FAQ ABOUT DALLAS

1. Who shot JR Ewing in 1980 (what else?)?

27. Is true that Barbara Bel Geddes had a mastectomy done just like her TV character?

His sister-in-law and lover Kristin Shepard. The scene was filmed by all the other members of the cast, too.

2. Is Cliff Barnes the true father of Sue Ellen´s son?

Yes. It happened a few years prior to the show´s start.

28. What show was replaced by “Dallas” in the beginning? “

“The Carol Burnett Show”, which ended halfway the TV season.

29. Who auditioned to play Lucy?

No. JR is. Though at the time it was taken for granted that Cliff was indeed John Ross´s father due to his affair with Sue Ellen. JR's wife also had a one-night stand with then foreman Ray Krebbs, but the plot details only pointed at Cliff as the baby´s possible father.

3. Did JR really take baby Lucy away from her mother Valene?

Among many others, Lisa Hartman, who went on to play Cathy (and Ciji) on “Knots Landing”.

30. Was the Pilot Miniseries filmed entirely in Dallas?

Yes, as seen in a flashback in the "Knots Landing" episode "Let The Circle Be Unbroken"?

4. Was Miss Ellie the original inheritor of the Southfork ranch?

Yes (according to the end credits, though some real interiors were replicated in a Dallas studio).

31. Was the rest of the show filmed entirely in Dallas?

No. Her missing (and presumably dead) brother Garrison was.

5. Were Jock and Digger the only initial owners of Ewing Oil back in the 30's?

No. Up until Season 11, they shot the first half-season´s exteriors (and some interiors too) there, and the rest in MGM Studios. The two last seasons were filmed in Hollywood only, except the Paris storyline.

32. How many characters did Victoria Principal play in the series?

No. Jock´s brother Jason co-owned it too but, like Digger, lost his share.

6. Had Pam been already married when she married Bobby?

Two: Pamela Barnes Ewing and her mother Rebecca in a Season 2 flashback.

33. Who shot Bobby Ewing in 1984?

Yes. She married a school boyfriend called Ed Haines but the wedding was annulled. Therefore, the right answer is no.

7. Was Cliff Sue Ellen´s first extramarital relationship?

His former sister-in-law Katherine Wentworth. The shooting scene was also filmed by the actresses who played Sue Ellen and Holly Harwood.

34. Why was the Donna Krebbs character written off?

Yes he was. If we don´t take into account a brief night fling she had with Ray a few weeks before that.

8. Is the real Southfork located in Braddock?

Because "it had run its course", quoting the producers.

35. Had any members of the original cast previously worked together?

No. Braddock is a fictional county. In real life, it is placed in Parker, formerly known as Plano, near Dallas.

9. What do JR´s initials stand for?

Only Victoria Principal and Steve Kanaly, who co-starred in "The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean". Both Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy acted in the TVM “Hurricane”, though they never shared a scene or even met each other.

36. Is true that Victoria Principal couldn´t carry a baby full-term, just like her “Dallas” character?

John Ross, and the same goes for his father and his own son.

10. Was Ray Krebbs always planned to be Jock´s illegitimate son?

Initially she couldn´t, but after knowing she could, it was her decision not getting pregnant.

37. Why wasn´t Charlene Tilton´s contract renewed at the end of Season 7?

No. Otherwise the writers would have never shown him with his half-nephew Lucy in the hayloft. He was revealed to be Jock´s son right after JR´s attempted murder so Steve Kanaly would stay in the series.

11. Is true that “Dallas” ran for 13 years?

Because the producers and writers didn´t know what plots they could make up for her.

38. What were the “official” possible explanations to Pam finding Bobby in her shower?

Yes and no. The cast and crew considered the Miniseries and first full year a whole season, as well as most fans, which made it a 13-year-running show. However, tv.tome and TV Guide changed this numbering to 14 and Warner followed it when they released the show on dvd.

12. Was Miss Ellie the first (and last) regular TV role of Barbara Bel Geddes?

a) He didn´t die but was desfigured and hidden for a year;

b) he was an impostor;

c) he was a long-lost twin; and

d) his death (and subsequent 31 episodes) was a long nightmare.

Of course, the latter was the unfortunate choice.

39. Who were Bobby´s adopted son Christopher´s real parents?

Yes. It wasn´t her first TV appearance but was her first and last regular part in a series.

13. Is Priscilla Presley the only actress to play Bobby´s first love Jenna Wade?

His mother was Sue Ellen´s sister Kristin, and his father was her husband, drugdealer Jeff Farraday, who both died tragically.

40. Who was Cliff Barnes´ longest-running romantic couple?

No. Previously two other actresses played this part: Morgan Fairchild and Francine Tacker.

14. Whose idea was to create the show?

Club singer Afton Cooper, also the mother of his daughter Pamela Rebecca. They lived together for two years.

41. What was re-used by the “Dallas” writers from the events happened in Pam´s nightmare?

Initially, it was an assignment from American network CBS to writer David Jacobs. They wanted a nighttime saga and nixed his first project, that later became “Knots Landing”.

15. Did Bobby and Pam´s first wedding happen onscreen in the show?

The appearance of an old cowboy who presumably was patriarch Jock; Ray and Clayton´s horse-cutting business; Jamie´s violent death (though in different circumstances); JR and Sue Ellen´s eventual reconciliation; Jack Ewing leaving town; JR breaking up with lover Mandy Winger; Pam having a car accident.

42. Why was Donna Reed fired at the end of that season?

Yes and no. They had just married when the series began. The wedding was shown as a black-&-white flashback when they re-married.

16. Is John Ross Ewing III JR´s only son?

Because a recovered Barbara Bel Geddes wanted to return and the cast missed their “Mama”. Oh and because the re-casting had become quite unpopular among the viewers.

43. In what country wasn´t “Dallas” successful?

No. He also had James Richard Beaumont with his first love Vanessa and an unnamed son with his second wife Cally.

17. When did JR and Sue Ellen first meet?

Only in Japan.

44. What stars took other tasks in the series?

In 1967, at the Miss Texas beauty contest. He was a member of the jury and she won the title.

18. Are Cliff, Pam and Digger the only members of the Barnes family?

Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Steve Kanaly and Ken Kercheval also directed. Susan Howard wrote 2 scripts. Hagman also coproduced (only in title) the latter seasons.

45. Why was “Dallas” cancelled in 1991?

No. In the earlier episodes we could also see Digger´s sister Maggie Monahan and her son Jimmy. Later on, appeared the Wentworth branch.

19. Who was the first choice to play JR?

Because of its declining audience numbers (and the increasing salary of its stars too!).

46. How many former Bond Girls appeared in “Dallas”?

Robert Foxworth, who went on to star on “Falcon Crest” as Chase Gioberti.

20. Who was the other finalist to play Sue Ellen?

Two in prominent roles: Lois Chiles as Holly Harwood, and Barbara Carrera as Angelica Nero. Also guest-starred Krystina Wayborn as Jack´s girlfriend in 2 brief scenes. The actresses starred in “Moonraker”, “Never Say Never Again” and “Octopussy”, respectively.

47. Did Pamela die in the original series?

Mary Frann, who later played Joanna on long-running "Newhart" comedy.

21. Did Southfork always look the same?

Supposedly she did, but off-screen. After meeting her brother one year after her car accident, she told her doctor (=the audience) that she was suffering an unnamed fatal disease that would end her life in a few months.

48. How many times did Bobby get married?

No. The Miniseries featured a different ranch.

22. Was Miss Ellie in love with Jock when they married?

Twice to Pamela (one of which prior to the series beginning) and once to April Stevens.

49. What happened to JR in the series finale “Conundrum”? Did he kill himself?

No. She married him to save her ranch. Eventually, she did fell in love with him

23. Who composed the famous “Dallas” theme?

No. The first sequel movie says he shot the mirror instead and left to Europe.

50. Is “Dallas” the longest-running, one-hour primetime drama?

Jerrold Immel. He also composed scores for the show and themes for series like “Knots Landing”.

24. Who was the only actor to appear in all 357 episodes and all TV movies?

No, but it came close: at the top of the list is “Law & Order” (456 episodes, 1990-2010), followed by “Bonanza” (451 eps., 1959-1973), “Gunsmoke” (402 eps., 1961-1975), and finally, “Dallas”, which ran from 1978 through 1991, with 357 episodes (356 wherever the finale was aired as a single two-hour episode).

51. Does the top photo belong to the show? And did they all return to Southfork for it?

Larry Hagman (why do you think he was smiling that devilish smile?).

25. What main actors were not featured in the Miniseries Opening?

It belongs to a special photoshoot that the Vanity Fair magazine dedicated to the series in June 1995. And no, not all returned to Southfork: at least neither Victoria nor Charlene. As with the others, the girls were added to the background and the VF wiz did the magic!

Thanks to KayLloyd for her help re #35.

You can read the spanish version of these top 51 faq here.

Linda Gray, Steve Kanaly and Ken Kercheval, who were credited as guest stars.

26. Was “Dallas” Larry Hagman´s first TV hit?

No. He first became popular co-starring in “I Dream Of Jeannie” with Barbara Eden.