Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic)

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘It’ll Never Be the Same, Bob’

December 7, 2012 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

The mirror has two faces

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Head of the Family,” J.R. (Larry Hagman) sits on his bed drinking when Bobby (Patrick Duffy) enters and holds open the door.

J.R.: Well, Bob, I distinctly remember your room being down the hall. [Sips his drink]

BOBBY: Where were you tonight?

J.R.: Would you lay off about dinner?

BOBBY: It’s not about dinner. You think you’re the only one mourning Daddy, don’t you?

J.R.: Get the hell out of here, would you?

BOBBY: Well you’re not! [Slams the door behind him, steps into the room and rests his hand on a cabinet, looking away from J.R.] I miss him too. But I know what he’d want if he were alive. He’d want his boys up and doing. [Faces J.R.] And that includes running Ewing Oil the way he ran it.

J.R.: Bobby, the man is dead. It doesn’t matter anymore.

BOBBY: [Slams his fist on the cabinet] It does matter! If you let Ewing Oil die of neglect, you kill off everything he ever worked for.

J.R.: Leave me alone, will you? [Takes another sip]

BOBBY: J.R., I’m doing everything I can. I need your cooperation. [Steps closer to the bed] And I’m hamstrung by Daddy’s letter and I think you know that. And frankly, I’m sick and tired of covering up for you. So do your job, damn you. [Grabs J.R., drags him to the mirror]

J.R.: Hey, hey.

BOBBY: Come here. Now look at yourself. Daddy didn’t build this company just for you and me. [Grabs a framed photograph of John Ross, shows it to J.R.] He expected it to be around for his grandkids. Maybe their kids too. [Slams the frame against J.R.’s chest] Get off your butt, J.R. We’ve got work to do. [Walks toward the door, opens it]

J.R.: It’ll never be the same, Bob.

BOBBY: Maybe it won’t. That’s no reason to do what you’re doing. If this family quits just because he’s gone, he didn’t leave us very much, did he? Some day you may want to tell John Ross just what his granddaddy spent his whole life building. How do you plan on doing that, J.R.? [He exits, leaving J.R. looking at the picture.]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Head of the Family, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘This House is Still Jock’s House’

December 5, 2012 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Deny thy mama

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Denial,” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) enters the Southfork kitchen, where Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) holds a coffee cup.

ELLIE: Good morning, Bobby. I just made some coffee. Would you like some? And there’s juice in the refrigerator if you’d like it. [Touches his shoulder]

BOBBY: [Walks away] No, Mama, thank you. I don’t want anything.

ELLIE: What’s the matter, Bobby?

BOBBY: [Sits at the table] Mama, we have to talk.

ELLIE: [Sits across from him, serious] All right. What about?

BOBBY: Mama, we have to be realistic. Daddy is not coming back. And we all have to face that. Mama, you know how proud Daddy always was of Ewing Oil. Well, we can’t continue to run it the way he would have wanted it run – unless we settle things, legally and properly.

ELLIE: What are you saying, Bobby?

BOBBY: Mama, we have to go ahead with that hearing – and have Daddy declared legally dead.

ELLIE: [Crying] No. No. [Stands, walks toward the counter, rests her hands on it, turns to Bobby] This house is still Jock’s house. [Steps away] This family is Jock’s family. [Steps closer] You’re Jock’s son. And I’m Jock’s woman. And the rules we live by are the rules he made. And that’s the way it will be. [Walks away, stops, rests on the counter] He’s alive, Bobby.

BOBBY: [Stands] Mama!

ELLIE: As long as I believe he’s alive, he’s alive.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Denial, Patrick Duffy

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I’m Sorry, Mama’

November 21, 2012 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

Mama’s messenger

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “The Search,” Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) is seated alone at the the Southfork dining room table when Bobby (Patrick Duffy), Ray (Steve Kanaly) and J.R. (Larry Hagman) enter. Each man holds his hat.

BOBBY: I’m sorry, Mama.

ELLIE: Did you find him?

BOBBY: No, ma’am.

RAY: Miss Ellie, we found the place where his helicopter crashed.

ELLIE: But you didn’t find him?

BOBBY: No, we didn’t find him. But, uh – [He looks at J.R., who walks away.]

ELLIE: [She looks down, then up. Her eyes are wet.] Tell me what happened.

Bobby and Ray put down their hats and sit at the table. Bobby takes Ellie’s hand.

BOBBY: Mama, every place that was possible for him to be, we looked.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Search, Steve Kanaly

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘They Say That Jock is Dead’

November 16, 2012 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Say it ain’t so

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Barbecue Two,” J.R. (Larry Hagman) comes down the stairs at Southfork, where a dazed Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) holds the telephone receiver.

J.R.: Mama?

ELLIE: [Hangs up the phone] That, that was Punk. Jock was … flying in from the interior by helicopter. It crashed. They’ve been … they’ve been searching all day. Nothing. The locals have given up. They say that … [sobbing] they say that … [moans] they say that Jock is dead.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Barbecue Two, Larry Hagman

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘We’re Ewings. We Stick Together.’

November 14, 2012 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

She’s got this

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Waterloo at Southfork,” J.R. (Larry Hagman) stands behind Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), who has summoned Vaughn (Dennis Patrick), Jordan (Don Starr), Wade (Robert Ackerman), Andy (Paul Sorensen) and Cliff (Ken Kercheval) to J.R.’s office.

ELLIE: I’d like to thank you all for coming.

JORDAN: Well, it’s good to see you again Miss Ellie, but –

ELLIE: But you wonder why you were called here – at this time of night and by me. Is that right?

WADE: You do have us guessing, ma’am.

ELLIE: Well, you can stop guessing. I called you here to tell you that Ewing Oil is now prepared to pay back your loan … with interest.

VAUGHN: [Forced smile] Well … how nice.

ANDY: I knew Ewing Oil would be coming through.

ELLIE: Did you, Mr. Bradley? I suppose I should thank all of you gentlemen for the aid you gave my son.

JORDAN: Now Miss Ellie, you know it’s just business.

ELLIE: What I do know is that you are supposed to be Jock’s friend, Jordan. And yet the minute his back was turned, you took advantage of J.R.’s situation to charge an outrageous 25 percent interest to extend your loan.

VAUGHN: Now Miss Ellie, you don’t understand.

ELLIE: I understand perfectly. And what about you, Cliff? How long are you going to perpetuate this stupid Barnes-Ewing feud? Until we’re all dead and gone? Is it worth it to you?

CLIFF: Don’t expect me to apologize because J.R. got in over his head.

ELLIE: I don’t expect anything from you, Cliff. And I don’t apologize for what my son did. It’s a family matter. We may be wrong and we may be right, but we’re Ewings. We stick together – and that’s what makes us unbeatable.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Dennis Patrick, Don Starr, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Paul Sorensen, Robert Ackerman, Waterloo at Southfork

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘We Have Four Sons, You Know’

November 9, 2012 by Chris Baker 9 Comments

Saving the day, again

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Starting Over,” Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) summons Ray (Steve Kanaly) to the Southfork living room, where they sit across from each other.

ELLIE: I know that in the past, you and Jock used to have these conversations, but in his absence, I, I guess I’ll have to be the one to do it.

RAY: I’m not sure I understand, Miss Ellie.

ELLIE: Well, Donna feels that you’re in some kind of difficulty. And you won’t talk to her about it.

RAY: Well, no disrespect to you, Miss Ellie, but I don’t think it’s anything we ought to talk about either.

ELLIE: But you would talk to Jock.

RAY: [Looking down] I guess.

ELLIE: Do you feel it’s a sign of weakness to talk to a woman about your problems?

RAY: [Smiles sheepishly] No, it’s not that, exactly.

ELLIE: Ray, you know how much I care about you. If you’re in some kind of trouble, why, why won’t you let us help you?

RAY: It’s kind of complicated. I know you and Jock think of me as a Ewing now. But I still think of myself as Ray Krebbs. And I’ve never really done anything to prove that I was as good as the rest of the Ewings.

ELLIE: There’s nothing to prove, Ray. We care about you because of what you are. And above all of us, Donna loves you for yourself.

RAY: But don’t you see? I have to prove it to Donna more than anyone. Look who she was married to: Sam Culver. He was a great man in this state.

ELLIE: You know that Sam’s and Donna’s marriage was for different reasons than yours.

RAY: I know that. But, I mean, look at Donna. She can sit down and in her spare time, she can write what looks like a bestseller. Now how could she be happy married to a cowboy?

ELLIE: You’ve talked about all the reasons for not talking to anyone, but you still haven’t said anything about your problem.

RAY: Well, I guess I just plain got in over my head. You know, the San Antonio deal that Punk and I set up? Well, when he went to South America, I went ahead on my own. I found out I didn’t know half of what I thought I did. Now I’m in danger of losing the whole thing.

ELLIE: And what do you need?

RAY: [Sighs] Another $3 million. Most of what I have invested at this point is Donna’s money. Now how could I go to her and say, “We’re going to lose the whole thing unless you give me another $3 million?”

ELLIE: Your not thinking enough of Donna to tell her hurts a lot more than losing the money would.

RAY: It’s not like I didn’t want to tell her. I just couldn’t. I still can’t.

ELLIE: Will you accept help from me? It’s the same thing I’d do for Bobby or Gary or J.R. if they needed it. [Smiles] We have four sons, you know. And you’re one of them.

RAY: Yes, ma’am. I’d be very grateful. I don’t know how I could ever thank you.

ELLIE: You don’t have to thank me. And if you like, no one else needs to know about this. I think Donna should, but that’s up to you.

RAY: Well, I’d rather try to get out of this mess myself before I tell her anything. I really would like Donna to be proud of me.

ELLIE: All right. Tomorrow morning, you and I will go to see Franklin Horner. I’m sure Ewing Oil can lend you the $3 million. [Ray smiles]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Starting Over, Steve Kanaly

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘I Finally Whipped J.R. Ewing’

November 7, 2012 by Chris Baker 5 Comments

Laugh while you can

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Five Dollars a Barrel,” Cliff (Ken Kercheval) is seated on the edge of his office desk when J.R. (Larry Hagman) enters.

CLIFF: Come right in. Did you come to pay your note early? It’s not due until tomorrow.

J.R.: [Steps forward] You know why I’m here.

CLIFF: I just want to hear you say it.

J.R.: [Another step forward] I need that extension.

CLIFF: [Smiles] Do you? [Walks behind his desk, sits] Well, I’m a man of my word. I have the papers right here. Sit down. [J.R. walks to Cliff’s desk, sets his hat on it] It’s all right here. Ten-day extension, at $200 million, 25 percent. But first, my lawyer drew that up. [Hands J.R. a document] It gives me total and permanent ownership of Ewing 6. [Hands a pen to J.R., who retrieves one of his own from his jacket’s inner pocket] You know you’re only buying a temporary delay because the price of oil is still dropping. And when this 10-day extension is up, there’s no more time. You can’t pay, you’re out. [J.R. signs the paper, tosses it onto Cliff’s desk, grabs his hat and begins walking away.] I can’t believe it. After all these years, I finally whipped J.R. Ewing.

J.R. turns, glares and smiles slightly as Cliff laughs uproariously.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Five Dollars a Barrel, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You Do Like to Get Down in the Dirt’

November 2, 2012 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

American gladiators

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “The Split,” a helicopter lands on the football field at the Cotton Bowl. Dusty (Jared Martin) exits and walks toward J.R. (Larry Hagman).

DUSTY: Ewing.

J.R.: Well, that was a very impressive entrance. You looking to see if I had any troops stationed outside?

DUSTY: I didn’t come here to play games, Ewing. What is it you wanted?

J.R.: Well, we got almost 72,000 empty seats there. [Motioning toward Dusty’s cane] You sure you wouldn’t like to sit down?

DUSTY: Look, why don’t we just get on with it, huh?

J.R.: All right. I suppose you think I came here to ask you to give me my boy back.

DUSTY: Yeah, that had occurred to me. So don’t even bother.

J.R.: Well, actually, I came here to do you a service.

DUSTY: Really?

J.R.: Ever since I found out about your … your problem – at the trial – well, I’ve been thinking about you.

DUSTY: I don’t know why you should think about me at all. Except for the fact that your wife is living with me.

J.R.: Well, in a sense, I suppose that’s true – technically. But how long she’s going to be living with you under the circumstances, I wouldn’t make a hazard to guess.

DUSTY: [Smiles] You do like to get down in the dirt, don’t you?

J.R.: I find it advantageous at times, yes.

DUSTY: All right, let’s get this over with.

J.R.: All right. My wife – and she is still my wife – is a lady of very tempestuous moods. Mostly sexual. Now I can give you a rundown of the names of her lovers if you’re really interested but –

DUSTY: No, not at all.

J.R.: There is a point here. I don’t want to be so crude as to call her a nymphomaniac, but all while she and I were enjoying a very healthy relationship, she was out looking for more elsewhere.

DUSTY: [Walks toward J.R., stands close to him] You are a disgusting man, Ewing. You think I don’t realize what kind of cheap trick you’re pulling here?

J.R.: Maybe a trick. But it’s certainly the truth. Hasn’t it occurred to you? Now surely you remember how she was before your accident. My bet is that you could hardly keep her out of bed. [Dusty backhands him] How long do you think she’s going to stay with a sexual washout? Hell, she can’t go without it forever. [Dusty turns and begins walking way; as J.R. continues speaking, he steadily raises his voice.] Maybe she won’t have to. I’ve seen your daddy. Maybe she’s staying with you because she’s not going without it. There’s only one person who’s man enough to keep that lady happy and on the Southern Cross. [Shouting] And that sure as hell ain’t you. [Chuckles as Dusty stops and looks down.]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Jared Martin, Larry Hagman, Split

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘No Deal, J.R.’

October 31, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Don’t box him in

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “Blocked,” Clayton (Howard Keel) arrives in a hotel suite for a meeting with J.R. (Larry Hagman).

J.R.: Well, I was beginning to think that you had changed your mind.

CLAYTON: I heard a lot of stories about you, J.R. I heard you were a snake – but I never realized just how low you’d sink.

J.R.: [Smiles] Did you come here to give me an evaluation of my character?

CLAYTON: No, J.R., I didn’t. I just want to know why you bought up all my crude – what your terms are so I can get back into business.

J.R.: Why don’t you have a little eye-opener. We can discuss this in a civilized manner.

CLAYTON: No, thank you. [Walks closer] And this is not a civilized situation. How much do you want for the oil?

J.R.: Oh, I think you’ll find my terms acceptable.

CLAYTON: You paid over market price. Otherwise you wouldn’t have got it. Now why would I find that acceptable?

J.R.: You have no choice. [Sits, smiles] See, I happen to know that you’re shutting down your refineries.

CLAYTON: You’ve invested a fortune trying to box me in. Why? Is it vengeance because I protected Sue Ellen?

J.R.: It’s business. Before I sell you a drop of my oil, I want Sue Ellen and John Ross off the Southern Cross ranch – away from you and your son.

CLAYTON: You’re holding my oil hostage in return for Sue Ellen?

J.R.: I don’t give a damn for Sue Ellen. I want my son back. And I’m willing to sell you that oil at the going market price – if you send those two packing.

CLAYTON: Then what? You think Sue Ellen’s going to return to Southfork? [Chuckles] She hates you so much she’d never do that.

J.R.: Well, Mr. Farlow, I know that woman a lot better than you do. She can’t make it on her own. Every time she runs away, it’s to another man. And what do you care anyway? [Rises, walks toward Clayton] With this deal you can keep your refineries open, your employees employed and not suffer any loss.

CLAYTON: No deal, J.R.

J.R.: Just how long do you think you’re going to be able to keep open?

CLAYTON: The terms you just offered me? Forever.

J.R.: She means nothing to you.

CLAYTON: You’re wrong. I respect her. And she means everything to my son. And the child belongs with her. [Turns and heads for the door]

J.R.: I’ll break you.

CLAYTON: Better men than you have tried it. No, J.R., you’re the one who’s going broke. I was late getting here because I stopped to find out the latest report on oil prices. Down almost a dollar a barrel and still falling. And you’re sitting on five million barrels. Now, your bankers are not going to be patient forever. [Reaches the door, stops, turns] By the time your daddy gets back from South America, there just might not be a Ewing Oil.

He exits, leaving J.R. looking worried.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Blocked, Howard Keel, Larry Hagman

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘But It Was So Beautiful, Cliff’

October 26, 2012 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Never upset this woman

In “Dallas’s” fifth-season episode “The Big Shut Down,” Cliff (Ken Kercheval) is in his office at Wentworth Tool and Die, discussing the hospitalized Pam with Rebecca and Katherine (Priscilla Pointer, Morgan Brittany), who’ve dropped by on their way to the airport.

CLIFF: You don’t need to worry about Pam. Mama and I will visit her. Although I must admit: I don’t relish bumping into a Ewing every time we go out there.

REBECCA: Cliff, the only Ewings who ever come to see Pam are Bobby and Ellie.

KATHERINE: [Smiling] I can understand why Pam fell in love with Bobby.

CLIFF: [Snickers] I’m sure you can. I must say, it wasn’t the greatest day in my life.

REBECCA: Cliff, I don’t want a replay of your problems with the Ewings. Besides, if we don’t hurry, we’re going to miss the plane. You know what the traffic’s like on the expressway in the mornings.

As Rebecca speaks, Katherine looks around the room quizzically.

KATHERINE: You know, everything in this office looks so different. I guess because I was three feet high the last time I saw it.

CLIFF: No, I don’t think so. It’s probably because I just had the whole place redecorated.

KATHERINE: Oh, I remember. [Pointing] Daddy had an antique cabinet right there. It was wood with a bold grain, probably oak or something.

CLIFF: Right, you’re right, yeah. I had it moved out because I just like kind of an openness.

KATHERINE: But it was so beautiful, Cliff.

CLIFF: It’s in the storeroom. If you want it, it’s yours.

KATHERINE: [Sighs] No, I’m just surprised you moved it. It always seemed to belong right there. [Smiles icily] Well, Mother, let’s go.

Katherine grabs her purse from a chair and she and Rebecca head for the door.

CLIFF: You all have a safe trip.

REBECCA: I’ll call you later.

After Rebecca and Katherine exit, Cliff surveys the room with raised eyebrows.