Larry Hagman on Today Show (1980)

Tom Brokaw interviews Larry in the midst of the "Who Shot J.R.?" frenzy.

[@Via_The_Void]

Larry Hagman was a brilliant actor. May he Rest In Peace.

[@HappyBarbieFamilyShow516]

He was funny on I dream of Jeannie and Dallas

[@manofthehour6856]

Agreed!! Mr. Hagman would have won an Academy Award had he been given the right film role. Simply brilliant, but underrated because he critics saw him as a soap opera and comedy role actor. But not all soap operas are created equal, and neither are human beings, fortunately....that's how we are graced with the talents of the likes of Larry Hagaman. Thank God he loved life and lived it, and the joy he shared with us all while doing just that. I miss him dearly.

[@niniimuka]

When he puts his hat,I see J.R.,without it he is major Tony Nelson

[@otisroseboro2837]

Yes i agree

[@valerieoyola6804]

Same

[@heartstrings7814]

Damn!! He was only 49 years old here?? Wow. I've been a fan of his since I was a very small child watching him in " I dream of Jeannie". I'm now in my 50's....these old clips are surreal. Love this man's talent and acting range. A true Legend.

[@bilalahmed2123]

Such an amazing actor ! No one could do the role of JR Ewing like he had done. A truly modest and good hearted human being. May he rest in peace !

[@manofthehour6856]

I agree wholeheartedly Bilal Ahmed!!! The character just took him over and when he was on screen, especially as J R Ewing, he WAS that character for all intents and purposes. As I think of it, it is amazing how he was able to take such a despicable character and develop all the multiple facets that allowed him to still have the charisma to be likeable. And that's just one character role among others. I truly believe that had he done more film roles, he would have won an Academy Award. I went to see "Primary Colors" in 1996 only because he appeared in it, and that was only a small display of his talents. He seemed damned to television because of the perception he was a soap opera actor. And yes, such a truly modest and good hearted human being, as you say. Obviously he made lots of immodest comments, but they were in jest. He enjoyed life as best he could, and we got to enjoy life that much more because of him. God bless him!!!!!

[@cretan982]

Class. Wasn't full of himself. No speaking Sunday - I like it.. lol. RIP

[@C.R886]

Not like today's actors!

[@terencehennegan1439]

What a genuinely great guy he was, as big a star he was he never took himself seriously.

[@manofthehour6856]

LOL, he was terrific!!! I miss actors like himself who not only had remarkable talents, dedication to hard work, and a sense of humility and scope, but also were not divas.

[@suzannepitchford4558]

There will only ever be one JR Ewing.

[@otisroseboro2837]

Yes i agree i have all seasons on dvd & the reboot of Dallas seasons on dvd as well

[@thefurrybastard1964]

Every character he played was very well crafted, the man was a consummate actor.

[@22maestro]

The Batman I absolutely agree. The only role that was a bit of a stretch for him was when he played Sherlock Holmes. The Texas accent just didn’t fit but the man was a brilliant actor. And of course the only one who could be JR Ewing.

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

Part of the reason why Larry enjoyed himself so much is that his success as JR came at a time where he was relatively middle aged. He was AWARE of his success and what it meant contrary to others who have success young and for them it's like a car crash.

[@dzanier]

He really strikes me as having been a first rate human being.

[@yup5581]

Johnny Skinwalker he said he did lsd and wasn’t afraid of death anymore

[@yup5581]

@D B shit bro sell me some too

[@cdbutler1204]

He said he would play JR for another 30 years. And he was right.

[@darker91]

Damn I'm gonna miss this guy!

Great actor, great man, he's been a part of my virtual life since my teenage. RIP Mr Talent! DG

[@CR-vj6vv]

One of the most charismatic yet evil roles ever played on television! RIP to a legend!

[@carolynargabright8132]

He was so adorable in this interview.

[@leesas_classics1722]

Carolyn Argabright I love this man so handsome.

[@robonez]

What a guy!!!! Larry Hagman was amazing! \m/

[@pradeepbalakrishnan3128]

Who shot JR was the mother of all TV drama cliff hangers

[@carolynargabright8132]

It was the first.

[@justinturley7071]

@@carolynargabright8132 the tv series SOAP in 1978 actually started the cliffhanger. But, in a SOAP opera terms it started it all.

[@saymynameice-zen-berg511]

Probably my favourite tv villain

[@angelinat3330]

Jr is the most iconic character then, now and never will be another

[@Emick1978]

He’s awesome

[@thangvuong9196]

So down to earth

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

What a handsome & interesting man ;p

[@ldyh03]

Mayor Nelson qué guapo y admirable, difícil de olvidar

[@tracyyy99]

Mr Larry Hagman...(aka JR Ewing) You were a legend sir...may you R.I.P.

[@SpaceCattttt]

The Man!

[@kascnef]

JR is gone, but Tom Brokaw lives on

[@tklogan111809]

Who's Brokaw? lol

[@TheEwing69]

Justin Fencsak Tom is even more understandable today. Sounds like he has marbles in his mouth. 😂😂😂

[@aurelf3158]

Was a huge actor

[@Vivi-cu7ez]

Always handsome no matter his age

[@redmanr5522]

Larry Hagman, the only Dallas actor who actually IS from Texas, and the DFW area, also Patrick Duffy's TV daughter Christine Lakin from Step by Step is from DFW.

[@LilannB]

The biggest surprise for me in this interview is that Larry was 49 in 1980 which would make him about the same age as my mother back then. I thought Larry and JR were both early 40s.

[@gm12551]

He aged fairly quickly. Alcohol and drugs…

[@JanetRoe]

Thanks for sharing!

[@gladyshuamansoto8416]

Un actor de primera yo lo adoraba era mi amor imposible .

[@irishelk3]

What a guy

[@gertrudisrios3950]

Era guapísimo, este Gringo... recuerdo que actuó en la película Dallas, películas que se transmitían mucho en la TV, Columbo, Los Ángeles de Charlys etc

[@siriustoni]

R.I.P Larry

[@robertyates9500]

At the end of this clip, he mentions that he just had his 49th birthday last Sunday. That would be September 21, 1980. So this is probably late-September or early Ocrober 1980.

[@Andreas1986xyz]

49..and now he's dead since almost 10 years. About time.

[@ajaw_deej]

Forty- niiiiiine!!!!!! And still hot.

[@assignmentearth2899]

I've said before, but the way Hagman falls off the ends of some sentences.....very familiar to how my grandfather talked. That's a disctinctive Texas accent.

[@jonstefanik9400]

J.R. Ewing was great. The ruthlessness. The power. The money. The women. We need you back Larry. Rest In Peace Larry Hagman. Burn In Hell J.R. Ewing.

[@redmanr5522]

1978, was a great year, the premiere of Dallas, the tolls were removed on I-30/ Tom Landry Freeway, it stopped being the DFW Turnpike. Also the Cowboys beat the Broncos at SB 12 to become two time champs.

[@redmanr5522]

and in Chicago, I-90 was switched over from the Eisenhower to the Kennedy and thus the Ike became I-290.

[@2000Betelgeuse]

1:42 he says he was constantly recognized, according to the daughters book in the late 90's If my memory serves me correctly, tells the story that he was walking around the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle, nobody recognized him for the longest time, he felt depressed, until it occurred to him to grab a large plastic fish that was laying around and used it as a prop, running around the market with it, until people paid notice..then he got happy

[@TheEwing69]

2000Betelgeuse not recognized by 20, 30 somethings in 1999, not surprising.

[@carolynargabright8132]

This interview was conducted at the height of "Dallas'" popularity in 1980, I would hardly compare that with something that occurred 18 years later, by that time "Dallas" wasn't on TV.

[@bastian_anibal]

49 years old? he looks older here. last years in the 70s he really looked different.

[@TheEwing69]

turtoise6 he was 48 in April 1978

[@2000Betelgeuse]

of course he was heavy into booze and drugs...that has a tendency to age folk

[@mateoairaudo5535]

Sadly, that must´ve been for his alcohol addiction.

[@TrollMeister_]

He drank heavily on the set (off camera) of Dallas. It took a toll on his appearance and and also his health

[@karenbanta5778]

It's so great that he used to party and get high with Keith Moon

[@matthijssijbers6089]

the best forever is jr.

[@tardistime6857]

RIP

[@sakinehbs]

he cool.

[@ilmagnifico82]

He was a descent, straight person in real life i guess!

[@A.C31]

It was Kristin! It was Kristin! It was Kristin! ha.

[@latteliz1944]

Jeff Brown yes it was

[@latteliz1944]

Jeff Brown as of matter of fact I'm watching season 4 now

[@bilalahmed2123]

elizabeth matthews where did you get the season from ?

[@latteliz1944]

Bilal Ahmed Kodi

[@A.C31]

Bilal Ahmed Barnes & Noble has it.

[@lightningsmokerXx]

Well he wasn't wrong , the role did go on for about that, 20 , 30 years.

[@kulturfreund6631]

Admired like Shakespeare.

[@coletanner5193]

I've been saying after 21 it's all downhill for years!

[@jako3214]

Oh my 1980 "49' looks like 59 & Tom Brokaw at 40 looks 50!! 😬Lol

[@stclairstclair]

You wont say that then your 55(me)

[@MiracleSanchez10]

Jr.tougher then any Victor Newman

[@TheEwing69]

sabrina kennedy victor who ??

[@carolynargabright8132]

@@TheEwing69 On "Young and Restless", played by Eric Braeden, one sexy man, though J.R. is the man I'm crushing on right now.

[@ed2kou1]

Why wouldn't he talk on Sunday

[@cdgates1]

JayEd KC His silent sundays actually started on a friday when he spent 2 straight days taping rodeo scenes for a episode of I dream of jeannie titled "Ride 'em Astronaut." When he woke up saturday morning he could not utter a sound. The doctor told him he had strained his voice and advised him not to talk until monday. Since he did not have to work until wednesday he spent 4 whole days without speaking and rather enjoyed it. That next sunday he decided not to speak again. He did this for 25 years.

[@carolynargabright8132]

@@cdgates1 That episode of "Jeannie" you're talking about is one of my favorites, that's the one where he was wearing blue jeans, and looked great in them.

[@enrico_semeraroalberobello1522]

Ok.

[@GrandGame1440]

@kylemcgrath14 She was his mother.

[@truthful3777]

When he talk kije this, he doesn't sound JR to me but more like Major Nelson.