50 Fun Facts About Dallas TV Show

On which network did Dallas air from 1978 to 1991?

It premiered on 2 April 1978 and bowed out on 3 May 1991.

Dallas debuted in April 1978 in what form?

The five pilot episodes are now counted as season one.

Who created Dallas?

His partner Michael Filerman suggested the name; Jacobs also created Knots Landing.

How many episodes of Dallas were made?

That makes it one of the longest-lasting hour-long dramas in American TV history.

The series originally focused on the marriage of which couple?

The Romeo-and-Juliet setup paired a Ewing with a daughter of the rival Barnes family.

Who played the scheming oil tycoon J.R. Ewing?

He was the only actor to appear in all 357 episodes.

Which character was the only one to appear in every episode?

The character began as a supporting villain and became the show's breakout star.

Who played Bobby Ewing?

He left the show, was killed off, and then returned in the shower.

Linda Gray played J.R.'s long-suffering wife. What was her name?

Her drinking problem landed her in a sanitarium more than once.

Victoria Principal's Pamela was born into which clan, rivals of the Ewings?

Her brother Cliff spent fourteen seasons trying to bring down J.R.

Who played the family matriarch, Miss Ellie?

Donna Reed temporarily took over the role in season eight.

Jock, played by Jim Davis, was the founder of which company?

Davis died just after production wrapped on season four in 1981, and Jock was written out.

Charlene Tilton's Lucy Ewing was what relation to J.R. and Bobby?

She was the daughter of the absent middle brother, Gary.

Ken Kercheval played J.R.'s archrival. Who was he?

He was Pam's brother, which made every family dinner awkward.

Steve Kanaly's Ray Krebbs worked at Southfork as what?

He turned out to be Jock's illegitimate son, making him a Ewing after all.

Which famous ex-wife of a rock star played Bobby's teenage sweetheart Jenna Wade?

The role had been played by two other actresses before she took it over.

In the third-season finale, what happens to J.R. in the final scene?

The episode 'A House Divided' launched an eight-month guessing game.

Who shot J.R.?

His scheming sister-in-law and mistress, played by Mary Crosby, pulled the trigger in a fit of anger.

Kristin, who shot J.R., was what relation to him?

She was Sue Ellen's sister, played by Mary Crosby, daughter of Bing.

Roughly how many Americans watched the shooter-reveal episode 'Who Done It' on 21 November 1980?

It scored a 53.3 rating and a 76% share, and remains the second-highest-rated primetime telecast ever.

What share of the American television audience watched 'Who Done It'?

More than half of all US households tuned in.

What delayed the resolution of the 'Who shot J.R.?' mystery in 1980?

The strike pushed most new network shows back by eight weeks, stretching the suspense to eight months.

During the 1980 presidential campaign, Republicans handed out buttons reading what?

Betting parlours across the US, Canada and Europe were taking odds on the culprit that summer.

The entire ninth run of episodes was revealed to have been whose dream?

The twist erased Bobby's death and everything else that had happened for a year.

Bobby was killed off in the finale of which run of the show?

Patrick Duffy had left to pursue other work; falling ratings brought him back a year later.

Why did the actor who played Bobby agree to return after leaving?

His return in the shower remains one of television's most famous retcons.

Which spin-off, launched in 1979, followed middle brother Gary Ewing to a California cul-de-sac?

It also ran for 14 seasons, and Gary was described as the black sheep of the family.

The spin-off's couples lived on which cul-de-sac?

The show was set in a fictional coastal suburb of Los Angeles.

The ranch used for Southfork's exterior shots is in which Texas town?

Built in 1970 as Duncan Acres, it is now an event centre and tourist stop.

The pilot miniseries was shot on location in Dallas and at which property in Frisco, Texas?

The show moved to the more famous Southfork house in Parker for later seasons.

Southfork's exterior shots were filmed at the real ranch until which year?

The ranch later appeared in Little Texas's 'God Blessed Texas' video.

How many Emmy Awards did Dallas win in total?

One was Barbara Bel Geddes's 1980 win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Which cast member won the 1980 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series?

The Miss Ellie actress was the only Dallas performer to win an acting Emmy.

Dallas was the number-one show in the Nielsen ratings for how many seasons?

It topped the charts in 1980-81, 1981-82 and 1983-84.

What was the title of the 1991 series finale?

The It's a Wonderful Life-style two-parter ended with a gunshot and J.R.'s fate unknown.

The 2012 continuation of Dallas aired on which cable network?

Developed by Cynthia Cidre, it ran from June 2012 to September 2014.

In the 2012 series, Josh Henderson played John Ross Ewing III, the son of which couple?

Jesse Metcalfe played his rival cousin Christopher, Bobby and Pam's adopted son.

The J.R. actor died in November 2012 during production of which year of the TNT revival?

The show wrote J.R.'s death into the story and staged a 'Who killed J.R.?' mystery.

Before Dallas, the J.R. actor starred as Major Anthony Nelson in which sitcom?

His mother was Broadway star Mary Martin, and he was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

Which Broadway musical star was the mother of the actor who played J.R.?

She originated Peter Pan and Maria von Trapp on Broadway.

Which actress played the scheming sister who pulled the trigger on J.R. in the 1980 storyline?

Colleen Camp played the part in season two before Crosby, the daughter of Bing Crosby, took over for seasons three and four and returned in season 14.

Which Hollywood musical star played rancher Clayton Farlow, Miss Ellie's second husband?

He first appeared in season four and was promoted to the star cast in season eight. He died on the same day CBS aired its 2004 reunion special.

Which Oscar-winning actress temporarily took over the role of Miss Ellie for season eight?

She signed a three-year contract but the original actress returned the following year. Reed died of cancer in January 1986 at 64.

Jock Ewing, the first main character to leave, died offscreen in a helicopter crash where?

Actor Jim Davis died shortly after production wrapped on season four, so the patriarch's death was written into season five without being shown.

Dack Rambo joined the regular cast in season ten as which wandering Ewing cousin?

He was written out midway through the season. Rambo later suggested his bisexuality or conflicts with Larry Hagman were to blame, which Hagman denied.

Dallas is credited with helping hasten the fall of the communist regime in which country?

Nicolae Ceaușescu allowed the show as anti-capitalist propaganda; viewers instead craved the Ewing lifestyle. The pilot aired again days after his 1989 execution.

Before it became Southfork, the ranch house built in 1970 was known by what name?

Builder Joe Duncan named it after his family. Lorimar also built a studio mock-up of the exterior, with pool, in California in 1978 for bad-weather days.

Who played Christopher Ewing, Bobby's adopted son, in the 2012 revival?

The character is the biological son of Sue Ellen's younger sister. Jordana Brewster played Elena Ramos, the cook's daughter loved by both young Ewings.

The 1986 prequel film Dallas: The Early Years opens the Ewing-Barnes feud in which year?

The TV movie follows Jock, Ellie Southworth and Digger Barnes through to 1951, and also features Jock's brother Jason and Ellie's father Aaron.

The season four cliffhanger ended with an unidentified female corpse found where at Southfork?

Later finales offered a blazing house fire in season six, Bobby's death in season eight and J.R.'s apparent suicide in the 14th and final season.