Dallas (1978 TV series)
| Dallas | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | David Jacobs |
| Written by | List of writers |
| Directed by | List of directors |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Jerrold Immel |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 14 |
| No. of episodes | 357 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Running time | 47–50 mins |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | April 2, 1978 – May 3, 1991 |
| Related | |
Dallas is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1978, to May 3, 1991. The series revolved around an affluent and feuding Texas family, the Ewings, who owned the independent oil company Ewing Oil and the cattle-ranching land of Southfork. The series originally focused on the marriage of Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes, whose families were sworn enemies. As the series progressed, Bobby's elder brother, oil tycoon J.R. Ewing, became the show's breakout character, whose schemes and dirty business became the show's trademark.[1] When the show ended on May 3, 1991, J.R. was the only character to have appeared in every episode.
The show was prominent for its
The show was mostly an
With its 357 episodes, Dallas remains one of
In 2007, Dallas was included in Time magazine's list of "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time".[3]
In 2010, TNT announced it had ordered a new, updated continuation of Dallas.[4] The revival series, continuing the story of the Ewing family, premiered on TNT on June 13, 2012, and ran for three seasons, ending its run on September 22, 2014.
Original premise
Dallas debuted on April 2, 1978, as a five-part
The show is known for its portrayal of wealth, sex, intrigue, conflict and power struggles. Throughout the series, the main premise is the longtime rivalry between the Ewing and Barnes families, which came to head when the Barnes daughter Pamela (Victoria Principal) eloped with youngest Ewing son Bobby (Patrick Duffy), in the first episode. The series is largely set in Dallas, Texas, and fictional Braddock County, where the Southfork Ranch is located.
The backstory was that, in the 1930s,
J.R., unscrupulous and unhappily married to former Miss Texas beauty queen Sue Ellen Shepard (Linda Gray), was frequently at odds with Bobby, who had the morals and integrity that J.R. lacked. Middle son Gary was Miss Ellie's favorite as he displayed Southworth traits; however, Gary had been in conflict with both Jock and J.R. since childhood and was dismissed as a weak link. At 17, Gary secretly met and married 15-year-old waitress Valene Clements (Joan Van Ark), producing the first Ewing grandchild - petite and saucy Lucy (Charlene Tilton) - before returning to Southfork with the intention of settling down. Although Jock warmed to Valene and supported Gary's fledgling family, J.R. pressured Gary into alcoholism by landing him with bad business deals that caused him to flee Southfork. With Gary gone, J.R. persecuted Valene until she left the ranch and the state, leaving Lucy to be raised by her grandparents.
During the first episodes of the series, teenage Lucy is seen sleeping with
Ray had previously engaged in a short fling with Pamela, but she fell deeply in love with Bobby, and the pilot episode begins with the two of them arriving at Southfork Ranch as newlyweds, shocking the entire family. J.R., who loathed the Barnes family, was not happy with Pam's living at Southfork, and constantly tried to undermine her marriage to Bobby. Meanwhile, Pam's brother Cliff (Ken Kercheval), who had inherited Digger's hatred towards the Ewings, shared J.R.'s objections to the marriage and continued his father's quest to get revenge.
Most of the seasons ended with ratings-grabbing cliffhangers,
Cast and characters
Main cast
For the original five-episodes miniseries (
Not receiving top billing during season 1, although appearing in the majority of the episodes, were
Further on in the series, several new characters were added as the original actors departed the series:
For
Finally, for
Supporting cast
During its fourteen-year run, Dallas saw several actors appearing in supporting roles. The most notable include:
- David Wayne (seasons 1–2) and Keenan Wynn (season 3) as Willard "Digger" Barnes, alcoholic wildcatter father of Cliff, legal father of Pam and sworn enemy of Jock;
- Colleen Camp (season 2) and Mary Crosby (seasons 3–4 and 14) as Sue Ellen's scheming sister Kristin Shepard, who has an affair with J.R. and is revealed to be the one who shot him in the "Who shot J.R.?" storyline;
- Jared Martin (seasons 3–6, 8–9, and 14) as Sue Ellen's cowboy lover and Clayton's adoptive son, Steven "Dusty" Farlow;
- William Smithers (seasons 4–5 and 8–12) as Jeremy Wendell, villainous WestStar Oil frontman who tries to conquer Ewing Oil;
- Leigh McCloskey (seasons 4–5, 8 and 12) as medical student Mitch Cooper, Lucy's on-off husband;
- Audrey Landers (seasons 4–8 and 12–13) as Mitch's sister Afton Cooper, an aspiring singer and Cliff's longtime girlfriend;
- Priscilla Pointer (seasons 4–6) as Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, Pam and Cliff's estranged mother;
- Morgan Brittany (seasons 5–8 and 11) as Rebecca's daughter Katherine Wentworth, Pam and Cliff's psychotic half-sister who falls madly in love with Bobby;
- John Beck (seasons 6–7 and 9) as Mark Graison, Pam's lover and eventual fiancé after her first divorce from Bobby;
- Miss USA winner Deborah Shelton (seasons 8–10) as model Mandy Winger, girlfriend of Cliff Barnes; longtime mistress of J.R.;
- Jenilee Harrison (seasons 8–10) as Jamie Ewing Barnes, Jack's sister who eventually enters into an ill-fated marriage with Cliff Barnes;
- Andrew Stevens (seasons 11–12) as Casey Denault, a young hustler who works for J.R., romancing Lucy and April in order to get to their money:
- Leigh Taylor-Young (seasons 11–12) as Kimberley Cryder, the wife of a WestStar oil executive that J.R. romances to further his business empire;
- Ian McShane (season 12) as Don Lockwood, an English film producer who becomes Sue Ellen's second husband;
- Gayle Hunnicutt (seasons 12–14) as Vanessa Beaumont, mother of James and J.R.'s sweetheart, later temporarily his fiancé.
Longtime child characters include J.R. and Sue Ellen's son John Ross Ewing III (portrayed for seasons 4–6 by Tyler Banks, and for seasons 7–14 by Omri Katz); Bobby and Pam's adopted son Christopher Ewing (portrayed by Eric Farlow for seasons 6–8, and by Joshua Harris for seasons 9–14), and Jenna's daughter Charlotte "Charlie" Wade (Shalane McCall, seasons 7–11, also played by Laurie Lynn Myers for a season 2 episode).
Among the most frequently appearing business associates of the Ewing family are oil cartel members Jordan Lee (
Also appearing in many episodes are several background characters, including Bobby's secretaries Connie Brasher (portrayed by Donna Bullock in season 1, Ann Ford and Nancy Bleier in season 2, and Jeanna Michaels in season 2–4) and Phyllis Wapner (Deborah Tranelli, seasons 4–14); J.R.'s secretaries Louella Caraway Lee (Meg Gallagher, seasons 2–4) and Sly Lovegren (Deborah Rennard, seasons 5–14); Cliff's secretary Jackie Dugan (Sherril Lynn Rettino, seasons 2–5 and 7–14); Ewing Oil receptionist Kendall Chapman (Danone Simpson, seasons 6–14); Southfork maid Teresa (Roseanna Christiansen, seasons 6–14); and Oil Baron's Club staff Dora Mae (Pat Colbert, seasons 7–14), Cassie (Anne C. Lucas, seasons 5–10) and Debbie (Deborah Marie Taylor, seasons 11–14). Widely known supporting actor Tina Louise, played J.R.'s secretary, Julie Grey, during the first two seasons before her character was killed off.
Main cast departures
By the end of the series, only three of the series' original characters (J.R., Bobby, and Cliff) were left in Dallas, the others having either died or left town.
Jock Ewing was the first main character to depart the series, as Jock died offscreen in a mysterious helicopter crash in South America, during
Bobby Ewing's death in the
Jack Ewing left Dallas to continue his travels and get away from J.R., midway through
Pamela was severely burned after driving a car into an oil tanker, which then exploded into flames, in the
Budget cuts also meant other long term cast members were let go.
Sue Ellen left in the
When
As the series concluded, Carter McKay stayed put at WestStar, as powerful as ever; Michelle Stevens was left heartbroken and humiliated, alone in the ranch she had bought from McKay hoping to live there with James; Cliff Barnes was once and for all the sole owner of Ewing Oil, and Bobby Ewing, now owner of Southfork, was finally able to find closure after April's death. J.R., however, having lost both Ewing Oil and Southfork, as well as being abandoned by his sons, was at the end of his rope; the series ended with the unanswered question whether or not he killed himself.
Production
Seasons 1–8
Series creator
Season 9
Creative conflicts between executive producer Philip Capice and producer Leonard Katzman led to Katzman leaving the show at the end of
However, increased production costs
Season 10
As of the
Scriptwise,
Even the cast were affected by the production and political struggles. While
Seasons 11–14
During the final four years of the show, Leonard Katzman remained showrunner, with series star
Supervising producer Calvin Clements Jr. left the show after
Mitchell Wayne Katzman was promoted to co-producer as of season 12, while Frank Katzman (the other son of Leonard Katzman) and John Rettino (Leonard Katzman's son-in-law), served as associate producers during seasons 13 and 14. Additionally, Katzman's PA Louella Lee Caraway was credited as executive coordinator for the final three seasons. The final major addition to the staff was Lisa Seidman, who joined the show as executive story consultant for the final two seasons.
Filming locations
The pilot season was shot entirely
Directors
Five of the series' stars also directed episodes:
Episodes
Ratings
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank[24] | Viewers (in ratings points) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||||
| 1 | 5 | April 2, 1978 | April 30, 1978 | 42[25] | 19.0 | |
| 2 | 24 | September 23, 1978 | April 6, 1979[26] | 40[27] | 18.4 | |
| 3 | 25 | September 21, 1979 | March 21, 1980 | 6 | 19.1 | |
| 4 | 23 | November 7, 1980 | May 1, 1981 | 1 | 27.6 | |
| 5 | 26 | October 9, 1981 | April 9, 1982 | 1 | 23.2 | |
| 6 | 28 | October 1, 1982 | May 6, 1983 | 2 | 20.5 | |
| 7 | 30 | September 30, 1983 | May 18, 1984 | 1 | 21.5 | |
| 8 | 30 | September 28, 1984 | May 17, 1985 | 2 | 20.97 | |
| 9 | 31 | September 27, 1985 | May 16, 1986 | 6 | 18.8 | |
| 10 | 29 | September 26, 1986 | May 15, 1987 | 11 | 18.6 | |
| 11 | 30 | September 25, 1987 | May 13, 1988 | 21 | 15.2 | |
| 12 | 26 | October 28, 1988 | May 19, 1989 | 30 | 13.9 | |
| 13 | 27 | September 22, 1989 | May 11, 1990 | 43 | — | |
| 14 | 23 | November 2, 1990 | May 3, 1991 | 61 | — | |
Dallas originally aired on Saturday nights when it debuted as a regular series. Within a month, the show was moved to Sunday nights, where it stayed until halfway through the season, when it took a Friday-night slot. Dallas remained on Fridays until the show ended in 1991, alternating between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. airings.
The "Who Done It" episode of Dallas that revealed who shot J.R.?, the famous 1980 cliffhanger, received the highest domestic ratings at that point with over 90 million American viewers (representing more than 53% of the U.S. households and 76% of the U.S. television audience for November 21, 1980) tuning in for the answer. The episode surpassed the ratings record of the final episode of The Fugitive, broadcast in August 1967, but the record of Dallas was broken only by the last episode of M*A*S*H in 1983, falling into the second internationally most watched U.S. television episode, with nearly 360 million viewers in over 57 countries worldwide (by the year 1980) tuning in to see who shot J.R.[28]
Although the soap's audience had consistently declined since the "Who Done It" episode of 1980, the series finale of Dallas, "Conundrum", garnered 33 million viewers and a 22 household rating from 9 to 11 pm on May 3, 1991, becoming the country's 14th most watched television series finale. Its competition, Manhunter (on NBC), only drew a 9.8 rating.
Films/specials
Date / title / network / household rating / share / viewers / time
- November 15, 1996 / Dallas: J.R. Returns / CBS / 13.4 / 23 / 18.1 / 9–11 pm (lead-in The Lion's Pride drew a 6.3 rating)
- April 24, 1998 / Dallas: War of the Ewings / CBS / 7.8 / 14 (lead-in Candid Camera drew a 6.8 rating)
- November 7, 2004 / Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork / CBS / 8.5 / 14 / 12.7 / 9:30–11:30 pm
Broadcast history
CBS
- April 2–30, 1978: Sundays, 10:00 pm ()
- September 23 – October 14, 1978: Saturdays, 10:00/9:00 pm
- October 15, 1978 – January 14, 1979: Sundays, 10:00/9:00 pm
- January 26, 1979 – November 27, 1981: Fridays, 10:00/9:00 pm
- December 4, 1981 – March 16, 1990: Fridays, 9:00/8:00 pm
- March 30 – December 21, 1990: Fridays, 10:00/9:00 pm
- January 4 – May 3, 1991: Fridays, 9:00/8:00 pm
Syndication
Beginning in fall 1984, Dallas was packaged for off-network syndication by Lorimar to local stations; among the stations to purchase the program initially was the Dallas-Fort Worth ABC affiliate, WFAA-TV. Only the first 222 episodes (seasons 1 through 9) were part of the syndication package. However, Dallas did not achieve the same type of rating success in local markets as it did during its CBS primetime run.
During the 1990s, the show aired briefly on
In 1981, Mediaset, Silvio Berlusconi's Italian media conglomerate, translated and serialized Dallas on Italian primetime, where it became popular throughout Italy. [29]
Broadcasts in the United Kingdom
In the UK, the rights to show Dallas had been bought by the
Cliffhangers
Dallas is notable for its cliffhangers. Throughout the series' run, every season ended with some sort of cliffhanging ending designed to drive ratings up for the season premiere later in the year.
- Pilot Season/Season 1 cliffhanger: Although this really was not a cliffhanger, the end of the fifth episode of the original Dallas miniseries saw Digger (David Wayne) had fallen off the wagon at the Ewing barbecue. J.R., intoxicated, tries to convince her to tell Bobby (Patrick Duffy) not to leave the ranch. However, she does not want to be bothered, and, in trying to escape J.R., she falls from the loft, landing square on her stomach. Pam, who is pregnant, miscarries her unborn child. Later, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) questions J.R. as to whether it was really an accident or did he mean for Pam to fall on purpose. J.R. says, "I did not." When Sue Ellen asks J.R. if he cares that Pam lost the baby, J.R. does not answer her, leaving it up to the viewer to decide.
- Season 2 cliffhanger: Sue Ellen's drinking problem has landed her in a sanitarium, where she is pregnant with a child she believes is Cliff's (Ken Kercheval). She escapes from the sanitarium, gets drunk, and then gets into a severe car accident, putting her life and the baby's life in danger. The doctors deliver the baby, named John Ross Ewing III, but he is very small on delivery and is not out of the woods yet; nor is Sue Ellen, who, as the episode ends, is clinging to life. A distraught J.R. is watching his wife at the end of the episode in tears, saying that she has "just gotta live".
- Marilee Stone (Fern Fitzgerald), whose husband committed suicide after a particularly disastrous business deal. After all this, somebody waits outside J.R.'s Ewing Oil office late at night, and when J.R. hears a noise, asks who it is and walks to the door, somebody shoots him twice in the abdomen. The cliffhanger to this episode leads to the now infamous "Who shot J.R.?" debates and speculation, and also speculation as to whether J.R. would actually survive the shooting or be killed off.
- Season 4 cliffhanger: Sue Ellen tries to sneak her son John Ross off Southfork, but is caught by J.R., who banishes her from the ranch. Pam later intercedes, taking John Ross to his mother while J.R. is away—throwing J.R. into a rage. Kristin (Mary Crosby) returns demanding more money from J.R., who tells her it is not too late to prosecute her for shooting him. While heading to a late-night business meeting with Bobby, Cliff finds a brunette woman's body floating in the Southfork pool. He jumps into the pool to see who it is, and when he looks back up, J.R. is standing on the balcony over the pool. Believing J.R. is responsible, Cliff says to his rival, "She's dead. You bastard." The face of the body was not shown, leading to speculation over whether it was Sue Ellen, Pam, Kristin or someone else. This was the show's highest-rated season-ending episode.
- Season 5 cliffhanger: Earlier in the season, Cliff had J.R. facing a financial mess, when J.R.'s plan to blackmail the Farlows into handing over John Ross, by stockpiling 5 million barrels of the Farlows' crude oil, backfired on J.R., when the market price of crude oil started to plummet. In order to stockpile the Farlows' crude oil, J.R. had taken out a $200,000,000 loan and used $50,000,000 worth of Ewing Oil assets as collateral. Cliff, along with Rebecca Barnes Wentworth (Priscilla Pointer) from running Wentworth Tool & Die, due to Cliff's embezzlement of company funds. Cliff attempts suicide with an overdose of pills, and a guilt-ridden Sue Ellen rushes to his bedside as Cliff lies in a coma. J.R. tries to convince Sue Ellen that it was not anybody's fault but Cliff's for what happened, but Sue Ellen disagrees and says she does not know if she can remarry J.R. if Cliff dies. Cliff's life hangs in the balance as the season ends.
- Season 6 cliffhanger: Earlier in the season, Sue Ellen gets drunk after having seen J.R. in bed with Walt Driscoll (Ben Piazza), who helped J.R. in a previous scheme. He also learns that Driscoll deliberately caused the accident, thinking that J.R. was driving, as a means of revenge for being put in jail by J.R. earlier in the year. An angered Ray comes to Southfork late at night demanding answers from J.R., who was not expecting to see him. J.R. asks him what is going on and Ray says he is going to kill J.R. for what happened. J.R. throws a candle holder at Ray, which misses him and knocks over another candle holder with lit candles in it. As the two brawl, the candles ignite a fire and the smoke starts to creep into both John Ross and Sue Ellen's bedrooms as they sleep. Sue Ellen had been given a sedative by the doctor earlier in the day so she does not wake up. J.R. notices the fire and tries to break free of Ray, finally knocking him out with a telephone, and runs upstairs to try to save his wife and son. Ray recovers and runs after J.R. but is consumed by smoke and falls. J.R. is hit with a falling beam as he gets upstairs and both men are unconscious as Southfork burns.
- Season 7 cliffhanger: Reminiscent of the season three cliffhanger, a mysterious figure enters the Ewing Oil building late one night. Proceeding to J.R.'s office, the figure produces a gun and fires three shots into the back of J.R.'s chair in which somebody is sitting. As the victim falls out of the chair and to the ground, we see it is Bobby Ewing that has been shot.
- Season 8 cliffhanger: Bobby, who has been divorced from Pam for over a year and is now engaged to Katherine (Morgan Brittany) who was driving the car, and that she was also killed when her car crashed after running over Bobby. Bobby is rushed to the hospital, where he later dies, with Pam, Jenna, J.R., Miss Ellie, Clayton, Ray and Donna (Susan Howard) at his bedside.
- Season 9 cliffhanger: Evil businesswoman Mark Graison (John Beck). Pam wakes up to hear the shower running. Assuming it is Mark, she opens the shower door, only to find Bobby Ewing, alive and well. (In the Season Ten premiere, Bobby's death and all of Season Nine was revealed as a dream of Pam's).
- Season 10 cliffhanger: The Ewings suffer a devastating loss as Ewing Oil is closed down by the US Justice Department as punishment for J.R.'s shady dealings which caused an international incident. Pam, on her way home to Bobby from the doctor's office after finding out she can finally conceive a baby, crashes into a fuel tanker, which then explodes.
- Season 11 cliffhanger: J.R. and Nicholas Pearce (Jack Scalia), Sue Ellen's new boyfriend, fight in J.R.'s penthouse hotel suite. The fight ends up with both of them on the balcony, and Pearce falls over the balcony to his death. Shocked by what she has just seen, Sue Ellen then picks up a gun from the floor and shoots J.R. three times. She then picks up the phone and tells the police she would like to report a double murder.
- Season 12 cliffhanger: Sue Ellen prepares to leave Dallas for good, but with a final surprise for J.R.: with the help of her new boyfriend Don Lockwood (Ian McShane), Sue Ellen has made a biographical motion picture about her marriages to J.R. (with actors portraying them and the other Ewings) and previews the film to him, leaving him shocked and horrified. Sue Ellen tells J.R. that she is leaving Dallas, but if he ever crosses her again in the future – or even if she wakes up on the wrong side of bed one morning – she will release the film and J.R. will be made "the laughing stock of Texas", before finally and triumphantly leaving.
- Season 13 cliffhanger: After deliberately committing himself into a sanitarium in order to persuade Clayton's sister, Jessica Montford (Alexis Smith), to sign over her voting majority in WestStar Oil, J.R.'s plan backfires when Cally (Cathy Podewell) and James (Sasha Mitchell) coerce him into signing a property waiver before they will allow him to be released. Once he does, James tears up J.R.'s release papers anyway leaving him trapped in the sanitarium with no means of escape.
- Season 14 cliffhanger: After finally losing Ewing Oil to Cliff Barnes, control of Southfork to Bobby, and being abandoned by his wife and children, a drunk and despondent J.R. begins walking around the ranch alone with a loaded gun wishing he had never been born. A gunshot is later fired in J.R.'s bedroom as Bobby returns to Southfork, and he rushes up to J.R.'s room and gasps, saying "Oh, my God!" as the series ends.
Spin-offs, sequels and adaptations
Knots Landing
Prior to the premiere of Dallas, Jacobs originated the idea for a drama series about four married couples in different stages of marriage, inspired by Ingmar Bergman's Scenes from a Marriage. However, CBS wanted a "saga-like" show, resulting in Jacobs creating Dallas.[33][18] When the series proved to be a hit, CBS reconsidered Jacobs's original idea, which evolved into Dallas spin-off series Knots Landing, premiering in late 1979.
Knots Landing followed the lives of Lucy's parents, Gary (Ted Shackelford) and Valene (Joan Van Ark), as they move to California to start a new life following the start of their second marriage in 1979. During the early seasons of Knots Landing, several Dallas actors (Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton, and Mary Crosby) made guest appearances in the new series, and Shackelford and Van Ark continued to make occasional appearances in Dallas. In addition to this, some storylines crossed over, such as the reading of Jock Ewing's will, with events having an impact on characters in both shows.
The ongoing bond between the two series was eventually cut in 1986, as the tenth-season premiere of Dallas declared Bobby's death the previous year had been a dream. Bobby's death had had some influence on the Knots Landing storylines as well, with Gary grieving for his dead brother while Gary's wife
Between Seasons 1 and 4 of Knots Landing, there were nine episodes where Dallas characters appeared, played by their respective actors.
- Season 1 (1979–80 season)
- Episode 1: "Pilot". Guest starring Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing.
- Episode 2: "Community Spirit". Guest starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
- Episode 6: "Home is For Healing" Guest starring Charlene Tilton as Lucy Ewing.
- Season 2 (1980–81 season)
- Episode 5: "Kristin". Guest starring Mary Crosby as Kristin Shepard.
- Episode 9: "A Family Matter". Guest starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
- Episode 13: "The Loudest Word". Guest starring Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing.
- Episode 17: "Designs". Guest starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
- Season 4 (1982–83 season)
- Episode 2: "Daniel". Guest starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.
- Episode 6: "New Beginnings". Guest starring Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing, Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing and Eric Farlow as Christopher Ewing. This episode of Knots Landing was a direct sequel to the Dallas episode "Jock's Will", which aired on the same evening.
In addition to the above, Gary and Valene Ewing appeared in the following episodes of Dallas, as listed below.
- Season 2 (1978–79 season)
- Episode 1: "Reunion, Part I". Featuring David Ackroyd as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Clements
- Episode 2: "Reunion, Part II". Featuring David Ackroyd as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Clements
- Season 3 (1979–80 season)
- Episode 4: "Secrets". Featuring Joan Van Ark as Valene Clements
- Episode 14: "Return Engagements". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Ewing
- Season 4 (1980–81 season)
- Episode 1: "No More Mister Nice Guy, Part I". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Ewing
- Episode 2: "No More Mister Nice Guy, Part II". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing
- Episode 12: "End of the Road, Part II". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Ewing
- Season 5 (1981–82 season)
- Episode 8: "The Split". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Ewing
- Episode 9: "Five Dollars a Barrel". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing
- Season 6 (1982–83 season)
- Episode 5: "Jock's Will". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing. This episode of Dallas was directly followed by an episode of Knots Landing on the same evening titled "New Beginnings"
- Season 9 (1985–86 season)
- Episode 1: "The Family Ewing". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing
- Season 10 (1986–87 season)
- Episode 11: "Proof Positive". No Knots Landing characters appear in this episode, but the set normally used as Karen MacKenzie's (Michele Lee) kitchen doubles as a set in a movie featuring Mandy Winger (Deborah Shelton)
- Season 12 (1988–89 season)
- Episode 14: "Comings and Goings". Featuring uncredited archive footage of Joan Van Ark as Valene Clements
- Season 14 (1990–91 season)
- Episode 22: "Conundrum". Featuring Ted Shackelford as Gary Ewing and Joan Van Ark as Valene Wallace
Films and reunions
A prequel story, Dallas: The Early Years, was a made-for-TV movie that first aired on March 23, 1986, on CBS during season 9 of the TV series. The movie starred David Grant as Digger Barnes, Dale Midkiff as Jock Ewing, Molly Hagan as Miss Ellie Southworth Ewing, David Wilson as Jason Ewing, and Hoyt Axton as Aaron Southworth, and was introduced by Larry Hagman in the role of J.R. Ewing. Detailing the origins of the Barnes-Ewing feud and the creation of Ewing Oil, and covering a timespan from 1933 to 1951, the movie was written by series creator David Jacobs.
There were also two made-for-TV reunion movies that aired on
In November 2003, SOAPnet aired a Dallas reunion on Soap Talk to coincide with SOAPnet acquiring the rights to rerun Dallas episodes. Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Charlene Tilton all participated in the reunion, which included clips of past episodes. The SOAPnet Dallas reunion was included in the special features of Dallas Seasons 1 & 2 DVD set.
On November 7, 2004, CBS aired a primetime TV special titled Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, in which the stars reminisced about their work on the series (by coincidence, actor Howard Keel, who played Clayton Farlow, had died earlier that same day).
On November 8, 2008, a Dallas 30th anniversary reunion was held at Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, with original cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Ken Kercheval, Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton; other cast members in attendance were Susan Howard, Audrey Landers, Mary Crosby and Sheree J. Wilson. The front and back lawn of the fictional Ewing family home played host to a massive barbecue filled with people from the Dallas area, across the U.S. and around the world (who paid as much as $1,000) to reminisce and celebrate the series, as well as meeting with cast members. During the festivities, Kercheval said he was shocked to see the continued support for the show 17 years after it last aired: "I don't understand it. The staying power. Who knew?" Linda Gray also fondly remembered her time on the show: "I think it was a special time. It was a time when there weren't a hundred million channels and the Internet and all of the other things that came to existence."
A Dallas Retrospective: J.R. Ewing Bourbon Presents Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy one-night only event was held on March 23, 2017, at the AT&T Performing Arts Center's Winspear Opera House in Dallas, during which both Duffy and Gray reminisced about their careers and their time on Dallas. It was sponsored by the nationally distributed J.R. Ewing Bourbon and moderated by The Dallas Morning News columnist Robert Wilonsky.[34]
On March 30–31, 2018, a 40th anniversary reunion was held at Southfork Ranch in Parker and the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, with cast members Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Charlene Tilton and Steve Kanaly attending the festivities. The celebrations included Southfork tours, a meet-and-greet with the cast, an array of Dallas memorabilia at the "Dallas Legends" exhibit and closing out with a party at the historic Longhorn Ballroom.[35]
In honor of the show's 45th anniversary, another reunion was held on June 13, 2023 at Oscar's in Palm Springs, California which was attended by Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Steve Kanaly, Charlene Tilton, Audrey Landers and Joan Van Ark. The cast talked about the Dallas years as well as their personal lives and careers since with CBS moderator Sandie Newton.[36]
Revival series
In 2010, cable network
The new series, which premiered on June 13, 2012, focused primarily on John Ross and Christopher Ewing, the now-grown sons of J.R. and Bobby. Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray returned in full-time capacity, reprising their original roles. The series was produced by
The new series is a continuation of the old series, with the story continuing after a 20-year break. It does not take the events of the 1990s TV movies Dallas: J.R. Returns or Dallas: War of the Ewings as canon. Instead we find the characters 20 years after the events of the Season 14 cliffhanger.[37] In an interview with UltimateDallas.com, writer/producer Cynthia Cidre was asked to describe the new Dallas. She responded, "I tried to be really, really respectful of the original Dallas because it was really clear to me that the people who love Dallas are [like] Trekkies, really committed to that show and I really did not understand that before, so I never wanted to violate anything that had happened in the past. On the other hand that was the past, twenty years had gone by, so at the same time I think we're properly balanced between the characters of Bobby Ewing, J.R. and Sue Ellen. I also have the new cast and it's John Ross and Christopher, the children of Bobby and J.R., and their love interests. Total respect and a balance of old and new."[38]
In the show's second season, J.R. Ewing was killed off (following the death of actor Larry Hagman in November 2012), sparking another "who-done-it" storyline throughout the remainder of the season. Various cast members from the original series attended his onscreen funeral.
Despite initially strong numbers, ratings for the new Dallas declined over the three seasons that the show ran before TNT cancelled it in 2014.
Books and other media
During the series' heyday, several magazines, books and merchandise were produced:
- In 1980, a novel titled Dallas based on the original five-episode miniseries written by Lee Raintree was published by Dell Publishing.
- In 1980–81, another three novels adapting the subsequent seasons – The Ewings of Dallas, The Men of Dallas and The Women of Dallas – were all written by Burt Hirschfeld and published by Bantam Books.
- In 1980, The Dallas Family Album written by Robert Massello was published by Bantam Books.
- In 1980, The Southworth Connection was an unofficial magazine story by Phoenix Publications detailing Brannigan Southworth's attempt to shoot J.R. Ewing.
- In 1980, Dallas: The Television Role-Playing Game was released by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI).
- In 1981–84, the Los Angeles Times Syndicate produced a Dallas comic strip for newspapers, written by Jim Lawrence and illustrated by Ron Harris, Thomas Warkentin, Padraic Shigetani, Deryl Skelton, and others.
- In 1984, Datasoft released the video game The Dallas Quest for the Tandy Color Computer and Commodore 64.
- In 1985, Who Killed Jock Ewing? by Robert Tine was published by Arrow as part of a major whodunnit competition that saw J.R., Bobby and Ray investigating their father's death.
- In 1985, Dallas: The Complete Ewing Family Saga by Laura Van Wormer was published by Doubleday.
- In 1986, The Complete Book of Dallas: Behind the Scenes at the World's Favorite Television Show by Suzy Kalter was published by Harry N. Abrams.
- In 1986–87, further Dallas novels were published by Pioneer Communications Network. There were 14 titles in the Soaps & Serials series: Love Conquers Fear, Ardent Memories, Love's Challenge, The Power of Passion, Dangerous Desire, Double Dealing, Hostage Heart, This Cherished Land, Power Play, Winner Take All, Reality Strikes, Shattered Dreams, A Cry in the Night and Family Secrets.
- In 2004, 25 Years of Dallas: The Complete Story of the World's Favorite Prime-Time Soap written by Barbara A. Curran was published by Cumberland House Publishing. It contains synopses for each season, extensive research into production and interviews with most of original cast, along with a foreword by Victoria Principal and an introduction by David Jacobs.
Inspiration
The 1956 film Giant is considered to be the inspiration for Dallas. Both productions focus on the struggle between wealthy oilmen and cattlemen in Texas, in the mid to late 20th century. In addition, both productions have a lead character prominently referred to as "J.R."[39]
Legacy
Dallas and the Cold War
Dallas is alleged to have helped partially hasten the downfall of the
Also in northern parts of
Other
In 2007, British comedian Justin Lee Collins went searching for all the stars of Dallas to bring them together for a special reunion party. The show was broadcast at 9 p.m. Sunday, May 27, 2007, on UK television network Channel 4 as part of the Bring Back... series. After hunting down most of the main cast by any means necessary (e.g., climbing over security fences and ambushing hotels), Collins interviewed them and gained more knowledge about some of the decisions made throughout the show's seasons. Amongst the cast, the participants were Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Ken Kercheval, Charlene Tilton, Susan Howard and Mary Crosby. Justin Lee Collins held his own 'Oil Baron's Ball', where none of the main cast turned up! However, the actor who played baby Christopher (Eric Farlow) did attend. In an interview in 2011 Charlene Tilton said that show was one of her and the cast's worst experiences ever.[citation needed]
In March 2011, the Texas Theatre in Dallas began showing two episodes of Dallas on the big screen every Sunday; over 100 patrons, some in costume of their favorite characters, appeared at the free screenings every week. However, the screenings came to an abrupt end in May 2011 after Warner Bros. issued a cease-and-desist against the Texas Theatre for unauthorized showings, citing the fact that those that were involved in the show's production were not getting paid or benefiting from these screenings.[43]
J.R. Ewing's hat, a foremost symbol of the show's inherent "Americanness" that contributed to its hold over audiences on a global scale, is currently held in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's collections.[24]
In a popular Forbidden Broadway parody, an actress playing Mary Martin sings the song "Never Never Panned" to the tune of "Never Never Land" from the musical Peter Pan. One of the lines sung is "you too can be a star, like my son who plays J.R. on Dallas! We're never never panned!"[citation needed]
The series is mentioned in the lyrics of Swedish pop band ABBA's 1982 single "The Day Before You Came": "There's not, I think, a single episode of Dallas that I didn't see."
Country singer Hank Williams Jr. had a hit with a song called "This Ain't Dallas" comparing his and his wife's life together with that of J.R. and Sue Ellen.[citation needed]
The show's "Who shot J.R.?" storyline has been used to great effect in other drama series, most notably the BBC's EastEnders with the "Who Shot Phil?" Mitchell storyline, and more recently with the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline. In 1995, the animated series The Simpsons also had a "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" storyline.
In 2013, TV Guide ranked Dallas at No. 47 on its list of the 60 Best Series of all time.[44]
References
- ^ Jacobs, David (April 15, 1990). "TV VIEW; When the Rich And the Powerful Were Riding High". The New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-4891-3. Archived from the originalon March 26, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
- ^ Poniewozik, James (September 6, 2007). "The 100 Best TV Shows of All-Time". Time. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
- ^ "Jordan, Chris. "TNT, TBS Order 4 Pilots, Including 'Dallas' Update" TV Squad; September 8, 2010". Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^ Meisler, Andy (May 7, 1995). "Television; When J.R. Was Shot The Cliffhanger Was Born". The New York Times. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
- ^ "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time". TV Guide. June 15, 2009. pp. 34–49.
- ^ a b David Massey - Goldlion. "Dallas TV series Dream season official dallas website". Archived from the original on June 20, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ "Actors Pay Price Of Aids Stigma" Archived May 26, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Orlando Sentinel; November 27, 1991
- ^ Lipton, Michael A. "Dack Rambo's Brave New World" Orlando Sentinel; November 27, 1991
- ^ a b c Ultimate Dallas: Actor Trivia Archived August 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ ISBN 1-58939-583-2.
- Wilmington Morning Star; January 29, 1987
- ^ a b "Hagman not happy that Victoria Principal is leaving 'Dallas'", Houston Chronicle; January 30, 1987
- ^ a b "Dallas Exclusive Interviews". Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ David Massey - Goldlion. "Official Dallas website - exclusive dallas interview Linda Gray". Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ "21 As Dallas's New Miss Ellie, Donna Reed Trades the Kitchen for a Home on the Range" Archived November 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine People; November 19, 1984.
- ^ Times Wire Services: "Donna Reed, 64, Dies of Cancer at Her Home" Los Angeles Times; January 14, 1986
- ^ a b Marshall, Max (September 19, 2018). "'Dallas' at 40: The Inside Story Behind the Show That Changed Texas Forever". Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Haithman, Diane. "The Baron of 'Dallas': Producer Reminisces on 10th Anniversary" Los Angeles Times; April 1, 1988
- ^ David Massey - Goldlion. "Official Dallas website Bobby Ewing returns". Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ Dallas Critic Archived 2014-02-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Box Ranch: A Legend in Limbo | Frisco STYLE Magazine".
- ^ Goldlion, David Massey -. "Official Dallas website - locations used in the tv series Dallas". www.ultimatedallas.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ a b "Dallas Nielsen Ratings". Dallas The Official Website. Retrieved May 15, 2012.[dead link]
- ^ "Chicago Tribune". Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "TV Listings for April 6, 1979". TV Tango. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ "Broadcasting: The newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts" (PDF). p. 56. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ William Leith (November 14, 2006). "Patrick Duffy, Bobby Ewing in Dallas, talks to William Leith". The Guardian. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ "Citizen B: The Legacy of Silvio Berlusconi's TV Empire". Indiewire. October 30, 2012.
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (April 5, 1985). "TELEVISION; J.r. Would Be Proud Of British Tv's 'Dallas' Brawl". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ Thames TV head called to IBA after 'Dallas' deal P2, Date: 18 Jan 1985
- ^ Hewson, David (July 12, 1985). "Thames TV head leaves in dispute over Dallas". The Times.
- ^ "About". Knots Landing. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ Dallas News: "TV Ewings Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy get a standing O in Dallas", retrieved March 26, 2017
- ^ Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy reunite to celebrate 40th anniversary of the Dallas TV series, retrieved April 1, 2018
- ^ The Stars of 'Dallas' Reunite 45 Years After the Show's Debut — See the Photos! (Exclusive), retrieved June 22, 2023
- ^ Patrick Duffy, "Dallas Round Up" Archived December 26, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, "Dallas Round Up", June 2012
- ^ Colin Hunter, Interview with Cynthia Cidre Archived July 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, "Official Dallas Website", 2011
- ^ Gary M. Cramer, "'Giant': A giant book about a giant film", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 3, 2018.
- ^ "How 'Dallas' Won the Cold War". The Washington Post. April 27, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
- ^ Huang, Sherng-Lee; Ungur, Livia (February 1, 2016), Hotel Dallas, retrieved June 9, 2016
- ^ Holden, Stephen (November 11, 2010). "J. R. Ewing Shot Down Communism in Estonia". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Warner Bros. Tells Texas Theatre to "Cease And Desist" Dallas Screenings. Now". Dallas Observer. May 13, 2011. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
- ^ "TV Guide Magazine's 60 Best Series of All Time". TV Guide.
External links
- Dallas at IMDb
- Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived December 26, 2015)
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