Hello Darlin': Tall (and Absolutely True) Tales about My Life

by Larry Hagman and Todd Gold

Book Overview

On November 21, 1980, over 350 million people worldwide tuned in to find out:Who shot J.R.'In portraying the scheming, ruthless J.R. inDallasduring its entire 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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743221818
• ISBN13: 9780743221818
• Release Date: November 2001
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Would recommend

Book seemed to be very honestly written, detailing all the bad with the good. Easy to read and quite humorous in sections. Would recommend.

More to life than just being J.R.

I received this book as a gift from someone who new I enjoyed the television show Dallas, and I can really say it was a treat. I must say that Mr. Hagman had a very interesting life that goes way beyond what we know him best for: playing the merciless J.R. Ewing on Dallas and his other hit I Dream of Jennie. From the get go, Larry speaks about his youth, being the son to Broadway star Mary Martin (famous for being Peter Pan), his father and tenuous relationship with his step-father Richard. The book reads in a chronological order from boyhood, through his stint in the military (where he met his one and only wife Maj), to his first movie roles, through his television career and wraps up with his last series 'Orleans' and his liver transplant. He has many stories which are entertaining and fun reads. So fun in fact I wanted more and was disapointed only in the fact they weren't long enough or more of them. Mr. Hagman had some fascinating quips and stories regarding such people at Burgess Meredith, Carol O'Conner, and other tv and silver screen legends. But not everything was picture perfect....There were times of poverty, illicit drug use, and confronts his drinking issues which led to his liver transplant head on. I was amazed at what a world traveler he was, even before his most memorable character of playing oil tycoon J.R. Ewing. He had seen more of the world before his 20th birthday than most people do their whole lives, and many times early in his youth, he did it with no job or no money, but always had a positive outlook on life. A very inspirational autobiography where Larry does show you the silver lining on all dark clouds. Again, for me the trouble with this book was it just seemed to short....I would have loved to read many more of his 'tall, but true' tales, many of them with a martini or bottle of champagne in his hand.

EXCELLENT "Light & Easy" READ

I loved this book...but I may be a little prejudiced, cuz I love Larry Hagman! I was lucky enough to have met him when he autographed my copy. I must say, he's very personable, not one bit stuck-up. He also signed my 1980's can of JR Beer and couldn't believe someone still had a full JR Beer from the 80's!!! A real genuine kind of guy...which I imagine is a little rare of such a long-time celebrity. I only regret his wife, Maj wasn't there...I'd have loved to meet her too. She must be SOME LADY to have put up with Larry all these 45+ years! If you want a good, funny, light-hearted read about some of Larry's antics thru his life, this is the book for you! My only negative about the book? I wish it had been longer...I couldn't put it down and finished it in two bedtime reads. THUMBS UP!

THIS book has it ALL! 5 stars!

This book has it all. I could not put it down. It takes you from the Larry Hagman who had about 30 cents in his pocket, to the wheeling & dealing of his contract on "Dallas". It is funny, it is sad. It is the closest you can get to knowing the man without being married to him. It is full of advice & philosophies that I feel will enhance my own life. It truly is an intimate look at the life of one of the greatest actors and entertainers that ever lived. When I closed the last page of the book, I realized that without knowing it, I was reading a love story. In Hollywood where stars change spouses like the seasons, Larry Hagman has been married to his wife "Maj" for almost 50 years! After reading the book, upon reflection, I remembered how Larry was advised by his wife, how he has always treated her with respect & admiration. You can still see the sparkle in his eye when reading the words he writes about his wife. Their relationship is truly one of equals. It is heartwarming to see a man who is wise enough to know that nothing can replace the love of one good woman, and a best friend for life. The book is written in his own words and style, and you can tell by reading it that it was not done by some ghost writer looking to make a buck. The only problem with the book is that when I finished it, I wanted to pick up the phone, call Larry, and say "Hey let's go fishing". He truly seems like an old friend by the end of the book!

Honest, Funny & Entertaining

Mr. Hagman has a way with words that lulls you into a comfort zone and before you know it you feel as if you're sitting and listening to an old friend telling tall (and absolutely true) tales about his life. He's honest about his relationships and his own shortcomings without stripping his soul (embarrassingly) bare as some autobiographers are prone to do. Instead Larry keeps it real but light and he makes reading his book a truly entertaining experience, which is all I ever ask of any book. Whether you liked him best as Tony Nelson or J.R. Ewing or both, it's worth getting to know the man behind the characters he gave life to.

A Whole Lotta Fun

There's a whole lotta fun in this autobiography. Hagman is a great teller of hilarious stories. It seems amazing he survived long enough to need a liver transplant, that's how wild some of his earlier adventures were. The transplant tale is inspirational and informative too. Being a fan of his helps, but Hagman's story is really an inspired blueprint of living with gusto no matter of the times are good or bad. Hagman has lived, and readers get to laugh. That's a good value, if you ask me.