With a career spanning thirty-four years, David Janssen was known as “the hardest working actor in the history of television.”
David was the product of the classic stage mother, Berneice Janssen. Appearing in the 1945 feature film, It’s A Pleasure – starring Sonja Henie, Michael O’Shea and Marie McDonald – his role was as Davey, a boy referee. It was his first taste of being an actor. Years later, he was quoted as saying, “It beat working in a gas station.”
David Janssen’s Feature Films:
(Year – Role – Title)
1981
David Feld – Inchon
1980
Vince Perrino – City in Fear (TV Movie)
Glencoe MacDonald – High Ice (TV Movie)
1979
Det. Sgt. Paul Silver – The Golden Gate Murders (TV Movie)
John Jacob Astor – S.O.S. Titanic (TV Movie)
Host – Biography (TV Series)
1978-1979
Paul Garrett/Narrator – Centennial (TV Mini-Series)
1978
Steve Randall – The Word (TV Mini-Series)
Lester Horton – Covert Action
Harry Adams – Nowhere to Run (TV Movie)
Mike Shelley – Superdome (TV Movie)
1977
Charles Conway – Golden Rendezvous
Sgt. Joe Wilson – Police Story (TV Series)
Michael Delaney – A Sensitive, Passionate Man (TV Movie)
Tony Stevens – Warhead
1976
Captain Pete Douglass – Mayday at 40,000 Feet! (TV Movie)
Steve – Two-Minute Warning
Dr. James Hazard – Stalk the Wild Child (TV Movie)
David Christopher – The Swiss Conspiracy
1973 – 1976
Harry Orwell – Harry O (TV Series)
1975
Tom Colt – Once Is Not Enough
1974
Russ Bogan – Fer-de-Lance (TV Movie)
Harry Orwell – Smile Jenny, You’re Dead (TV Movie)
Eddie Loman – Little Boy Lost (Short)
1973
Robert Douglas – Pioneer Woman (TV Movie)
Jake Wilkenson – Hijack! (TV Movie)
Ian Kirk – Cannon (TV Series)
Harry Walker – Birds of Prey (TV Movie)
1972
Sheriff Aaron Whitaker – Moon of the Wolf (TV Movie)
Alan Chambers – The Longest Night (TV Movie)
1971 -1972
Jim O’Hara/James O’Hara – O’Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV Series)
1970
Adrian Vico – Night Chase (TV Movie)
Diego Callahan – Macho Callahan
1969
Jim Bolton – Generation
Ted Dougherty – Marooned
A.C. – Where It’s At
1968
George Faber – The Shoes of the Fisherman
George Beckworth – The Green Berets
1967
Sgt. Tom Valens – Warning Shot
1963 – 1967
Dr. Richard Kimble, and others – The Fugitive (TV Series)
1963
Marty Bliss – My Six Loves
Kenneth ‘Ken’ Morgan – The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series)
Dr. Richard Kimble / James Lincoln – The Fugitive (TV Movie)
1961-1963
Carl Ashland / Blair Cameron – Naked City (TV Series)
1962
Hal Kincaid – The Eleventh Hour (TV Series)
Karno Starling – Route 66 (TV Series)
Kraft Mystery Theater (TV Series)
Danny Castle – Belle Sommers (TV Movie)
Dan Mullin – Cain’s Hundred (TV Series)
Len Kobalsky – Checkmate (TV Series)
Johnny Sadowsky – Follow the Sun (TV Series)
Pat Howard – General Electric Theater (TV Series)
Robbie Wilson – Target: The Corruptors (TV Series)
1961
Scotty Bell – Adventures in Paradise (TV Series)
Vince Biskay – Man-Trap
Tom Alder – Twenty Plus Two
Sgt. Steve Walsh – Ring of Fire
Arnold Rothstein – King of the Roaring 20s: The Story of Arnold Rothstein
Dealey – Dondi
Dr. Bill Breckenridge – Death Valley Days (TV Series)
1960
Sgt. Bill Hazen – Hell to Eternity
1959
Ross Ingraham – Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series)
1958
Duke Sinclair – Lafayette Escadrille
1957-1960
Richard Diamond/Chuck Garrett – Richard Diamond, Private Detective (TV Series)
1957-1959
Dix Porter/Seth Larker/Tod Owen/others – Zane Grey Theater (TV Series)
1957-1958
David Barrett/Peter Miller – The Millionaire (TV Series)
Jim McCandless/Mike Harper – Alcoa Theatre (TV Series)
1957
Grat Dalton – You Are There (TV Series)
Sid Lukes – Conflict (TV Series)
1956
Capt. Genaro – The Girl He Left Behind
Verne Ward – Showdown at Abilene
Master of Ceremonies – Mr. Black Magic (Short)
Arnie Hix – The Sheriff of Cochise (TV Series)
Paul Merrick – Matinee Theatre (TV Series)
Police Lt. Hopkins – Francis in the Haunted House
Larry Tripps – The Toy Tiger
Dave Heller – Never Say Goodbye
1955
Jack Lindsay – The Square Jungle
Lt. Lee – To Hell and Back
Lt. Anders – Francis in the Navy
Young Lieutenant – The Private War of Major Benson
Rico Nardi – Cult of the Cobra
Lt. Colin Cartwright – Chief Crazy Horse
1955-1956
Johnny Reynolds Jr./Joe Davies/Ralph – Lux Video Theatre (TV Series)
1954
Quiz Show Host – Leave It to Harry (Short)
1952
Beckett – Yankee Buccaneer
1956
Talker – Away All Boats
1955
Freddie Norton – All That Heaven Allows
Narrator – The Nat ‘King’ Cole Musical Story (Short)
1952
Soldier – Back at the Front
Jack – Bonzo Goes to College
Lottie’s Dance Partner – Untamed Frontier
Cpl. Thomas (as Dave Janssen) – Francis Goes to West Point
Soldier (scenes deleted) – No Room for the Groom
1951
Armored Car Driver – Boston Blackie (TV Series)
1946
Emile’s Eldest Son – Swamp Fire
1945
Crusade of Youth (Short)