| Dallas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Created by | David Jacobs |
| Written by | List of writers |
| Directed by | List of directors |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Jerrold Immel[3] |
| 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 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | April 2, 1978 (1978-04-02) – May 3, 1991 (1991-05-03) |
| Related | |
Dallas is an Americanprime timesoap opera that aired onCBS from April 2, 1978, to May 3, 1991. The series revolved around an affluent and feudingTexas family, theEwings, who owned the independent oil companyEwing Oil and the cattle-ranching land ofSouthfork. The series originally focused on the marriage ofBobby Ewing andPam Ewing, whose families were sworn enemies. As the series progressed, Bobby's elder brother, oil tycoonJ. R. Ewing, became the show'sbreakout character, whose schemes and dirty business became the show's trademark.[4] 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 itscliffhangers, including the "Who shot J.R.?" mystery. The 1980 episode "Who Done It" remainsthe second-highest-rated primetime telecast ever.[5] The show also featured a "Dream Season", in which the entirety ofseason 9 was revealed to have been adream of Pamela Ewing. After 14 seasons, theseries finale "Conundrum" aired in 1991.
The show had anensemble cast, withLarry Hagman as a greedy, scheming oil tycoonJ.R. Ewing, stage/screen actressBarbara Bel Geddes as family matriarchMiss Ellie andWestern movie actorJim Davis as Ewing patriarchJock, his last role before his death in 1981. The series won fourEmmy Awards, including a1980Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Bel Geddes.
With its 357 episodes,Dallas remains one ofthe longest lasting full-hour prime time dramas in American TV history.Dallas also spawned aspin-off series,Knots Landing, in 1979, which also lasted 14 seasons and a total of 344 episodes.
In 2007,Dallas was included inTime magazine's list of "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time".[6]
The series finale had a cliffhanger that was resolved in the first of two subsequentreunion films:Dallas: J.R. Returns. The second,Dallas: War of the Ewings, aired in 1998. This was followed by a retrospective special,Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, in 2004.
In 2010,TNT announced it had ordered anew, updated continuation ofDallas, ignoring the events of the two reunion films.[7] 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.
Dallas debuted on April 2, 1978, as a five-partminiseries onCBS. Although the miniseries was created as the series'pilot, by the time it was aired, neither the producers nor the network were hopeful that it would continue beyond these five episodes and had no plans for expansion. It was shown in a late Sunday night time-slot, known for low ratings. However, the miniseries proved popular enough to be turned into a regular series and broadcast for 13 full seasons from September 23, 1978, to May 3, 1991. The five pilot episodes, originally considered a miniseries, are now referred to asseason 1, making fourteen seasons in total.
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 betweenthe Ewing and Barnes families, which came to a head when the Barnes daughterPamela (Victoria Principal) eloped with the youngest Ewing sonBobby (Patrick Duffy), in the first episode. The series is largely set inDallas, Texas, and fictional Braddock County, where the Southfork Ranch is located.
The backstory was that, in the 1930s,wildcatterJohn Ross "Jock" Ewing (Jim Davis) had allegedly cheated his one-time partner,Willard "Digger" Barnes (David Wayne/Keenan Wynn), out of his share of their companyEwing Oil, and married Digger's only love,Eleanor "Miss Ellie" Southworth (Barbara Bel Geddes/Donna Reed). In contrast to Jock, Miss Ellie came from a long line of ranchers with great love for the land and the cattle. Following their marriage, the Southworth family ranch,Southfork, became the Ewings' home, where Jock and Miss Ellie raised three sons:J.R. (Larry Hagman),Gary (David Ackroyd/Ted Shackelford) andBobby (Patrick Duffy).
J.R., unscrupulous and unhappily married to formerMiss Texas beauty queenSue 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 conflicted 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 waitressValene Clements (Joan Van Ark), producing the first Ewing grandchild - petite and saucyLucy (Charlene Tilton) - before returning to Southfork to settle down. Although Jock warmed to Valene and supported Gary's fledgling family, J.R. pressured Gary intoalcoholism 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 withranch foremanRay Krebbs (Steve Kanaly). Later, inseason 4, Ray was revealed to be Jock's illegitimate son through an extramarital affair duringWorld War II. Unhappy with his small, one-dimensional role, Kanaly had considered leaving the show; to add depth to the Ray character, Hagman suggested that the writers create a plot wherein Ray becomes half-brother to J.R., Gary, and Bobby, noting his resemblance to Davis. The episodes where Ray and his niece Lucy had a fling are, as Kanaly toldDinah Shore in an appearance on her show, "prayerfully forgotten, I hope".
Ray had previously engaged in a short fling with Pamela, but she left him and married 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 brotherCliff (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,[8] the most notable being theseason 3 finale "A House Divided", which launched the landmark "Who shot J.R.?" storyline and was ranked No. 69 onTV Guide's list of "TV's Top 100 Episodes of All Time".[9] Other season finale cliffhangers include an unidentified female corpse in the Southfork swimming pool (season 4); a blazing house fire (season 6); Bobby's death (season 8) and subsequent resurrection (season 9); and J.R.'s apparent suicide (season 14).
For the original five-episodes miniseries (season 1) six actors received star billing:Barbara Bel Geddes as matriarchMiss Ellie Ewing, whose family were the original owners of Southfork;Jim Davis as her husbandJock Ewing, the founder of Ewing Oil and head of the Ewing family;Patrick Duffy as their youngest son,Bobby;Victoria Principal asPamela Barnes Ewing, the daughter of the rival Barnes family whom Bobby brings home as his wife in the pilot episode;Larry Hagman asJ.R. Ewing, the oldest son, who strongly objects to his new sister-in-law; andCharlene Tilton asLucy, Bobby's, J.R.'s and Ray's teenage niece, who adores Bobby and Ray but resents J.R. for disposing of her parents in order for her to be raised by "true Ewings".
Not receiving top billing during season 1, although appearing in the majority of the episodes, wereLinda Gray asSue Ellen, J.R.'s long-suffering, alcoholic wife;Steve Kanaly as Pam's ex-boyfriendRay Krebbs, a Southfork ranch hand who would later turn out to be Jock's illegitimate son; andKen Kercheval as Pam's brotherCliff Barnes, J.R.'s archrival. Gray and Kanaly were promoted to the regular cast as of the first episode ofseason 2 and Kercheval as of the first episode ofseason 3.David Wayne received guest star billing asWillard "Digger" Barnes.
Further on in the series, several new characters were added as the original actors departed the series:
Forseason 5, after guest starring sinceseason 2,Susan Howard joined the main cast asDonna Culver Krebbs, politician and widow of a former Texas governor, who becomes Ray's first wife and mother to his daughter Margaret.
Season 8 sawHoward Keel promoted to the star cast after appearing sinceseason 4 as wealthy, occasionally hot-tempered rancherClayton Farlow, Miss Ellie's husband following Jock's death, and ofPriscilla Beaulieu Presley as Bobby's teenage sweetheartJenna Wade, who gives birth to Bobby's only biological child, Lucas, and eventually becomes Ray's second wife. Jenna had previously been played byMorgan Fairchild for aseason 2 episode, andFrancine Tacker for two episodes inseason 3 before the role was permanently taken over by Presley inseason 7.Donna Reed also joined the main cast duringseason 8, temporarily portraying Miss Ellie until Barbara Bel Geddes returned in the following year.
Dack Rambo, portraying wandering cousinJack Ewing, was promoted to regular status forseason 10, after having appeared regularly since the end ofseason 8. However, he was written out of the show midway through the tenth season. Jack's sister Jamie Ewing (Jenilee Harrison) appeared in season 8. Jack's ex-wifeApril Stevens Ewing, played bySheree J. Wilson, first appeared during seasons10 and11, before being promoted to a main character forseason 12. Originally a scheming character, April eventually became Bobby's second wife after his divorce from Pam.
Season 13 saw several additions to the main cast:Academy Award winnerGeorge Kennedy asCarter McKay, who buys Ray's ranch and eventually becomes the head of Ewing Oil rival WestStar;Cathy Podewell as the young and naïveCally Harper Ewing, J.R.'s second wife, whom he married to escape falserape charges;Sasha Mitchell as J.R.'s illegitimate firstborn son,James Beaumont;Kimberly Foster as April's devious sisterMichelle Stevens, who marries both James and Cliff Barnes; and finallyLesley-Anne Down as PR womanStephanie Rogers. While Kennedy and Podewell had appeared regularly throughoutseason 12, Mitchell, Foster and Down's characters were all new to the series when they joined the regular cast.
Finally, forthe 14th and final season, after guest starring in the last episodes ofseason 13,Barbara Stock joined the cast as Cliff's fiancéeLiz Adams.
During its 14-year run,Dallas saw several actors appearing in supporting roles. The most notable include:
Longtime child characters include J.R. and Sue Ellen's sonJohn Ross Ewing III (portrayed for seasons 4–6 by Tyler Banks, and for seasons 7–14 byOmri Katz); Bobby and Pam's adopted sonChristopher Ewing (portrayed by Eric Farlow for seasons 6–8, and byJoshua 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 (Don Starr, seasons 2–14), Marilee Stone (Fern Fitzgerald, seasons 2–13) and Andy Bradley (Paul Sorensen, seasons 2–10); Jock's good friend Marvin "Punk" Anderson (Morgan Woodward, seasons 4–11) and his wife Mavis (Alice Hirson, seasons 6–7 and 10–11); and shady investment banker Vaughn Leland (Dennis Patrick, seasons 3, 5, and 7–8). Other longtime Ewing acquaintances include Dallas PD detective Harry McSween, serving as J.R.'s source within police force (James Brown, seasons 2–12); family attorney Harv Smithfield (George O. Petrie, seasons 3–14); and Donna's stepson, U.S. Senator Dave Culver (Tom Fuccello, seasons 3–6, 8, 10–11, and 13–14).
Also appearing in many episodes are several background characters, including Bobby's secretaries Connie Brasher (portrayed byDonna Bullock in season 1, Ann Ford and Nancy Bleier in season 2, andJeanna Michaels in seasons 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 actorTina Louise played J.R.'s secretary, Julie Grey, during the first two seasons before her character was killed off.
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, duringseason 5. ActorJim Davis, who played Jock, had died just after production had completed onseason 4 in 1981.
Bobby Ewing's death in theseason 8 finale, alongside his subsequent absence during the following season, was explained away at the beginning ofseason 10 as having been dreamed by Pamela, thus erasing everything that had happened duringseason 9. Patrick Duffy had left the series to pursue other opportunities, but due to declining ratings, he was convinced to return to the series by production companyLorimar as well as by series star Larry Hagman.[10]
Jack Ewing left Dallas to continue his travels and get away from J.R., midway throughseason 10, and returned a final time for two episodes towards the end of the season. While there has been no official reason as to why actor Dack Rambo was written out ofDallas, Rambo himself later stated that he believed the reasons to be his bisexuality or his conflicts with Larry Hagman, which Rambo said had particularly intensified during his last season on the show (season 10). BeforeDallas, Rambo and Hagman had worked together onSword of Justice in the late 1970s.[11][12] Hagman later denied any involvement in Rambo's dismissal fromDallas.[13]
Pamela was severely burned after driving a car into an oil tanker, which then exploded into flames, in theseason 10 finale in 1987. Duringseason 11, Pam disappeared after her half-sister Katherine was seen around the hospital, with Pam seemingly leaving Bobby and Christopher due to her unwillingness to let them see her in such a physically disfigured fashion. While Victoria Principal never returned toDallas again after the season 10 finale,Margaret Michaels, a Principal look-alike, played Pam in the opening episode ofseason 12. Having undergone plastic surgery which explained the difference in her appearance, it was revealed that Pam was dying of a disease, though only she and her doctor knew about this. After this episode, Pam is never seen again. Unable to reach a salary agreement and having a desire to start her own business,[14] it was Principal's own decision not to return to the show after the season 10 finale.[15][16]
Budget cuts also meant other long term cast members were let go.[14] In addition to Pamela's departure, Ray and Donna divorced at the end ofseason 10. Donna moving toWashington, D.C., where she later married Senator Andrew Dowling (guest starJim McMullan), with whom she raised Ray's daughter Margaret. ActressSusan Howard stated in 1987 that the producers had told her that her character had run its course.[16][17] Asseason 11 ended, Ray sold his ranch to Carter McKay and left Dallas for Switzerland with Jenna and Lucas, Charlie having already moved there to attend afinishing school. Ray returned for five episodes in the early period ofseason 12.
Lucy Ewing, who had left with husband Mitch at the end ofseason 8, returned to Southfork in the final episodes ofseason 11, only to leave again two years later for Europe. On both occasions,Charlene Tilton's axing was a decision made by the creative team, who had difficulties creating storylines for her.[13]
Sue Ellen left in theseason 12 finale, moving toLondon with her new husband, film director Don Lockwood (guest starIan McShane). While Linda Gray was let go by the same budget cuts that ended Steve Kanaly's run on the show,[13] Sue Ellen's exit has since been described by Gray as a mutual decision by her andLeonard Katzman, agreeing that the character "had come more than full circle".[18]
Stephanie Rogers was let go as Cliff's PR representative at the end ofseason 13, making actressLesley-Anne Down the most short-lived member of the regular cast, appearing in 8 episodes and being on the opening title sequence in 13 episodes.
Barbara Bel Geddes had quadruple heart bypass surgery on March 15, 1983, just days after finishing her last scenes onseason 6. Bel Geddes then missed the first 11 episodes ofseason 7, as she had a period of rest and recuperation following the surgery. After the season 7 finale, Bel Geddes leftDallas entirely after disagreements over her workload and salary in the period following her heart surgery. The role of Miss Ellie was then recast withDonna Reed forseason 8, with Reed signing a 3-year contract.[19] Bel Geddes was asked to return for the start ofseason 9, a request to which Bel Geddes agreed, resulting in a high-profile public relations debacle that left Reed infuriated and in litigation with the series producers, who eventually made Reed a $1 million out-of-court settlement. Reed died unexpectedly of pancreatic cancer a few months later, in January 1986.[20] Miss Ellie remained on the show until near the end ofseason 13, when she and Clayton left Dallas, deciding to travel around Far East Asia before eventually settling in Europe near Ray and Jenna. Following her exit fromDallas in 1990, Bel Geddes retired from acting.
Whenthe 14th and final season of the series commenced, ten actors received regular cast status. Although half of them left the show prior tothe series finale, all of them remained billed in the series' opening sequence throughout the year.Clayton Farlow made four appearances, clearing up business that included deeding Southfork to Bobby;April Stevens Ewing died early on in the season, kidnapped on her honeymoon by Hillary Taylor (guest starSusan Lucci);Cally Harper Ewing left midway through the season to build a new life, with a new boyfriend and her and J.R.'s newborn son; Liz Adams broke her engagement to Cliff and left near the end of the season, and James Beaumont left the show a couple of episodes prior to the series finale, to start a new life on the east coast with his newly discovered toddler son Jimmy, and Jimmy's mother Debra Lynn (guest starDeborah Tucker).
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.
The 1956 filmGiant is considered to be the inspiration forDallas. 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."[21]
Series creatorDavid Jacobs's partner Michael Filerman suggestedDallas as the name for the show. Jacobs knew nothing about the city other than theKennedy assassination and theDallas Cowboys; only after visiting the state to prepare for filming did he realize that the show should be calledHouston as the petroleum industry is much more important there, while Dallas has banking and insurance.[22] He wrote the first and the final episode of the original five-part miniseries (season 1), with the other three episodes being written byArthur Bernard Lewis,Camille Marchetta and Virginia Aldrige. While Aldrige did not return to the series again and Marchetta left duringseason 4, Lewis grew to be one ofDallas's most influential writers.
Leonard Katzman had been a part of season 1 as producer, and duringseason 2 his influence increased, as he began writing and directing episodes. Series creator David Jacobs left his day-to-day duties as executive story consultant at the end of season 2, in order to focus on the production of spin-offKnots Landing. The executive producers ofDallas in the first 3 seasons werePhilip Capice andLee Rich. During the first 8 seasons of the show,Dallas's production team remained basically intact (the main exception being Rich's leaving afterseason 3). After Lee Rich's departure, Philip Capice served as the sole executive producer, Leonard Katzman as producer and showrunner, Cliff Fenneman as associate producer, and Arthur Bernard Lewis asexecutive story editor/supervising producer. And, although 25 writers contributed with scripts, the trio of Katzman, Lewis andDavid Paulsen wrote nearly two-thirds of the episodes during these first eight seasons. Paulsen had joined the show during theseason 4 and was promoted tostory editor forseason 6. The trio wrote every episode but two during seasons7 and8.
Creative conflicts between executive producer Philip Capice and producer Leonard Katzman led to Katzman leaving the show at the end ofseason 8.[23] Although Katzman was to continue writing for the show duringseason 9 and also acted during this season as "creative consultant" (which meant he was sent copies of all scripts and asked to give his input), Capice decided to bring in a new production team: joining him and associate producer Cliff Fenneman were James H. Brown as producer and Peter Dunne as supervising producer/showrunner, executive story consultant Joel J. Feigenbaum, and story editors Hollace White and Stephanie Garman.
However, increased production costs[23] and the claim of decreased ratings (though the accuracy of this has been disputed)[10] caused production companyLorimar to persuade both Patrick Duffy and Leonard Katzman to return. Asseason 9 came to a close, Katzman was on board to return as showrunner for the following season and the season finale sawPatrick Duffy inexplicably resurface on screen.[24]
As of theseason 10 premiere, there was another major overhaul of the crew, with Leonard Katzman not only returning to the production side of the show but also getting promoted to executive producer, reportedly on the condition that he would get "total authority" of the show,[23] while Philip Capice and most of the season 9 staff left the production. Alongside Katzman, David Paulsen was brought back as the show's new producer, while the position as supervising producer was offered to newcomer Calvin Clements Jr. and Cliff Fenneman remained associate producer. A new writing staff was hired to work alongside the producers, including Katzman's son Mitchell Wayne Katzman as story editor and Leah Markus as story consultant. Markus left after two years, while the others remained until the show's end.
Scriptwise,Patrick Duffy's return was explained by having the entireseason 9 being a dream ofVictoria Principal's characterPam, effectively sweeping away the events occurring during the period in which Katzman's involvement with the show had been minimized.
Even the cast were affected by the production and political struggles. WhileLarry Hagman (J.R.) reportedly supported Katzman, and had played a great part in bringing Duffy back,Susan Howard (Donna), who also had written the script for one of theseason 9 episodes, had sided with Philip Capice, and was opposed to the idea of annulling the events of season 9. While she returned to write another episode for season 10, she left the show, both as a writer and as a cast member, at the end of the season.[17][23]
During the final four years of the show, Leonard Katzman remained showrunner, with series starLarry Hagman joining him as executive producer (beginning withseason 12) andKen Horton as co-executive producer (as ofseason 13).
Supervising producer Calvin Clements Jr. left the show afterseason 10, and was replaced for seasons11 and 12 by the returning Arthur Bernard Lewis, who remained a writer on the show until its end. Lewis was thus reuniting with Leonard Katzman and David Paulsen. However, Paulsen leftDallas at the end of the 11th season (to join rival soapDynasty), and was replaced as the show's producer first by Howard Lakin for season 12, and then by longtime associate producer Cliff Fenneman for the final two years. Lakin spent seasons 13 and14 as supervising producer.
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 wasLisa Seidman, who joined the show as executive story consultant for the final two seasons.
The pilot season was shot entirelyon location inDallas, Texas, and at theCloyce Box Ranch inFrisco, Texas.[25][26][27] Later, most interiors for the show were shot at theMGM Studios inCulver City, California (which was purchased outright byLorimar in 1986), with some exteriors being shot at theSouthfork Ranch inParker, Texas, and other sections of Dallas. Forseason 13, rising production costs led to all filming being relocated toCalifornia. Typically the cast and crew would spend six to eight weeks filming on-location sequences in the Dallas area during the summer prior to the season, then film the remainder of the season in the Los Angeles area; fewer than half of the episodes in a given season had on-location sequences filmed in Dallas. MGM built a full-size replica of the Southfork Ranch backyard and pool on one of its soundstages, allowing for filming of "location" shots during the latter part of the season.
Leonard Katzman is the most prominent director on the show, having directed episodes of every season except seasons1,9 and12. Next to Katzman,Michael Preece, is responsible for having directed the mostDallas episodes, having joined the show duringseason 4 and remaining until the end. Of the two directors attached to the original miniseries,Robert Day did not return for subsequent seasons, whileIrving J. Moore remained on the show untilseason 5, and then returned for the final three.
Five of the series' stars also directed episodes:Larry Hagman (seasons 3–14),Patrick Duffy (seasons 4–8 and10–14),Linda Gray (seasons 9–12),Steve Kanaly (seasons 10–12) andKen Kercheval (seasons 13–14).
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Rank[28] | Viewers (in ratings points) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||||
| 1 | 5 | April 2, 1978 (1978-04-02) | April 30, 1978 (1978-04-30) | 42[29] | 19.0 | |
| 2 | 24 | September 23, 1978 (1978-09-23) | April 6, 1979 (1979-04-06)[30] | 40[31] | 18.4 | |
| 3 | 25 | September 21, 1979 (1979-09-21) | March 21, 1980 (1980-03-21) | 6 | 19.1 | |
| 4 | 23 | November 7, 1980 (1980-11-07) | May 1, 1981 (1981-05-01) | 1 | 27.6 | |
| 5 | 26 | October 9, 1981 (1981-10-09) | April 9, 1982 (1982-04-09) | 1 | 23.2 | |
| 6 | 28 | October 1, 1982 (1982-10-01) | May 6, 1983 (1983-05-06) | 2 | 20.5 | |
| 7 | 30 | September 30, 1983 (1983-09-30) | May 18, 1984 (1984-05-18) | 1 | 21.5 | |
| 8 | 30 | September 28, 1984 (1984-09-28) | May 17, 1985 (1985-05-17) | 2 | 20.97 | |
| 9 | 31 | September 27, 1985 (1985-09-27) | May 16, 1986 (1986-05-16) | 6 | 18.8 | |
| 10 | 29 | September 26, 1986 (1986-09-26) | May 15, 1987 (1987-05-15) | 11 | 18.6 | |
| 11 | 30 | September 25, 1987 (1987-09-25) | May 13, 1988 (1988-05-13) | 21 | 15.2 | |
| 12 | 26 | October 28, 1988 (1988-10-28) | May 19, 1989 (1989-05-19) | 30 | 13.9 | |
| 13 | 27 | September 22, 1989 (1989-09-22) | May 11, 1990 (1990-05-11) | 43 | N/a | |
| 14 | 23 | November 2, 1990 (1990-11-02) | May 3, 1991 (1991-05-03) | 61 | N/a | |
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 ofDallas that revealedwho shot J.R.?, the famous 1980cliffhanger, 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 American television audience for November 21, 1980) tuning in for the answer. The episode surpassed the ratings record of the final episode ofThe Fugitive, broadcast in August 1967, but the record ofDallas was broken only by thelast episode ofM*A*S*H in 1983, falling into the second internationally most watched American television episode, with nearly 360 million viewers in over 57 countries worldwide (by the year 1980) tuning in to see who shot J.R.[32]
Although the soap's audience had consistently declined since the "Who Done It" episode of 1980, theseries finale ofDallas, "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 (onNBC), only drew a 9.8 rating.
Date / title / network / household rating / share / viewers / time
Beginning in fall 1984,Dallas was packaged foroff-network syndication by Lorimar to local stations; among the stations to purchase the program initially was the Dallas-Fort WorthABC 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 onTNT (from September 1992 to August 1993, again the first nine seasons only), followed by a run onTNN beginning in the fall of 1996 (the first network to air all 357 episodes of the original series, but the episodes were heavily edited for time), and from 2003 to 2008 the entire run aired on the soap opera-themed cable networkSoapNet, uncut and unedited, as it was originally broadcast. On January 1, 2011,CMT aired the show for one day, and prior to the premiere of the 2012 sequel, select episodes were shown on CMT and its website.
In 1981,Mediaset,Silvio Berlusconi's Italian media conglomerate, translated and serializedDallas on Italian primetime, where it became popular throughout Italy.[33] The series aired in Japan onTV Asahi, but as of early 1982, its ratings were low and the series moved to a later timeslot (11pm on Thursdays, previously at 10pm).[34]
In the UK, the rights to showDallas had been bought by theBBC and it quickly became a ratings winner, drawing audiences of over 20 million. However, in 1985 the corporation refused to pay the $60,000 per-episode asking price for the ninth series. Whilst negotiating with the distributor to acquire the next season, their commercial rival, the ITV franchise holderThames Television unexpectedly stepped in and met the price. The BBC reacted angrily to this development, pulling the current series mid-run, and threatening to broadcast the remaining episodes simultaneously with Thames Television's intended scheduling in November of that year. It caused a furore in the press and a question on the matter was even asked inParliament.[35] The BBC relented, and re-commenced their broadcasts of the current series on 27 March.[36]
Ultimately, numerous other ITV franchises, in particularGranada Television andYorkshire Television,[37] were not happy with the deal and thus complained to the regulatoryIndependent Broadcasting Authority. After a few months pressure from the IBA and other ITV franchise holders, Thames Television backed down on their plans and sold season nine back to the BBC, at a loss.[38] It took until January 1986 for the matter to be resolved.[39]Dallas continued to be broadcast on BBC1 until the end of the series' run in 1991.
Dallas is notable for itscliffhangers. 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.
Prior to the premiere ofDallas, Jacobs originated the idea for a drama series about four married couples in different stages of marriage, inspired byIngmar Bergman'sScenes from a Marriage. However, CBS wanted a "saga-like" show, resulting in Jacobs creatingDallas.[40][22] When the series proved to be a hit, CBS reconsidered Jacobs's original idea, which evolved intoDallasspin-off seriesKnots 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 ofKnots Landing, severalDallas actors (Larry Hagman,Patrick Duffy,Charlene Tilton, andMary Crosby) made guest appearances in the new series, and Shackelford and Van Ark continued to make occasional appearances inDallas. 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 ofDallas declared Bobby's death the previous year had been a dream. Bobby's death had had some influence on theKnots Landing storylines as well, with Gary grieving for his dead brother while Gary's wifeAbby (Donna Mills), who had lost her brotherSid (Don Murray) a few years earlier, consoled him. Abby andGreg Sumner (William Devane) then took advantage of Gary's grief and Gary's journey to Dallas for Bobby's funeral to gain politically at Empire Valley. Val also named her and Gary's son "Bobby" in memory of his late uncle. Unlike theDallas producers, theKnots Landing producers were not prepared to reset their series, resulting in the producers cutting ties between the two shows. As a result, there were no further crossover episodes or storylines; Bobby's return was never addressed onKnots Landing, nor was he mentioned again (onDallas, however, mentions of Gary increased, and archive footage of Joan Van Ark appeared in Season 12). However, Shackelford and Van Ark did reprise their roles for theDallas series finale "Conundrum" in 1991, which showed what would have happened to their characters if J.R. had never existed.[citation needed]
Aprequel story,Dallas: The Early Years, was amade-for-TV movie that first aired on March 23, 1986, onCBS during season 9 of the TV series. The film starredDavid Grant asDigger Barnes,Dale Midkiff asJock Ewing,Molly Hagan asMiss Ellie Southworth Ewing,David Wilson as Jason Ewing, andHoyt Axton as Aaron Southworth, and was introduced byLarry Hagman in the role ofJ.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 film was written by series creatorDavid Jacobs.
There were also two made-for-TV reunion movies that aired onCBS several years after the series ended:Dallas: J.R. Returns (1996), which resolved the series finale cliffhanger; and the 20th anniversary movieDallas: War of the Ewings (1998). Alongside returning series stars (Patrick Duffy,Larry Hagman,Linda Gray,George Kennedy,Ken Kercheval andSteve Kanaly), and recurring cast (Omri Katz,Audrey Landers,Deborah Rennard andGeorge O. Petrie), the two telefilms also introduced new characters – including up-and-coming lawyer Anita Smithfield, played byTracy Scoggins. The younger charactersChristopher Ewing, and Cliff and Afton's daughterPamela Rebecca were recast withChris Demetral and Deborah Kellner taking on the roles.
In November 2003, SOAPnet aired aDallas reunion onSoap 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.[citation needed]
On November 7, 2004, CBS aired a primetime TV special titledDallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork, in which the stars reminisced about their work on the series (by coincidence, actorHoward Keel, who playedClayton Farlow, had died earlier that same day).
On November 8, 2008, aDallas 30th anniversary reunion was held atSouthfork Ranch inParker, Texas, with original cast membersLarry Hagman,Patrick Duffy,Linda Gray,Ken Kercheval,Steve Kanaly andCharlene Tilton; other cast members in attendance wereSusan Howard,Audrey Landers,Mary Crosby andSheree 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."[citation needed]
A Dallas Retrospective: J.R. Ewing Bourbon PresentsLinda Gray andPatrick Duffy one-night only event was held on March 23, 2017, at theAT&T Performing Arts Center'sWinspear Opera House inDallas, during which both Duffy and Gray reminisced about their careers and their time onDallas. It was sponsored by the nationally distributed J.R. Ewing Bourbon and moderated byThe Dallas Morning News columnistRobert Wilonsky.[41]
On March 30–31, 2018, a 40th anniversary reunion was held at Southfork Ranch in Parker and theLonghorn Ballroom in Dallas, with cast membersPatrick Duffy,Linda Gray,Charlene Tilton andSteve Kanaly attending the festivities. The celebrations included Southfork tours, a meet-and-greet with the cast, an array ofDallas memorabilia at the "Dallas Legends" exhibit and closing out with a party at the historic Longhorn Ballroom.[42]
In honor of the show's 45th anniversary, another reunion was held on June 13, 2023, at Oscar's inPalm Springs, California which was attended byPatrick Duffy,Linda Gray,Steve Kanaly,Charlene Tilton,Audrey Landers andJoan Van Ark. The cast talked about theDallas years as well as their personal lives and careers since withCBS moderator Sandie Newton.[43]
In 2010, cable networkTNT announced they had ordered apilot for the continuation of theDallas series. After viewing the completed pilot episode, TNT proceeded to order a full season of 10 episodes.
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 byWarner Horizon Television, a subsidiary ofWarner Bros., which holds the rights to theDallas franchise through its acquisition ofLorimar Television and is a sister company to TNT, both under the ownership ofTime Warner.
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 moviesDallas: J.R. Returns orDallas: War of the Ewings as canon. Instead we find the characters 20 years after the events of the Season 14 cliffhanger.[44] In an interview with UltimateDallas.com, writer/producerCynthia Cidre was asked to describe the newDallas. 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."[45]
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 newDallas declined over the three seasons that the show ran before TNT cancelled it in 2014.
During the series' heyday, several magazines, books and merchandise were produced:
Dallas is alleged to have helped partially hasten the downfall of the communist regime in theEastern Bloc country of Romania during the final years of theCold War. Romanian PresidentNicolae Ceaușescu allowed airings ofDallas, one of the few Western shows allowed to be aired in the Communist state during the 1980s. The belief that the show would be seen asanti-capitalistic backfired on the regime as Romanian citizens desired and sought the luxurious lifestyle of the American elite seen in the show, compared to the despotic situation in Romania at the time. Shortly afterthe execution of Ceaușescu and his wife on Christmas Day 1989, the pilot episode ofDallas, which had been edited for a sex scene, was one of the first Western Shows aired on the newly liberated Romanian TV.[46] The popularity ofDallas in Romania is the subject of the 2016 experimental documentaryHotel Dallas, directed by artist duo Ungur & Huang and starringPatrick Duffy, who plays a surreal double of the Bobby Ewing character.[47]
Also in northern parts ofSoviet-occupied Estonia,Dallas became popular when shown on Finnish television, being watched illegally on modified Soviet television sets. In thecommunistSoviet Union thousands of people drove regularly to the northern tip of Estonia to pick up the series on Finnish TV. This was described in the 2009 documentaryDisco and Atomic War.[48]
In 2007, British comedianJustin Lee Collins went searching for all the stars ofDallas to bring them together for a reunion party. The show was broadcast on May 27, 2007, on UK television networkChannel 4 as part of theBring Back... series. Amongst the cast, the participants were Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Ken Kercheval, Charlene Tilton, Susan Howard and Mary Crosby. 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, theTexas Theatre in Dallas began showing two episodes ofDallas 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.[49]
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 theSmithsonian'sNational Museum of American History's collections.[28]
The series is mentioned in the lyrics ofSwedish pop bandABBA's 1982 single "The Day Before You Came": "There's not, I think, a single episode ofDallas that I didn't see."[50]
Country singerHank 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 in other drama series, including theBBC'sEastEnders with the "Who Shot Phil?" Mitchell storyline, and more recently[when?] with the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline.[citation needed]
In 1995, the animated seriesThe Simpsons also had a "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" storyline.
In 2013,TV Guide rankedDallas at No. 47 on its list of the 60 Best Series of all time.[51]
Prior toDallas, both Patrick Duffy and Larry Hagman worked in the 1974 made-for-TV filmHurricane although they never appeared in the same scenes.[citation needed]
An episode of the British satirical series "Spitting Image" showed a sketch entitled "Pallas" which parodied members of the Royal Family as if they were characters fromDallas.[citation needed]
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