Actor Larry Hagman dies at 81

NEW: Larry Hagman reveled in the role of J.R. Ewing, his co-stars say NEW: Hagman died of complications from cancer, his family said The statement was posted on Hagman's official web site Hagman was best known as iconic villain J.R. Ewing of "Dallas" (CNN) -- Actor Larry Hagman, who created one of television's iconic villains with the treacherous J.R. Ewing of "Dallas," died Friday, according to a family statement. He was 81. Hagman died at a Dallas hospital of complications from cancer, said the statement posted on Hagman's official web site early Saturday. "Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," it said. "Larry's family and close friends had joined him in Dallas for the Thanksgiving holiday. When he passed, he was surrounded by loved ones. It was a peaceful passing, just as he had wished for. The family requests privacy at this time." The cast of the new "Dallas" Get the inside scoop on 'Dallas' Actor Larry Hagman, who played scheming oil tycoon J.R. Ewing on "Dallas," died November 23, 2012, of complications from cancer. He was 81. Native American activist Russell Means died early on October 22, from throat cancer, an Oglala Lakota Sioux nation representative said. Former Sen. George McGovern, 90, died on October 21. McGovern was the Democratic nominee for president in 1972. He ran against incumbent Richard Nixon and won only 17 electoral votes to Nixon's 520. He served in the U.S. Senate and House representing South Dakota before his loss for the top office. Former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania died at age 82 of complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on October 14, at his home in Philadelphia, his family said. Specter served five terms as a Republican senator and switched political affiliation in 2009. TV and radio personality Gary Collins -- seen here in "Hour Magazine" and also known for his roles in television series including "The Sixth Sense" and "The Wackiest Ship in the Army" -- died on October 13, according to officials in Harrison County, Mississippi. He was 74. Former NFL player and actor Alex Karras died on October 10, in Los Angeles, a family spokesman said. He was 77. Legendary singer Andy Williams, known for his smooth voice and classics such as "Moon River," died after a yearlong battle with bladder cancer at his Branson, Missouri, home, on September 25. He was 84. Actor John Ingle, who played patriarch Edward Quartermaine on ABC's "General Hospital," died at age 84 on September 15. Michael Clarke Duncan, nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1999 film "The Green Mile," "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," a written statement from Joy Fehily said. He passed away on September 3 at age 54. Hal David, the lyricist behind such standards as "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" and "What the World Needs Now is Love," died at 91 on September 1. Neil Armstrong, the American astronaut who made "one giant leap for mankind" when he became the first man to walk on the moon, died August 25. He was 82. Puppeteer Jerry Nelson, famous for lending his voice to Muppets on "Sesame Street," "The Muppet Show" and "Fraggle Rock," died August 23. He was 78. Comedian Phyllis Diller, known for her self-deprecating humor, died "peacefully in her sleep" on August 20. She was 95. Film director Tony Scott left notes in his car and office before plunging to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro, California, a Los Angeles County coroner official said. Scott died August 19, at age 68 in an apparent suicide. Actor Ron Palillo, who played class clown Arnold Horshack on the 1970s television comedy "Welcome Back, Kotter," died from a heart attack at age 63 on August 14. Marvin Hamlisch, a prolific American composer, died after a more than four-decade long career that spanned film, music, television and theater, on August 6. He was 68. At 69, actress Lupe Ontiveros, who co-starred in the hit films "Selena" and "As Good As It Gets," died of liver cancer on July 26. Sherman Hemsley, who played the brash George Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," died July 24, at age 74. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer on July 23. She was 61. Keyboard player Jon Lord, who fused classical and heavy metal to make Deep Purple one of the biggest rock bands in the world, died July 16 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 71. Oscar-winning actress Celeste Holm died at her home in New York on July 15 at the age of 95. Here Holm, center, appears in 1950's "All About Eve" with Garry Merrill, from left, Bette Davis, and Hugh Marlow. On July 8, film and television actor Ernest Borgnine, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of a lovelorn butcher in 1955's "Marty," died at age 95. Actor Andy Griffith, who played folksy Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional town of Mayberry, died July 3, at the age of 86. Nora Ephron, the screenwriter and director whose sharp, edgy romantic comedies featuring strong women took her to the top ranks of a film industry mostly dominated by men, died at 71 on June 26. Robin Gibb, one of three brothers who made up the group the Bee Gees behind "Saturday Night Fever" and other now-iconic sounds from the 1970s, died on May 20. He was 62. Gibb "passed away today following his long battle with cancer and intestinal surgery," a statement said. Donna Summer, the "Queen of Disco" whose hits included "Hot Stuff," "Bad Girls," "Love to Love You Baby" and "She Works Hard for the Money," died May 17. She was 63. Donald "Duck" Dunn, left, the bass player who laid the musical floor beneath soul legends like Booker T. and the MGs, Sam and Dave and Otis Redding, died at age 70 on May 13. George Lindsey, the actor who portrayed the country-bumpkin mechanic Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," died May 6 after a brief illness, his family said. He was 83. Levon Helm, the drummer, multi-instrumentalist and singer for The Band who kept the band's heart for more than three decades, died "peacefully" April 19, according to his record label, Vanguard Records. He was 71. Television host Dick Clark poses for a portrait circa 1968. The longtime host of the influential "American Bandstand" died in April 18 after suffering a heart attack. He was 82. Earl Scruggs, whose distinctive picking style and association with Lester Flatt cemented bluegrass music's place in popular culture, died March 28 of natural causes at a Nashville hospital. He was 88. Doobie Brothers drummer Michael Hossack died at his home in Dubois, Wyoming, on March 11 at the age of 65 after battling cancer for some time. Jimmy Ellis, who belted out the dance anthem "Disco Inferno" in the 1970s for the Trammps, died on March 8 at 74 years old. Here, the Trammps are seen in 1973: From left, Earl Young, seated, Harold Wade, Jimmy Ellis, Stanley Wade and Robert Upchurch. Davy Jones, whose charming grin and British accent won the hearts of millions of fans on the 1960s television series "The Monkees," died on February 29, at age 66. The news broke on the eve of Grammy Awards, the music industry's biggest night: The woman with the pitch-perfect voice who once reigned as the queen of pop at the awards show had died. Whitney Houston was found by her bodyguard, lifeless, on February 11. She was 48. Actor James Farentino, whose television acting career began in the early 1960s, died on January 24. He was 73. Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," died on January 20. She was 73. People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 People we've lost in 2012 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Photos: People we've lost in 2012 Hagman shot to television superstardom in 1978 with the role of J.R. Ewing, the scheming Texas oil tycoon, in the prime-time soap opera "Dallas." He was the villain viewers loved to hate. In 1980, the show became a mega-hit with the "Who Shot J.R.?" plot line that left Americans guessing who pulled the trigger. The answer came on November 21, 1980, in an episode dubbed "Who Done It?." More than 350 million viewers tuned in around the world to find out Kristen Shepherd, the sister of J.R.'s wife, shot him. It remains one of the most watched television episodes in history. Ewing survived that shooting, and Hagman and the rest of the cast thrived for 14 seasons total before bowing out in 1991. He reprised the role for TNT's reboot of the series "Dallas" in June 2012. Hagman filmed appearances for the show's second season, which is set to air in January. (Like CNN, TNT is a division of Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting.) It was a role he clearly reveled, even developing a trademark laugh for the character. At one point, Hagman made up fake $100 bills emblazoned with his face and the words "In Hagman We Trust" to hand out to fans. In one of his final interviews on CNN, Hagman appeared alongside original "Dallas" cast members Linda Gray (Sue Ellen) and Patrick Duffy (Bobby) on "Piers Morgan Tonight." During the interview, Morgan described the character of J.R. Ewing as "the dark dealer of evil scheming." "Moi?" Hagman said, breaking into a wide smile. In a statement released Friday by Gray's publicist to KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, the actress described Hagman as "my best friend for more than 35 years." "He was the pied piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, generous, funny, loving and talented and I will miss him enormously. He was an original and lived life to the full and the world was a brighter place because of him," the statement said. Hagman told Morgan when he was first approached about doing the "Dallas" remake, the first question he asked: "Are my friends going to be on the show?" "I wouldn't be doing it without them," he said. Word of Hagman's passing spread quickly late Friday and early Saturday, with everybody from celebrities to fans mourning his death. Actor William Shatner took to Twitter: "My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Larry Hagman. My best, Bill." "He was a wonderful human being and an extremely gifted actor. We will be forever thankful that a whole new generation of people got to know and appreciate Larry through his performance as J.R. Ewing," TNT said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time." Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on the cusp of the Great Depression to actress Mary Martin and Ben Hagman, a lawyer. He spent a year at Bard College in New York and then embarked on a life in theater in Dallas and New York, according to his official website. He appeared onstage with his mother in "South Pacific" in England and even produced and directed several shows while in the U.S. Air Force. After getting married and leaving the service, Hagman returned to the United States and starred in a number of Broadway plays. His family then headed to Hollywood, where Hagman earned roles in such television shows as "The Edge of Night" and "The Defenders." Hagman's breakthrough role came in 1965, when he played astronaut Maj. Tony Nelson, or "Master," as he was known to the scantily clad, 2,000-year-old genie played by Barbara Eden in the hit comedy, "I Dream of Jeannie." "I can still remember, that first day on Zuma Beach with him, in the frigid cold. From that day for five more years, Larry was the center of so many fun, wild, shocking and, in retrospect, memorable moments that will remain in my heart forever," Eden said in a Facebook post on Friday, shortly after hearing of Hagman's death. "...I, like many others, believed he had beat cancer and yet we are reminded that life is never guaranteed." Eden signed off, simply: "Goodbye Larry. There was no one like you before and there will never be anyone like you again." Hagman kept busy after the show went off the air in 1970, appearing in guest roles in "The Streets of San Francisco," "The Rockford Files" and "Barnaby Jones." In the 1990s, he starred in the television show "Orleans." Off screen, his drinking earned him unwanted attention from the tabloids, which chronicled his battle with alcoholism. In recent years, he went public with his wife's battle with Alzheimer's. He also suffered several health scares, including a bout with cirrhosis and a 16-hour liver transplant in 1995 that helped save his life. Last year, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer, but at the time, Hagman called it "a very common and treatable form." He is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter and five grandchildren. CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report.