J.R. Ewing, a Texas oil baron, uses manipulation and blackmail to achieve his ambitions, both business and personal. He often comes into conflict with his brother Bobby, his arch-enemy Cliff... Read allJ.R. Ewing, a Texas oil baron, uses manipulation and blackmail to achieve his ambitions, both business and personal. He often comes into conflict with his brother Bobby, his arch-enemy Cliff Barnes and his long-suffering wife Sue Ellen.J.R. Ewing, a Texas oil baron, uses manipulation and blackmail to achieve his ambitions, both business and personal. He often comes into conflict with his brother Bobby, his arch-enemy Cliff Barnes and his long-suffering wife Sue Ellen.
- Won 4 Primetime Emmys
- 48 wins & 82 nominations total
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Did you know
- TriviaOn November 21, 1980, Who Done It? (1980) was watched by 83 million people in the US and over 300 million worldwide. It was the highest rating for a single episode of a television series in American history until Goodbye, Farewell and Amen (1983) episode of M*A*S*H on February 28, 1983.
- GoofsThe size and layout of Southfork Ranch cannot possibly hold the number of bedrooms the series suggests it has. When the show first starts, four bedrooms would be needed (one for Miss Ellie and Jock, one for JR and Sue Ellen, one for Bobby and Pam, and one for Lucy). The following year, a nursery is added along with a guest room for John Ross's live-in nurse, totalling six. In later years, Sue Ellen has her own room for a while, and during episodes of the 1984-85 season, there would need to be at least eight bedrooms to accommodate the family and various guests. Additionally, many of the bedrooms have their own bathrooms and walk-in dressing rooms, which cannot possibly match up with the exterior of the house.
- Crazy creditsThe actors are supposed to be billed "in alphabetical order." Barbara Bel Geddes is billed as if she's a 'B' while Priscilla Beaulieu Presley as a 'P'.
- Alternate versionsThree episodes that aired as two-hour episodes "The Family Ewing" (Season 9), "Return to Camelot" (Season 10), and Conundrum (Season 14), are edited into two separate episodes for syndication.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1979)
Featured review
Kind Of a very long "Godfather" TV-saga.
Well, I just want to publish my very own personal review about this global smash hit. And keep it that way.
Liked it A lot when it was on screen here in Sweden during the years about 1981-1993(?). (Some 2-3 year delay from U.S prime time.) That was a usual standard for American TV shows for European watchers by then.... (National television was Russian style in Sweden too, you know.) Got curious when my mother got hooked on the Ewing/Barnes feud, myself being just seven years old at the time. (I naturally didn't get so much out of it then.)
What was meant by the creators of "DALLAS" to be a five act drama TV show with the troublesome marriage between Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes in center, grows to be the major series of the 80's. (The response from the viewers after some episodes were so good that the producers called for an extension.)
We were allowed to get into the flesh of a family, with sons and daughters always fought each other for power and wellness. Office suits mixed with rancher blue jeans. Oil business and kettle care in the same sweet melody.
When the DALLAS show was released over here on DVD in a "two season per year-plan" in the early 00's, It was time to take the trip all over again. During a six year period, I consistently dug deeply into it season by season during free time, and enjoyed it to the fullest.
The Southfork Ranch almost became my own living room.
Not A member of A fan base, I want to share my own profit of taking the trip from start to finish:
"The Jock Ewing Years" are/were DALLAS at it's best. Jim Davis was the Brando of the Ewings, without doubt. The plot of the whole show was more centered and interesting while he was present. The screen writers re-grouped the three sons of an oil-mafia matriarch, surly in a "godfather" style. Late Larry Hagman (R.I.P) was the senior son J.R, the natural heir of the throne. Always thinking business, besides the hunger for women as a pleasure. Stone cold and calculating, he smashed every fly that came around him trying to steal his limelight.
2nd son Gary was placed beside in script, for several reasons. (Fans aware of "Knots Landing", uh?)
Baby brother Bobby eventually took the fight with his older brother for the captain's seat; after having his "easy living"-years he rapidly learn the business, but a little too late to ever compete with his way too superior brother, who were always one step ahead.
(Actor Patrick Duffy once said that an early take with Larry Hagman, which included some physical acting, ending up with Hagman laughing at his opponent's bad acting, was a real boost to shape up, and never feel minor in acting skills to Larry in a scene ever again.)
Cowboy Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly), the janitor of SF ranch, grows highly during this long history of the Ewings. Starting as kind of a youth manservant to them, he turns out to be more family than anybody of the Ewings ever dreamed of. (My personal favorite down to earth personality figure during the whole saga.) Forced into a world he never wanted to be part of.
On the opposite side, One Cliff Barnes always moaning of his father's stolen piece in the Ewings wealth, him being a partner to Jock Ewing in their oil "teen-years". (But drank it away.) Cliff B builds his own castle, but keeps up having hard time to compete with old J.R Ewing as Texas Oil Baron no. 1. Some good strikes on the way for Clifford, from time to time, always gave the series some fresh air and a forward push.
The family drama went on for years and years. People comes and goes. Weddings, barbecue parties, and some good fist fights at the annual Oil Baron's Ball. Liquor for breakfast, coffee for lunch. Heavy fuel for hard people.
Halfway the series gets a little stalled, but the writers kept on finding new and sometimes cheer ways to keep the story going on.
Yes, there's alcoholic intoxicated wives on the way.
It's getting kind of silly around the "dream-season" alright. (A solution created because of the actors big egos $....)
But I kept on watching it after that anyway, didn't I?
And did I love the ride?
YES. To the final "shot".
Liked it A lot when it was on screen here in Sweden during the years about 1981-1993(?). (Some 2-3 year delay from U.S prime time.) That was a usual standard for American TV shows for European watchers by then.... (National television was Russian style in Sweden too, you know.) Got curious when my mother got hooked on the Ewing/Barnes feud, myself being just seven years old at the time. (I naturally didn't get so much out of it then.)
What was meant by the creators of "DALLAS" to be a five act drama TV show with the troublesome marriage between Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes in center, grows to be the major series of the 80's. (The response from the viewers after some episodes were so good that the producers called for an extension.)
We were allowed to get into the flesh of a family, with sons and daughters always fought each other for power and wellness. Office suits mixed with rancher blue jeans. Oil business and kettle care in the same sweet melody.
When the DALLAS show was released over here on DVD in a "two season per year-plan" in the early 00's, It was time to take the trip all over again. During a six year period, I consistently dug deeply into it season by season during free time, and enjoyed it to the fullest.
The Southfork Ranch almost became my own living room.
Not A member of A fan base, I want to share my own profit of taking the trip from start to finish:
"The Jock Ewing Years" are/were DALLAS at it's best. Jim Davis was the Brando of the Ewings, without doubt. The plot of the whole show was more centered and interesting while he was present. The screen writers re-grouped the three sons of an oil-mafia matriarch, surly in a "godfather" style. Late Larry Hagman (R.I.P) was the senior son J.R, the natural heir of the throne. Always thinking business, besides the hunger for women as a pleasure. Stone cold and calculating, he smashed every fly that came around him trying to steal his limelight.
2nd son Gary was placed beside in script, for several reasons. (Fans aware of "Knots Landing", uh?)
Baby brother Bobby eventually took the fight with his older brother for the captain's seat; after having his "easy living"-years he rapidly learn the business, but a little too late to ever compete with his way too superior brother, who were always one step ahead.
(Actor Patrick Duffy once said that an early take with Larry Hagman, which included some physical acting, ending up with Hagman laughing at his opponent's bad acting, was a real boost to shape up, and never feel minor in acting skills to Larry in a scene ever again.)
Cowboy Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly), the janitor of SF ranch, grows highly during this long history of the Ewings. Starting as kind of a youth manservant to them, he turns out to be more family than anybody of the Ewings ever dreamed of. (My personal favorite down to earth personality figure during the whole saga.) Forced into a world he never wanted to be part of.
On the opposite side, One Cliff Barnes always moaning of his father's stolen piece in the Ewings wealth, him being a partner to Jock Ewing in their oil "teen-years". (But drank it away.) Cliff B builds his own castle, but keeps up having hard time to compete with old J.R Ewing as Texas Oil Baron no. 1. Some good strikes on the way for Clifford, from time to time, always gave the series some fresh air and a forward push.
The family drama went on for years and years. People comes and goes. Weddings, barbecue parties, and some good fist fights at the annual Oil Baron's Ball. Liquor for breakfast, coffee for lunch. Heavy fuel for hard people.
Halfway the series gets a little stalled, but the writers kept on finding new and sometimes cheer ways to keep the story going on.
Yes, there's alcoholic intoxicated wives on the way.
It's getting kind of silly around the "dream-season" alright. (A solution created because of the actors big egos $....)
But I kept on watching it after that anyway, didn't I?
And did I love the ride?
YES. To the final "shot".
helpful•120
- tomasg-69814
- Aug 25, 2016
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- Release date
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- Also known as
- Oil
- Filming locations
- Calder House - 4800 Park Lane, Dallas, Texas, USA(interiors: southfork Ranch in season 1)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
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![Victoria Principal, Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, Jim Davis, Linda Gray, and Steve Kanaly in Dallas (1978)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTg3ZDY1OWEtYjRkYy00NzQ4LWFjMjMtMDc0YzcxNzU5NmFhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxODQ4MDg@._V1_QL75_UY133_CR0,0,90,133_.jpg)