Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Southfork Should Be Yours’

Lessons from Daddy

In “The Quality of Mercy,” a seventh-season “Dallas” episode, John Ross (Omri Katz) is lying in bed when J.R. (Larry Hagman) enters the room.

J.R.: You still awake?

JOHN ROSS: Yes, Daddy.

J.R.: Want me to tuck you in?

JOHN ROSS: Yes.

J.R.: [Kneels beside the bed, adjusts the blanket] You had a good day at camp?

JOHN ROSS: Yes, but there’s a bigger boy there that’s mean to me.

J.R.: [Concerned] Mean to you? What’s his name?

JOHN ROSS: I don’t know.

J.R.: Well, I’ll tell you what. You find out his daddy’s name and I’ll see what I can do about getting him kicked out of camp — and maybe out of Dallas. I’m not going to have anybody picking on my boy.

JOHN ROSS: Peter talked to him, and he said he wouldn’t be mean anymore.

J.R.: Oh, Peter did, did he? Well, that’s good. That’s good. But the one person you come to when you’re in trouble is your daddy. You remember that. I’ll make everything good for you. Matter of fact, I’ll make everybody happy around here. I’m going to make your Uncle Bobby happy by making sure that he won’t have to worry about running Ewing Oil. And that’ll make your mama happy, seeing that we’re not fighting anymore. Well, and then I have a feeling that pretty soon, Uncle Bobby’s going to be leaving Southfork too. And that’ll leave everything for me — and for you. That’d be fun, huh?

JOHN ROSS: I guess so.

J.R.: No, son. No, that’s one thing you’ve got to be sure of. Ewing Oil and Southfork should be yours. And I’m going to get ’em for you. [Smiles, kisses him on the forehead] Night now.