|
Dallas
*Dallas was the top-rated series on the air for three seasons! When it aired, the "Who Shot J.R." episode became the most watched episode in television history! The final episode of "M*A*S*H (1972)" beat that record in February of 1983. Larry Hagman was threatening to leave the series due to a contract dispute. The producers got prepared, just in case. If he would have left, the ambulance carrying J.R. to the hospital after his shooting would have crashed and caught fire in an accident. J.R. would have required extensive plastic surgery and Robert Culp (Star of the 1965 series, "I Spy") would have taken over the role.
*"Knot's Landing (1979)" was the only Dallas "spin-off" but there's no doubt that it inspired the productions of several others such as "Falcon Crest (1981)", "Dynasty (1981)", and "The Colbys (1985)". In fact, Robert Foxworth who was offered the role of J.R. Ewing and turned it down, agreed to do a very similar role later on "Falcon Crest". After Foxworth turned down the role of J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman refused the starring role in the series, "The Waverly Wonders" to become J.R. That was a good move as "The Waverly Wonders" didn't last very long.
*Larry Hagman owns a ranch in Ojai, California named, "Odd Ball". Larry has some traits that may relate to that name. He has a ring made from his gallstones that were removed during a liver transplant. One day each week he doesn't speak at all to test his self-discipline. He makes autograph seekers either tell him a joke or sing him a song before he will give them an autograph. He's a vegetarian and his nickname is "Mad Monk of Malibu".
*Larry is the son of Mary Martin, best known for her role on broadway as Peter Pan. Larry also is the godfather to Bridget Fonda.
*Patrick Duffy's son Conor played the role of "Little J.R."on the final episode of Dallas. His son Padraic played Mark Harris on the show. On the series, "The Man from Atlantis (1977)", Patrick also played a character named Mark Harris.
*Dallas would often make the audience believe that someone had died and then find ways to keep them alive. Several characters died in someone's dream and then they'd wake up. Sometimes there would be a report that someone had died and then they'd show up alive and the report turned out to be false.
*The dream death that had the most impact on the series was Bobby Ewing's death. Originally, he died because Patrick Duffy left the series in the seventh season. Then he decided that he wanted to return for the ninth season. Patrick's wife told him that the only way that could happen is if his death had really been someone's dream. Duffy relayed this idea to the producers and even though that meant that they entire eighth season would become Pam Ewing's dream, they went along with the idea and Patrick Duffy returned.
*When Jim Davis passed away, his character was reported as missing in the Amazon jungle. After a while, he was declared legally deceased. A picture of Jim was placed over the fireplace at Southfork Ranch after his death.
*Both J.R. and Bobby married and divorced their first wives twice on the show. Then they each got married to a new wife. J.R. divorced his second wife too and Bobby became a widower when his second wife died.
|