Sadly one of most notorious TV villains has lost his battle to stage 4 throat cancer; we are talking about Dallas’s JR Larry Hagman who died yesterday at Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas, Texas. The 81 year old actor is survived by his wife Maj, their daughter Heidi and son Preston. Older daughter Heidi is the one we want to tell you about! Here some more details about her.
Heidi Kristina Mary Hagman was born February 17th, 1958 in New York City. Parents TV star Larry Hagman and Swedish-born Maj Axelsson, also older sister of Preston Hagman. Longtime residents of Malibu, California.
Artist/actress Heidi is also granddaughter to rename legendary actress Mary Martin, who actually gave her the nickname “Heidi” in honor of her Scandinavian heritage. Coming from a strong star influence Heidi decided to take her dad’s advice on becoming an actress since Larry’s opinion about his daughter being on the screen was kind of negative saying “ It’s always good to have another vocation, especially since a woman’s life as an actress is very short… All they want you for is T-and-A, and you outgrow that.”” Young Heidi opted instead for a career in painting as she had her first exhibition in Palm Springs, back in 1981 at the Arthur Elrod Gallery; in there she had her first showing of her vibrant oil and watercolor paintings.
Her debut marked a turning point in her life at 23 years old since at some point she did try to have a life in TV at an earlier age. But when her career as an actress took a sour turn she had several backup plans!
- At age 15, she began a catering service and earned $3,000, which financed a solo trip to Europe
- She studied dance therapy in San Francisco.
- To support herself, she took jobs as a model and janitor at the Academy of Art and as a cook in a vegetarian restaurant.
- She was a cast member in a stock production of The Sound of Music in Broadway.
- You can see some of her work here.
Doesn’t really sounds like the child of a Hollywood star right?! But I guess to each its own, she really labored her own way in to getting what she wanted.
- She later settled in L.A and married on October 31, 1983 to New Mexico artist Brian Blount. The wedding took place at Hagman’s Malibu home; guests included “Dallas” co-star Linda Gray and most of the rest of the cast of the TV series. Her entertainer grandmother performed during the ceremony singing.
Heidi Kristina apparently divorced Mr. Blount and got married to Daniel Masler, father of her two beautiful daughters Nora and Kaya.
For sure we will all remember Larry Hagman whether for his work on TV as Dallas’s famous role as JR or as major Anthony Nelson in the sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie”, his roles in films, his political work as member of the Peace and Freedom Party since the 1960’s, his work for many years as the chairman of the American Cancer Society and also his participation in The National Kidney Foundation and his overall legacy that will live in his beloved family and friends.
Our best wishes go to all of them!
Find Heidi Kristina Hagman on Facebook here.
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