TV and Movies

[Oznell]

Oh, yes, @Pearlee -- I can never remember if the thing with Rosemary Forsyth was during Dani's tenure or Ellie's?  (At one time I knew some of this stuff, but a lot of it falls away!)

Suzanne Pleshette in one of those interviews from the Archive, I think, said something like DJ told her then-hubby Tommy that Suzanne was the one he should have married.  She amuses me b/c a lot of what she says is sort of self-serving, but she's funny and endearing, so I don't really mind.  When we get to "World's End", I wonder if I should post a video of her reminiscing fondly about DJ.  She is a wonderful raconteur!

[mousiegirl]

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@Oznell wrote:

I meant that statement, @Pearlee , about inflated senses of power, etc.,  probably more in the general sense of "Hollywood", than as applying to DJ individually, but in a sense, I think it does apply in his case somewhat.

His actions (or anyone who behaves that way) sort of demonstrate that to me.  Whatever the state of his marriage, by all accounts much this stuff was going on while it was still "intact", and his wife was reportedly very hurt by it.  Yes, he was no doubt conscious of his magnetism, but he went further and chose to exercise it, repeatedly, in a very public way.  That to me says an individual has an inflated sense that HIS wants override those reasonable expectations of others (like someone he's shared vows with, for example.)  The fact that many women were eager to participate doesn't have an impact on his own personal responsibility.

Whew, of course I have no first hand knowledge of the complexities of his marriage or r'ships, clearly!  But all I'm saying is that he made conscious choices (that may have been influenced or not by the rarefied, laissez-faire atmosphere he swam in that encourages that behavior, and worse), and those choices don't make me admire his personal behavior.  I reserve that respect for others, with a different code of personal conduct.

But I am also singularly impressed by his talent, and always have been.       

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@Oznell   His alcoholism probably allowed him to blame his actions on that, whether out loud or only to himself.  Obviously, he had issues, to drink himself to death, basically, wonder if either of his wives knew what they were.  He was REALLY good looking today on screen, could be that I had only watched the series on a small screen, and today viewed it on a much larger tv screen.

[Pearlee]

@mousiegirl He had serious issues with his mother Berniece. He left her out of his will purposely (he predeceased her) and I think she contested it against his widow Dani. He had lifelong issues and depression about his mother.
I wouldn't say he drank himself to death. He did indeed drink heavily but died of a massive heart attack. I'm sure his heavy smoking (4 pkgs / day)
could have contributed to that and if I'm not mistaken his birth father died young of a heart attack so it could have been genetic.

@Oznell I think Rosemary Forsythe was right after Ellie but I don't know that she broke up the marriage since he had numerous affairs during that marriage. I have never read Dani name the woman DJ moved in with for a while when he was married to her.

[mousiegirl]

I didn't realize David Jansen was only forty-eight when he died, way too young.

[Pearlee]

I know. I'll never forget learning that bit of news. I had an crush on him for years (still do) and The Fugitive remains my favorite TV show of all time.

I had left work early to go to a doctor's appointment and was in the waiting room reading Time Magazine and under their Milestones section, under Deaths, it said David Janssen had died from a heart attack. I almost started crying I was so sad and shocked! When I went in to see the doctor he told me I was white as sheet and started talking about anemia and I had to tell him no, I was just so shocked to read in his waiting room that my longtime crush David Janssen had died! (I've never had anemia😄 )

[Oznell]

Good point about the alchoholism being a convenient excuse, @mousiegirl .  Gosh, it's just so sad that a life that could have conceivably been much longer and even more productive.

It would be fascinating to know who that mystery woman was, @Pearlee .   I had forgotten about his conflict with his mother, too.  A lot of drama in a relatively short life.

Edited to add:  I just saw about your trauma in the doctor's office, @Pearlee --  how awful to find out about his death, suddenly and out of the blue like that!

[twinsister]

I heard the news of DJ's death while at work. Had a little radio on my desk and heard it right before I left for the day.  I even mentioned it to my boss because I felt bad, but I don't think she knew who I was talking about.

I had read about DJ's issues with his mother, but forgot about it.  Seems like he did not forgive his mother for his troubled childhood.  As much as he was known for his womanizing, everyone said he was such a nice guy, which may make people overlook it. Like you all have said, I don't condone that behavior.  

[Pearlee]

From what I've read, first wife Ellie never got over him and never remarried.

[Shelbelle]

He was only married a short time when he died, his wife asked Suzanne Pleshette to deliver his eulogy. I wonder if their relationship was more than just friends. 

[Pearlee]

He had an affair with Pleshette when he was married to his first wife Ellie. Pleshette was in 2 Fugitive episodes.