, and took to the stage. He had a small role in a New York City production of Taming of the Shrew, and spent some time doing regional theater during the early 1950s. Joining his mother, Hagman then appeared in the London production of South Pacific.

Hagman was forced to take a break from the stage in 1952, when he was drafted into the U.S. Air Force. He still found time for theater, however, and during his time in the service Hagman worked on productions for his fellow soldiers. After leaving the Air Force in 1956, Hagman returned to New York City, where he landed roles in several plays.

'I Dream of Jeannie'

Hagman's big career break did not come until he decided to return to Hollywood. In 1965, Hagman landed a role on his first major television series, I Dream of Jeannie, which was created by writer Sidney Sheldon. On the sitcom, Hagman played Tony Nelson, an astronaut who discovers a bottle with a genie, played by Barbara Eden, trapped inside.