The star, best known for playing scheming oil baron J.R. Ewing on hit TV drama Dallas, passed away at a hospital in Texas last week (23Nov12), aged 81.
It was widely reported the veteran died from complications with stage two throat cancer, but now his pal, award-winning writer Harry Hurt III, reveals Hagman actually succumbed to the blood cell disease. He was reportedly diagnosed in July (12).
He tells the National Enquirer, “I had no idea Larry was so seriously ill until his son Preston called me and said, ‘Harry, I just wanted to let you know that Dad died, and I didn’t want you to read it in the papers.’ Preston said, ‘Dad had tongue cancer, but in the end he died from leukaemia.’ I was just blown away.”
The actor was surrounded by his family and friends when he took his last breath, but Hurt reveals Hagman never got the chance to say goodbye to his wife of 58 years, Maj – because she has Alzheimer’s disease and lives in a California assisted living facility.
He continues, “In one of our final conversations, I asked Larry about Maj. Larry believed Maj was his soulmate, and watching her decline broke his heart. Because of the disease, he never got the chance to say goodbye to her.”
