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Hello Darlin'!: Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life
On November 21, 1980, over 350 million people worldwide tuned in to find Who shot J.R.? In portraying the scheming, ruthless J.R. in Dallas during its run from 1978 to 1991, Larry Hagman reached a level of fame and recognition that is rare, if not unique. Now the man behind J.R. tells his own story in an autobiography that is at once rowdy and moving, self-searching and scandalous, juicy and a "recovery story" — and often outrageously funny.Though Larry Hagman is best known for his starring roles in two hugely successful television series, I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas, his life has been a star act from birth. Born into the theatrical purple as the son of the legendary Mary Martin, Larry Hagman received his first exposure to the heady world of show business through Broadway's most beloved leading lady. Following a stint in a soap opera, he got his big break with I Dream of Jeannie, and from that came instant fame and celebrity, from which he never looked back. It was as J.R., however, in the phenomenally successful series Dallas (the second longest-running TV drama in history), that Hagman earned his greatest fame. Taking the reader behind the scenes, he shares many stories of ego clashes, off-screen relationships, and flamboyant behavior during his work on that series—and the pain he experienced as drugs and alcohol began to take their toll. The greatest drama in Larry Hagman's life came when he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and entered into a race against time to find a liver donor. Dishy, witty, frank, and unsparing of Larry Hagman himself and of others, Hello Darlin'! is, like its author, destined for international fame—a rare memoir by a show-business celebrity that not only makes us laugh, applaud, and cry, but also leaves us with respect and admiration for a man who can not only tell a good story about others, but reveal something of himself.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 8, 2016
This is a pretty good memoir from Larry Hagman. It was written in 2001. I prefer memoirs since I can read from the actual person instead of a biography were a writer is gathering "facts". I found Larry Hagman to be honest in his memoir. He goes not paint himself as perfect. He writes of his childhood living in several homes. His mother the famous Mary Martin had him when she was only 17. his parents divorced when he was small. He lived for a few years with his grandmother while his mother starts her career as an actress. He writes of his step father Richard who he did not get along with. this book takes him from birth to 2001. I liked reading about his work on I Dream of Jeannie and Dallas. I watched both shows. He writes about his liver transplant that saved his life. If someone is a fan of Larry Hagman, they many enjoy this memoir.
May 19, 2025
Best known to TV audiences as Major Anthony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie and J.R. Ewing on Dallas, Larry Hagman had a personal life filled with chaos, addiction, and frustration. In his fast-paced autobiography, Hello Darlin’, Hagman sets the record straight about many wild stories spread about him over the decades, giving readers insight into his eventful life and career.
Hagman was a man who was passionate about life and his career. Even when his career was in a slump or his addictions got the best of him, Larry soldiered on, determined to take the next step in his life and his profession. He pushed his body and his mind to their limits, often with severe consequences, but he always learned from his mistakes and evolved as a person and an actor.
Hagman’s early days as an actor and serving in the military could fill a book on their own. So many events are packed into the beginning of the book that it’s incredible to think that all these things happened to him before he got his first significant TV role in 1965. Despite his reputation as a troublemaker, I was happy to see that once he met and married his wife, Maj, he remained monogamous and never strayed like so many celebrities do. Maj was a firm foundation for him, a strong woman who supported and comforted him in his lowest moments.
Most of what I knew about Larry Hagman revolved around his rebellious antics behind the scenes of I Dream of Jeannie, and he addresses many of those incidents in the book. Barbara Eden also discusses a couple of these events in her autobiography, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, and as would be expected, both have alternate perspectives on what happened.
It’s clear from Larry’s perspective that he was frustrated with the quality of the scripts on Jeannie and wanted to produce a quality product. Sometimes his frustration would manifest in immature and ridiculous ways, leading to the rumors that he was challenging to work with. Hagman sets the record straight about one extreme incident that occurred, which led him to seek the help of a psychiatrist and also to experiment with LSD.
After the show’s cancellation, Larry’s next big series took him back to his birthplace of Texas when he landed the role of the iconic TV villain J.R. Ewing on the primetime soap, Dallas. A pop culture phenomenon that became an international addiction, Dallas would provide Hagman with a career trajectory that would make J.R. Ewing a household name, and the attempt on the character’s life would make it one of the most-watched shows in history.
Larry Hagman was a hard-working actor who fought to make every project he worked on the best it could be. Did his approach sometimes rub people the wrong way? Yes, but the results were worth the headaches Hagman caused producers and others. Ultimately, his passion for the project and his desire to ensure its success were all that mattered.
While his career takes center stage in the book, the final third of the autobiography delves into his sudden need for a liver transplant and the quest for a donor. The whole process of getting the transplant is stressful enough; I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through that while avoiding the paparazzi.
Larry Hagman passed away in 2012, but his legacy and status as a pop culture icon live on.
Hello Darlin’ was a fun book to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed Hagman’s perspectives on his career and life. If you’re a fan of I Dream of Jeannie or Dallas, I highly recommend this book!
Hagman was a man who was passionate about life and his career. Even when his career was in a slump or his addictions got the best of him, Larry soldiered on, determined to take the next step in his life and his profession. He pushed his body and his mind to their limits, often with severe consequences, but he always learned from his mistakes and evolved as a person and an actor.
Hagman’s early days as an actor and serving in the military could fill a book on their own. So many events are packed into the beginning of the book that it’s incredible to think that all these things happened to him before he got his first significant TV role in 1965. Despite his reputation as a troublemaker, I was happy to see that once he met and married his wife, Maj, he remained monogamous and never strayed like so many celebrities do. Maj was a firm foundation for him, a strong woman who supported and comforted him in his lowest moments.
Most of what I knew about Larry Hagman revolved around his rebellious antics behind the scenes of I Dream of Jeannie, and he addresses many of those incidents in the book. Barbara Eden also discusses a couple of these events in her autobiography, Jeannie Out of the Bottle, and as would be expected, both have alternate perspectives on what happened.
It’s clear from Larry’s perspective that he was frustrated with the quality of the scripts on Jeannie and wanted to produce a quality product. Sometimes his frustration would manifest in immature and ridiculous ways, leading to the rumors that he was challenging to work with. Hagman sets the record straight about one extreme incident that occurred, which led him to seek the help of a psychiatrist and also to experiment with LSD.
After the show’s cancellation, Larry’s next big series took him back to his birthplace of Texas when he landed the role of the iconic TV villain J.R. Ewing on the primetime soap, Dallas. A pop culture phenomenon that became an international addiction, Dallas would provide Hagman with a career trajectory that would make J.R. Ewing a household name, and the attempt on the character’s life would make it one of the most-watched shows in history.
Larry Hagman was a hard-working actor who fought to make every project he worked on the best it could be. Did his approach sometimes rub people the wrong way? Yes, but the results were worth the headaches Hagman caused producers and others. Ultimately, his passion for the project and his desire to ensure its success were all that mattered.
While his career takes center stage in the book, the final third of the autobiography delves into his sudden need for a liver transplant and the quest for a donor. The whole process of getting the transplant is stressful enough; I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through that while avoiding the paparazzi.
Larry Hagman passed away in 2012, but his legacy and status as a pop culture icon live on.
Hello Darlin’ was a fun book to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed Hagman’s perspectives on his career and life. If you’re a fan of I Dream of Jeannie or Dallas, I highly recommend this book!
August 7, 2017
Wonderful!
This is a great read especially since it was written by the man who lived it! Highly recommend this book to anyone who is Larry Hagman or fan of 'Dallas". Very insightful and hard to put down. Hated to see the book end!!
This is a great read especially since it was written by the man who lived it! Highly recommend this book to anyone who is Larry Hagman or fan of 'Dallas". Very insightful and hard to put down. Hated to see the book end!!
July 4, 2019
Enjoyed a great story by a great guy
Great story, great guy! Wish he was still alive. His portrayal of JR Euing can never be matched. A truly lovable villain that will always be legend.
Great story, great guy! Wish he was still alive. His portrayal of JR Euing can never be matched. A truly lovable villain that will always be legend.
December 16, 2022
Loved reading this biography about one of my all time favorite character actors. Very well written and interesting life he lived inside and out of his acting career. Recommend to any fan of his for a great reading experience.
January 5, 2019
Fun book
I enjoyed reading about Larry Hagman. A fan of his for many years, I learned about his life and family
I enjoyed reading about Larry Hagman. A fan of his for many years, I learned about his life and family
November 10, 2025
Nice bio
I really enjoyed this autobiography. I read Barbara Eden's first and decided to read Larry's next. Sounds like a life well-lived.
I really enjoyed this autobiography. I read Barbara Eden's first and decided to read Larry's next. Sounds like a life well-lived.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews