Larry Hagman 1931-2012

He was bad, so bad. But we loved him. We loved him so much that when he was shot in a "Dallas" season-ending cliffhanger in April 1980, we demanded, "Who Shot J.R.?" all summer.

Larry Hagman played one of television's best bad men in the Texas oil drama, and starred in one of the best-loved sitcoms of the 1960s, "I Dream of Jeannie." Hagman died, Friday, November 23, 2012, at his home in Dallas. He was 81.

Credit: AP Photo

The Fort Worth, Texas, native was the son of singer-actress Mary Martin, who starred in such classics as "South Pacific" and "Peter Pan." Martin was still in her teens when Hagman was born in 1931 during her marriage to attorney Ben Hagman.

Left: Mary Martin and her husband, Richard Holliday (left) gather around the rail of an ocean liner sailing for Europe from New York City, August 3, 1951. With them are their daughter, Mary Heller Holliday (second from right), and Larry Lartin Hagman (right), 19, the actress' son by her first marriage.

Credit: AP Photo/Robert Kradin

Lumet directed Henry Fonda again as the President in the nuclear thriller "Fail Safe" (1964). In background is Larry Hagman as the interpreter.

Credit: Columbia Pictures

Larry Hagman (right) was featured in the 1964 anti-war film "The Cavern," in which a disparate group is trapped in a cave during World War II.

As a youngster, Hagman had gained a reputation for mischief-making as he was bumped from one private school to another. He made a stab at New York theater in the early 1950s, then served in the Air Force from 1952-56 in England.

Hagman returned to acting and found work in the theater and in such TV series as "The U.S. Steel Hour," ''The Defenders" and "Sea Hunt." His first continuing role was as lawyer Ed Gibson on the daytime serial "The Edge of Night" (1961-63).

Credit: 20th Century Fox

Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman in a scene from the television show "I Dream of Jeannie" in 1967.

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Cameraman Sam Rosen and director Gero Nelson guide the star of "I Dream of Jeannie," Larry Hagman, as he emerges from a mockup of the Apollo space vehicle, filming at North American Aviation's Space Division in Downey, Calif., on June 4, 1965.

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Larry Hagman and Joanna Pettet starred in Sidney Lumet's tale of college graduates, "The Group" (1966), based on the novel by Mary McCarthy.

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Louis Gossett Jr and Larry Hagman played con men in the TV movie "Sidekicks" (1974).

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The cast of the series "Dallas" (1978-1991), with Larry Hagman (John Ross "J.R." Ewing, Jr.), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Barbara Bel Geddes (Eleanor Southworth "Miss Ellie" Ewing), Jim Davis (John Ross "Jock" Ewing, Sr.), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Ewing Cooper), Victoria Principal (Pamela Barnes Ewing) and Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs).

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Patrick Duffy, Barbara Bel Geddes and Larry Hagman, the stars of "Dallas."

Credit: CBS

Larry Hagman (right) as J.R. Ewing dispenses some Texas justice in the TV series "Dallas."

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Linda Gray and Larry Hagman, the stars of "Dallas," are seen in this January 16, 1985 file photo.

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This Feb. 2, 1979 file photo shows actor Larry Hagman next to a camera on the set of the television series "Dallas." Actor Larry Hagman, who for more than a decade played villainous patriarch JR Ewing in the TV soap "Dallas," has died at the age of 81, his family said Saturday Nov. 24, 2012.

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Larry Hagman is photographed with his wax portrait at Madame Tussaud's in London, November 17, 1980.

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Larry Hagman draws names out of a box for turkeys during smokeout ceremonies at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica on Nov. 18, 1982. Holding box is Beebe Axelson Hospital staffing co-ordinator. Gil Giluer was one of the winners.

Credit: AP Photo/Wally Fong

Larry Hagman starred in Blake Edwards' poison-pen letter to Hollywood, "S.O.B." (1981), a satire about the cruelties of the motion picture business.

First Lady Nancy Reagan and Larry Hagman, who plays J.R. Ewing on the television series "Dallas," conduct a press tour of a Christmas-decorated White House, Monday, Dec. 9, 1985 in Washington. An enlarged version of the Reagan Christmas card sits at left.

Credit: AP Photo/Bob Daugherty

In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 1986 file photo, actress Mary Martin touches the cheek of her son, actor Larry Hagman, at the after-theater party for "Legends," a play starring Martin and Carol Channing, at the Music Center in Los Angeles.

Credit: AP Photo/Reed Saxon

Britain's Prince Charles shares a light moment with Adrian Lester, Larry Hagman, Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer when the Prince met the cast of the film "Primary Colors," October 29, 1998, at the Charity Gala opening in the Empire Leicester Square, an event in aid of The Prince's Trust.

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Larry Hagman and his wife Maj at the Music Center's 18th Annual Distinguished Artist Award Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., June 4, 2001.

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"I Dream of Jeannie" co-stars Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman embrace before signing copies of the newly-released first season DVD of their show Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at a bookstore in New York.

Credit: AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

Actor Larry Hagman signs a copy of his his new book "Hello Darlin'" at a bookstore in Ojai, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 25, 2001.

Credit: AP Photo/Ventura County Star, Chuck Kirman

Actor Larry Hagman arrives at the "CBS At 75" celebration at the Hammerstein Ballroom November 2, 2003 in New York City, a special event commemorating the CBS Network's 75th anniversary.

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Actor Larry Hagman bares his chest to show off his scar from his liver transplant surgery at the opening ceremonies of the 2004 U.S. Transplant Games. in Minneapolis, Wednesday, July 28, 2004. Hagman, who played J.R. Ewing on the TV series, "Dallas" had life-saving liver transplant in 1995 and has served as honorary chairman of the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games since 1996.

Credit: AP Photo/Eric Miller

In this Oct. 9, 2008 photo, actor Larry Hagman poses in front of the Southfork Ranch mansion in Parker, Texas made famous in the television show "Dallas." Actor Larry Hagman, who for more than a decade played villainous patriarch J.R. Ewing in the TV soap "Dallas," has died at the age of 81, his family said Saturday Nov. 24, 2012.

Credit: File,AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy recreated their iconic roles form the original "Dallas" in the TNT reboot.

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The cast of the reboot of "Dallas."

Credit: TNT

Larry Hagman returned to the role of J.R. Ewing in TNT's reboot of "Dallas."

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Actor Larry Hagman poses at a photocall promoting the reboot of the TV series "Dallas" during the 2010 Monte Carlo Television Festival, at Grimaldi Forum on June 8, 2010 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.

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Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Larry Hagman pose in the Press Room during the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, Sunday, January 29, 2012.

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Actors Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, and Larry Hagman arrive at the TCM Classic Film Festival.

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Actor Larry Hagman poses during a press preview of the auction of his personal antiques, fine and decorative art, furniture, and memorabilia from the classic 1980s primetime soap opera "Dallas" on May 24, 2011.

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Actor Larry Hagman is shown in this 1989 file photo.

Credit: AP Photo/Alan Greth