Dallas' Larry Hagman Passes Away At 81

In unfortunate news, actor Larry Hagman has reportedly died at the age if 81. The actor best known for his roles in I Dreamed of Jeannie and Dallas was battling cancer and unfortunately passed away at a hospital in Dallas today. In addition to appearing in the new Dallas on TNT, Hagman's acting credits in recent years include Desperate Housewives and Nip/Tuck.

Dallas News reported the news of Hagman's death today, stating that he died at Medical City Dallas Hospital from complications due to his battle with cancer. This, according to the actor's family.

He played the part of Jeannie's "master" Captain Anthony Nelson in the classic NBC sitcom I Dream of Jeannie, starring opposite Barbara Eden in the beloved series, which ran for five seasons and more than a hundred episodes from 1965-1970. Hagman's also well known for playing the love-to-hate character J.R. in the original Dallas. His character was shot, leading to a very memorable mystery as fans of the drama wondered "Who shot J.R.?" It was thirty-two years ago last Wednesday that the big mystery was resolved in an episode titled "Who Done It?," which aired November 21, 1980. Hagman reprised the role for TNT's reboot of the series, which premiered last year. He appeared in ten episodes. According to THR, Hagman was undergoing treatment for cancer last fall and said at that time that it was a "very common and treatable form of cancer." He was receiving treatment for the disease while working on the show.

It's very sad to hear of his passing. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family in their time of loss.

Kelly West
Assistant Managing Editor

Kelly joined CinemaBlend as a freelance TV news writer in 2006 and went on to serve as the site’s TV Editor before moving over to other roles on the site. At present, she’s an Assistant Managing Editor who spends much of her time brainstorming and editing feature content on the site. She an expert in all things Harry Potter, books from a variety of genres (sci-fi, mystery, horror, YA, drama, romance -- anything with a great story and interesting characters.), watching Big Brother, frequently rewatching The Office, listening to Taylor Swift, and playing The Sims.