The TV series, 'Dallas' (1978-1991) was said had changed Texas forever. Of the wild popularity of 'Dallas', Steve Kanaly told 'United Press International' in 1983, "It's nice to be successful at what you do because it opens all the doors."
Between 1981 and 1985, 'Dallas' was either No. 1 or the second highest rated show on television. Around the world, 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty' were ranked the most watched American shows in countries such as France, England, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Canada and to a lesser extent, Australia.
'Dallas', Larry Hagman believed, "is television's equivalent to those supermarket novels. Something's happening every minute." Lee Rich once said, "I don't have to apologize for anything I've done. 'Dallas' may be crap - and it won't win any awards - but it's really good crap." Between 1980 and 1984, 'Dallas' was nominated each year for Best Drama at the Golden Globe Awards.
Steve Kanaly recalled, "In the beginning, I thought, 'Well, this is obviously not gonna go, because it's too different. There's nothing like this on television."
In 1980, some 90 million viewers tuned in to find out who shot J.R.? Around the time, 'United Press International' reported, "Not in the 35-year history of network television (since the end of World War II in 1945) had a prime time series captured the imagination of so many viewers as the J.R. shooting controversy." Lee Rich was recognized for having his finger on the pulse of many viewers.
In explaining one of the biggest hits in television history, Lee Rich told the Associated Press, "'The Waltons' (1972-1981) were right for the time. People were saying, 'That's my family, or I wished that was my family'. 'Dallas' was a respite for the American public, a fantasyland. We (Lorimar Productions) fulfilled the dreams of many people. I knew it would be a hit, but I didn't think it would be this big."
The difference between Aaron Spelling's 'Dynasty' and Lorimar's 'Dallas', Lee Rich clarified, "Their series is gutsy. Our is a character drama. Each one of our characters is well thought out. If tomorrow someone said, 'You can have Rock Hudson', we couldn't just drop him into the script as one might on 'Dynasty'. We would have to lay it out like a crossword puzzle and figure out how he might fit in."
In his report on 'The Texas Monthly' (October 2018), Max Marshall noted, "By 1978 Texas was 80% urban, and its major cities were booming. The Wild West had become the Sunbelt, and the region needed a new myth ... Forty years later, the city of Dallas has turned toward other mythical figures, like Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones."
In 1991, 'Dallas' ended in 'It's a Wonderful Life' style. The final weekly episode attracted 21% households ratings. 'The New York Times' reported at the time, "After having averaging only a 10.8 rating and 19% share of the audience in its 10pm time period this season (1990-91), the show almost doubled those numbers in its overnight ratings for its flimflam finale. On Friday, 'Dallas' scored a 21 rating and 34 share in the nation's largest 24 television markets."
The prequel, 'Dallas: The Early Years' was shown in 1986 and the movies, 'Dallas: J.R. Returns' went on air in 1996 and 'Dallas: War of the Ewings' (1998). The successful special 'Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork' in 2004, led to the TNT's reboot of 'Dallas' (2012-14). Patrick Duffy acknowledged, "In retrospect, people like to think, 'Yeah, I kind of knew it was going to be a hit.' We didn’t know it was going to be a hit."
Michael Filerman told 'The Hollywood Reporter' in 2014, "David Jacobs' agent asked me to see him because he had a project ('Knots Landing'). I felt that it was a little too artsy, but it did bring to mind a movie called 'No Down Payment' about four couples living in a cul-de-sac. So we created something like that and brought it to CBS. They had just signed a deal with Linda Evans, and they wanted to develop a contemporary Western about a girl from the other side of the tracks who marries into a wealthy Texas oil and cattle family. David went home and he created the Ewing family, and we said, 'Let's call it 'Dallas'.'"
An official told the press in 1991, "The 'Dallas' series is one of the main draws for tourism in the city … The series also helped the city's image as far as international business is concerned. Japanese and European car companies know what Dallas looks like because of the beginning of the TV show and they want those same glass buildings in the background of their commercials."
Rob Sheffield of 'Rolling Stone' magazine credited 'Dallas' for pioneering primetime television "and how, four decades later (1978-2018), you can see its influence all over TV’s new Golden Age." Speaking to 'The Los Angeles Times' in 1988 (its 10th anniversary on air), Leonard Katzman stated, "It ('Dallas') was not created by me but I really felt very strongly, from the day I started, that it was my show.
"In all of television production, there is creation and there is execution. Creation is what gets a show on the air; execution is what keeps it on the air. I think I've executed the show. There are college kids - 18, 19 years old - who can't remember a time before 'Dallas'. 'Dallas' has a kind of mythic quality. There are certain things the audience takes for granted about Texas - that the men are all macho and strong, that the women are all beautiful, there's money aplenty and everybody lives on huge ranches. Our show is not very hip, not very with it. We don't do voguish things, trendy things. We don't have real-life characters. We've created our own fictitious city of Dallas within the city of Dallas."
In 1980, some 90 million viewers tuned in to find out who shot J.R.? Around the time, 'United Press International' reported, "Not in the 35-year history of network television (since the end of World War II in 1945) had a prime time series captured the imagination of so many viewers as the J.R. shooting controversy." Lee Rich was recognized for having his finger on the pulse of many viewers.
In explaining one of the biggest hits in television history, Lee Rich told the Associated Press, "'The Waltons' (1972-1981) were right for the time. People were saying, 'That's my family, or I wished that was my family'. 'Dallas' was a respite for the American public, a fantasyland. We (Lorimar Productions) fulfilled the dreams of many people. I knew it would be a hit, but I didn't think it would be this big."
The difference between Aaron Spelling's 'Dynasty' and Lorimar's 'Dallas', Lee Rich clarified, "Their series is gutsy. Our is a character drama. Each one of our characters is well thought out. If tomorrow someone said, 'You can have Rock Hudson', we couldn't just drop him into the script as one might on 'Dynasty'. We would have to lay it out like a crossword puzzle and figure out how he might fit in."
In his report on 'The Texas Monthly' (October 2018), Max Marshall noted, "By 1978 Texas was 80% urban, and its major cities were booming. The Wild West had become the Sunbelt, and the region needed a new myth ... Forty years later, the city of Dallas has turned toward other mythical figures, like Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones."
In 1991, 'Dallas' ended in 'It's a Wonderful Life' style. The final weekly episode attracted 21% households ratings. 'The New York Times' reported at the time, "After having averaging only a 10.8 rating and 19% share of the audience in its 10pm time period this season (1990-91), the show almost doubled those numbers in its overnight ratings for its flimflam finale. On Friday, 'Dallas' scored a 21 rating and 34 share in the nation's largest 24 television markets."
The prequel, 'Dallas: The Early Years' was shown in 1986 and the movies, 'Dallas: J.R. Returns' went on air in 1996 and 'Dallas: War of the Ewings' (1998). The successful special 'Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork' in 2004, led to the TNT's reboot of 'Dallas' (2012-14). Patrick Duffy acknowledged, "In retrospect, people like to think, 'Yeah, I kind of knew it was going to be a hit.' We didn’t know it was going to be a hit."
Michael Filerman told 'The Hollywood Reporter' in 2014, "David Jacobs' agent asked me to see him because he had a project ('Knots Landing'). I felt that it was a little too artsy, but it did bring to mind a movie called 'No Down Payment' about four couples living in a cul-de-sac. So we created something like that and brought it to CBS. They had just signed a deal with Linda Evans, and they wanted to develop a contemporary Western about a girl from the other side of the tracks who marries into a wealthy Texas oil and cattle family. David went home and he created the Ewing family, and we said, 'Let's call it 'Dallas'.'"
An official told the press in 1991, "The 'Dallas' series is one of the main draws for tourism in the city … The series also helped the city's image as far as international business is concerned. Japanese and European car companies know what Dallas looks like because of the beginning of the TV show and they want those same glass buildings in the background of their commercials."
Rob Sheffield of 'Rolling Stone' magazine credited 'Dallas' for pioneering primetime television "and how, four decades later (1978-2018), you can see its influence all over TV’s new Golden Age." Speaking to 'The Los Angeles Times' in 1988 (its 10th anniversary on air), Leonard Katzman stated, "It ('Dallas') was not created by me but I really felt very strongly, from the day I started, that it was my show.
"In all of television production, there is creation and there is execution. Creation is what gets a show on the air; execution is what keeps it on the air. I think I've executed the show. There are college kids - 18, 19 years old - who can't remember a time before 'Dallas'. 'Dallas' has a kind of mythic quality. There are certain things the audience takes for granted about Texas - that the men are all macho and strong, that the women are all beautiful, there's money aplenty and everybody lives on huge ranches. Our show is not very hip, not very with it. We don't do voguish things, trendy things. We don't have real-life characters. We've created our own fictitious city of Dallas within the city of Dallas."
