Carroll O’Connor and Larry Hagman, stars of iconic TV shows, shared a friendship that spanned decades and helped each other through harrowing times. Their roles in All in the Family, I Dream of Jeannie, and Dallas left an indelible mark on pop culture history, but behind the scenes, their bond was equally remarkable.
Larry Hagman and Carroll O’Connor were longtime friends
Before Larry Hagman became known as Major Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie and J.R. Ewing on Dallas, and before Carroll O’Connor transformed into the iconic Archie Bunker on All in the Family, both actors honed their craft in theater. They met while working on a stage play together in the late 1950s, as Hagman detailed in his memoir, Hello Darlin’!: Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales About My Life. This meeting sparked a 40-year friendship. They often stayed at each other’s homes, whether on the East or West Coast, and their families grew close, sharing many moments together.
As their careers flourished, Hagman and O’Connor settled in California. After I Dream of Jeannie became a hit, Hagman and his wife purchased a home in Malibu.
A Scary Situation on the Beach
Not long after moving into their new house, the Hagmans hosted Carroll and Nancy O’Connor, who brought along their 6-year-old son. Hagman’s son Preston, who was the same age, played with the O’Connors’ son on the beach while the parents chatted nearby.
Hagman recalled a terrifying moment in his memoir: “I’d just remarked how we were so fortunate to live in such a safe community when Carroll and I stared in horror as a single-engine, open-cockpit, pre-World War II plane made an emergency landing on the beach, missing our children by not more than five feet.” The plane landed so close that it kicked up sand onto their kids.
The two fathers sprinted towards their sons, where the plane’s nose was buried in the sand. Though the pilot was unhurt, he was belligerent. “As soon as he saw us, he began yelling that he could’ve made a perfect landing if he hadn’t had to pull up and bounce over ‘the two little bastards playing in the sand.’ I had to physically restrain Carroll from attacking the guy and beating him into a bloody pulp,” Hagman recounted.
Hagman’s Life in Malibu
Despite the frightening incident, Hagman and his wife continued to live in Malibu for years. Eventually, they designed and built a new home in Ojai, California. Following his liver transplant, Hagman and his wife stayed in one of O’Connor’s homes, which was close to a hospital. Their friendship endured through many ups and downs, and Hagman always regarded O’Connor as a mentor. The bond they shared lasted until O’Connor’s death, demonstrating the strength and depth of their enduring friendship.
