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THEIR POWER, WEALTH AND OVER-THE-TOP EXTRAVAGANCE DEFINED THE 1980’S.
FOR FOURTEEN SEASONS, MILLIONS OF VIEWERS TUNED IN FOR THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF THE EWING
FAMILY SAGA.
I think they like to see that the rich people have all those problems. So I think it was
kind of entertaining to say wow, let me, let me just tune out of my life on Friday night
and check in and see how those, those Ewings are doing.
NOW...MORE THAN 2 DECADES LATER, THE EWINGS ARE BACK.
AND THE DAILY GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES.
We’ve been told by a zillion people, oh you should do Dallas again.
So, when we read the script was when we all knew – this was old Dallas, we’re doing
it again.
PATRICK DUFFY – KNOWN TO FANS AS BOBBY EWING – IS PLEASED TO BE STEPPING BACK INTO THOSE
COWBOY BOOTS.
It’s like living your life in your rearview mirror. We were here so many years ago. It’s
a gift that you are lucky if you get once and if you get twice it’s beyond expectation.
The hardest part is to sit at the head of the table. Jim davis sat at the head of the
table when we did the pilot – the miniseries and the first two years, then he died. And
after he died, nobody sat at the head of the table.
WHEN THE ORIGINAL SERIES ENDED - J.R WAS LEFT PENNILESS AND HIS EX-WIFE SUE ELLEN AND HIS
BROTHER BOBBY CONTROLLED THE FAMILY FORTUNE. THE NEW SERIES PICKS UP FROM THERE – ONLY
20 YEARS LATER.
We're richer than JR Ewing. [LAUGHS] That's all I can say. And that feels good to say.
So Sue Ellen still owns 50 percent of Ewing Industries. Can you tell us what she's gonna
do with her stake? No! I can't, Elizabeth.
FOR LINDA GRAY, REPRISING THE ROLE OF SUE ELLEN IS LIKE REUNITING WITH AN OLD FRIEND.
She's - she's become her, her own woman.
HER CHARACTER WAS PLAGUED BY ALCOHOLISM AND DEPRESSION. BUT JR’S LONG-SUFFERING WIFE
IS STRONGER THAN EVER.
What surprised you the most, being back on the set? The fact that it was almost seamless
to walk, walk on the set again. It's, it's like, you know, a reunion.
WHILE SUE ELLEN, J.R. AND BOBBY STILL CREATE MUCH OF THE DRAMA, THERE ARE PLENTY OF NEW
FACES THIS TIME AROUND.
I do remember my mom watching it and I was born and raised in Argentina and so she would
watch it in Spanish.
I play Christopher Ewing, he’s the adopted son of Bobby Ewing and Pamela Ewing. He’s
really trying to bring Ewing enterprises into the next generation.
I play Ann Ryland Ewing, so I’m the new Mrs. Bobby Ewing and I am new to the audience
but certainly not to bobby, I’ve been married to him for about the last 7 years.
BRENDA STRONG – BEST KNOWN FOR HER ROLE ON DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - KNOWS IT MAY TAKE
SOME TIME FOR THE AUDIENCE TO GET USED TO HER. BOBBY’S FIRST WIFE PAM – PLAYED BY
VICTORIA PRINCIPAL - WAS A FAN FAVORITE.
That was a beloved partnership. Everyone loved Pam and Bobby because they were really the
romeo and Juliet of their time, so those were big shoes to fill.
LARRY HAGMAN WHO PLAYS THE LEGENDARY JR WASN’T ON SET THE DAY OF OUR VISIT – BUT WE DID
GET OUR HANDS ON JR’S MOST PRIZED POSSESSION.
THOSE TEXAS-SIZED STETSONS HAVEN’T CHANGED. BUT LONG GONE ARE THE SHOULDER PADS AND GIGANTIC
JEWELS THAT MADE THE CITY OF DALLAS SYNONYMOUS WITH EXCESS.
It’s very different today than it was in the 80’s. When you look at the mid-80’s
late 80’s the big shoulder pads and huge earrings, in today’s world that would be
distracting to the story.
AND YES THE FAMILY RANCH WHERE THEY BUILT THEIR OIL DYNASTY - TAKES CENTER STAGE ONCE
AGAIN.
Welcome to the Ewing family home, during the original series most of the interiors were
shot in Hollywood. This time around they’re being shot entirely here on this soundstage
in dallas.
PRODUCTION DESIGNER RICHARD BERG SHOWED US AROUND THE MASSIVE SET.
The thing that we were trying to capture the most is some sense of reality. We have old
viewers so how do we create this environment that is somewhat acceptably familiar to them
but at the same time allows the new viewers to see an up to date refreshed dallas.
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF THE NEW VERSION OF DALLAS CAN GENERATE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE
ORIGINAL…
When the famous words "Kristin, it was you who shot JR" - that was done in voiceover.
That was never on camera. And who went into a recording booth and - said those words?
I did. Long time ago in a recording booth, sworn to secrecy. And then I had to hold that
for a long, long, long, long time.
NEARLY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION PEOPLE TUNED IN TO HEAR SUE ELLEN UTTER THOSE WORDS.
TO THIS DAY – IT REMAINS THE SECOND HIGHEST RATED EPISODE IN TELEVISION HISTORY.
I think that there is such an enormous global interest in the fact that the series is coming
back, and the fact that people remember and they remember as, as children and have these,
these great stories and great expectations.
THEY HOPE THIS TIME AROUND THE EWING SAGA WILL HAVE THE SAME MAGIC. FOR THE DAILY, I’M
ELIZABETH SAAB.