Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic)

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘All Our Men Are Ambitious’

July 30, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Fit for a queen

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “End of the Road, Part 1,” the Ewing women – Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes), Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) and Pam (Victoria Principal) – chat with Lucy (Charlene Tilton) in her bedroom, where a tailor pins her wedding gown.

ELLIE: That dress has been waiting a long time for you. My daddy had a woman come all the way from Paris with the material for it – and money was hard for him to come by in those days. But he was very determined to show all those oilmen that a Southworth wouldn’t be put to shame.

LUCY: What about Granddaddy?

ELLIE: He was something. All decked out in formal clothes. He would’ve felt better in boots and jeans. He kept tugging at his collar, trying to breathe. [Chuckles] He was the handsomest man I’d ever seen. Still is.

SUE ELLEN: I believe my wedding day was the most wonderful day of my life. All those bridesmaids, all those ushers – and hundreds and hundreds of people. I can close my eyes and still think that I’m reliving it, all over again.

PAM: Well, ours was a different setting. A justice of the peace in New Orleans city hall. We were both scared to death. Bobby Ewing marrying Digger Barnes’ daughter.

ELLIE: Well, when I was first married, my daddy didn’t like Jock any better than Digger did. There comes a time when you have to let your family know who really has the last word in suitable husbands.

LUCY: Is that really true, Grandma?

ELLIE: Well, we’d all like to think so, anyway.

LUCY: I don’t know. Mitch is so darn stubborn. All he ever thinks about is going to medical school and studying.

SUE ELLEN: Well, Lucy, you should consider yourself very lucky. Ambition is a fine quality to have in a man. Isn’t it, Pamela?

PAM: I suppose so, if the ambition doesn’t become an obsession.

ELLIE: Well, I’m not sure I would have loved Jock as much if he’d been different. All our men are ambitious.

LUCY: Except for my daddy, and he’s doing just fine.

ELLIE: That’s true, Lucy. But Gary has other qualities that make him special. Very special.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Charlene Tilton, End of the Road Part 1, Linda Gray, Victoria Principal

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Real Power is Something You Take!’

July 25, 2012 by Chris Baker 4 Comments

Dallas Scene of the Day - Executive Wife copy

Power tip

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “Executive Wife,” Bobby (Patrick Duffy) enters the Cattlemen’s Club and begins questioning J.R. (Larry Hagman) about Jock’s business deal, while Jock (Jim Davis) looks on.

JOCK: Now, you just hold on Bobby. J.R. don’t discuss my business with you or anybody else unless I tell him. You understand?

BOBBY: Okay, Daddy, then why didn’t you tell me? Didn’t you think I should know?

JOCK: I was going to tell you tonight.

BOBBY: Tonight? I want those kind of things discussed with me before you act, not after! Your dealing behind my back is making me look like a fool.

JOCK: Now just what the hell are you talking about?

BOBBY: I called Les at the bank and asked him to transfer $12 million from the account.

JOCK: So what? We’ve got a hundred times that much.

BOBBY: I’m talking liquid assets. Cash, Daddy, cash — and we don’t have that amount! And you know why? Because you took $10 million.

JOCK: [Rises from his seat, faces Bobby] You damn right I took it. It’s mine!

BOBBY: That money belongs to Ewing Oil.

JOCK: And who in the hell do you think Ewing Oil is? It’s me! Ewing Oil belongs to me and don’t you forget it, boy.

BOBBY: And you gave me Ewing Oil to run, in writing! And that makes you obliged to consult me before you do anything that concerns that company.

JOCK: Obliged? You’re telling me that I’m obliged to ask you how to spend my own money any damn way I see fit?

BOBBY: That’s right. You gave me the power to run that company, and damn it, I intend to run it!

JOCK: So I gave you power, huh? Well, let me tell you something, boy. If I did give you power, you got nothing! Nobody gives you power. Real power is something you take!

BOBBY: Well, I’m going to remember that.

JOCK: You do that.

Bobby walks away.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Executive Wife, Jim Davis, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You Are My Mother’

July 24, 2012 by Chris Baker 3 Comments

Mama remembers

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “The Prodigal Mother,” Rebecca (Priscilla Pointer) approaches Pam (Victoria Principal) outside The Store and asks to walk with her.

REBECCA: Years ago, I closed a door in my mind. I sealed off a part of my life. And I thought it would be sealed off forever. It almost was. I led a comfortable life, happily married to a man that I adore. Then you phoned, making a crack in that seal I thought was so strong. We met. And the crack became larger. And then I saw you and your brother. Both of you together. And I couldn’t. [They sit on a bench.] The whole thing, the whole secret, sealed place broke open. And the past came rushing back. Digger Barnes. Hutch McKinney. And the awful, awful pain of having to abandon my own flesh and blood.

PAM: You are my mother.

REBECCA: Yes, I am.

Pam grabs Rebecca’s hand.

REBECCA: And although you haven’t known me, the newspapers have made it impossible for me to ignore you or Cliff. You can’t imagine the unhappiness of seeing one’s own children and not being able to talk to them.

PAM: That’s what I don’t understand. Why couldn’t you?

REBECCA: [Tears begin streaming down her face] My husband has no idea that I was married. Or that I have two children. He knows nothing about Hutch McKinney. He is not a well man. I think if he found out now, the shock would devastate him.

PAM: Why didn’t you tell him before?

REBECCA: I never divorced Digger. I was afraid that if I tried, he’d find me, and drag me back to that awful life. [Voice begins cracking] Pamela, I saw a chance for happiness, and I took it. Don’t blame me for that.

PAM: Do you mean that now that I’ve found you, we can’t see each other?

REBECCA: [Shakes her head no] I wanted to talk to your brother too. [Voice cracks] I don’t think I could go through this again.

PAM: Well, it’s probably best if you don’t.

REBECCA: Pamela, try to understand. To lose one family in a lifetime is horrible. To lose a second….

PAM: I’m sorry. [Touches Rebecca’s face] Oh, I’m sorry.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Priscilla Pointer, Prodigal Mother, Victoria Principal

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You’re a Ewing now’

July 23, 2012 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Barbara Bel Geddes, Dallas, Miss Ellie Ewing, Trouble at Ewing 23

She knows

In “Trouble at Ewing 23,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Ray (Steve Kanaly) finds Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) with her horse in the stable.

RAY: Miss Ellie, I’m very grateful to you.

ELLIE: Oh, Ray.

RAY: No. You accepted me into your family. That’s very important to me.

ELLIE: Ray, Jock told me about his affair with Margaret years ago. I know how fond of you he’s always been. Maybe it should have been more of a shock to me, finding out you were his son. It wasn’t. It was as if part of each of us had always known.

RAY: I want to thank you. The last thing in the world I ever wanted to do would be to hurt you or Jock.

ELLIE: I think you may need more adjusting than either of us. You’re a Ewing now. That’s a lot to take on all at once. I know.

RAY: I’ve been Ray Krebbs for too long now. I just don’t plan on changing anything. That’s why I didn’t want anybody else but the family to know about this.

ELLIE: That may not be so easy, Ray. But welcome to the family. [She kisses him.]

RAY: Thank you.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Steve Kanaly, Trouble at Ewing 23

Knots Landing Scene of the Day: ‘I’m Pregnant’

July 18, 2012 by Chris Baker 4 Comments

Dallas, Joan Van Ark, Knots Landing, Kristin, Kristin Shepard, Mary Crosby, Valene Ewing

She knows

In “Kristin,” a second-season “Knots Landing” episode, Kristin and Valene (Mary Crosby, Joan Van Ark) argue in the Ewings’ guest bedroom.

VAL: If you’ve got something to say, Kristin, I think you better say it.

KRISTIN: [Looks away, begins tearing up] I’m pregnant. [Sits in a chair]

VAL: Pregnant? [Sits on the edge of the bed]

KRISTIN: I didn’t wanna tell anybody. I thought it would be easier for the baby if I kept it a secret. I hoped to find somebody who would be a father to my baby.

VAL: Do you know who the father is?

Kristin is silent. Val moves off the bed and kneels in front of the chair.

VAL: Do you love him?

KRISTIN: I don’t know.

VAL: Darling, why didn’t you tell me this before?

KRISTIN: I was afraid that if I told you, you wouldn’t help me.

VAL: Oh, no, that is not true.

KRISTIN: You wouldn’t have let me in.

VAL: Oh, no, Kristin. You’re wrong. I would have. I know exactly how you feel right now.

KRISTIN: No you don’t. Nobody does.

Val lays her head in Kristin’s lap.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Joan Van Ark, Knots Landing, Kristin, Mary Crosby

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘He’s Not Your Daddy. I Am.’

July 17, 2012 by Chris Baker 7 Comments

Dallas, Fourth Son, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing

Facing the truth

In “The Fourth Son,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Jock (Jim Davis) visits Ray (Steve Kanaly), who asks him to sit at the patio table outside his newly built home.

JOCK: Your father came to see me today.

RAY: My father?

JOCK: Yeah. Afraid he put the squeeze on me.

RAY: Jock, I’m sorry. I’m real sorry. I tried to get rid of him.

JOCK: Ray, I don’t know whether you know it or not, but your mother and I were real close friends.

RAY: Yes, sir, I know.

JOCK: I met her in England during World War II. I was in the Army Air Corps, and she was a nurse.

RAY: She used to talk about those nursing days a lot. Seems like the only time in her life she ever felt useful.

JOCK: The fact is, Ray, your mother and I had an affair. But it was, it was special. Oh, she knew all about Ellie. I knew about her fiancé, Amos Krebs. But it was wartime, and our feelings were…. Well, let’s just say that we were two lonely people.

RAY: Jock, you don’t have to explain a thing to me.

JOCK: Afraid I do. I was sent to France and she was shipped back home. We said goodbye. We knew it was over. We thought that was the best thing to do. We never kept in touch after that until –

RAY: Till I showed up on your doorstep. [Smiles]

JOCK: [Smiles] I was glad to have you. Still am.

RAY: Jock, let me handle my father. He’s not your problem. He’s mine.

JOCK: Ray, I don’t know how to put this, so I’ll just spit it out. He’s not your daddy. I am.

RAY: [Looks away, then at Jock; clenches his jaw] Did Krebbs tell you that?

JOCK: He provided proof. Don’t suppose he needed to. I know it’s the truth. I just, I just feel it. I don’t know why in the world I never realized it before.

RAY: You tell Miss Ellie yet?

JOCK: Not yet, but….

RAY: Then what are you going to do about it?

JOCK: What do you want me to do?

RAY: No disrespect to you, Jock, I’d just as soon you leave things the way they are.

JOCK: You understand, Ray, that you’ve got a lot at stake here.

RAY: Jock, I’d be proud to be recognized as your son. But you know what kind of problems that could cause for you and your family. And the pressure it might put between you and Miss Ellie. If it’s all right with you, I’m just happy to leave things just the way they are.

JOCK: You’re saying it’s my decision?

RAY: I want to do what’s best for you. It’s all I care about.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Fourth Son, Jim Davis, Steve Kanaly

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘You’re the One Who’s the Snob’

July 16, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Charlene Tilton, Dallas, Lucy Ewing, Venezuelan Connection

Telling it like it is

In “The Venezuelan Connection,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Lucy (Charlene Tilton) talks to Mitch (Leigh McCloskey) while he puts away dishes in his kitchen.

MITCH: Lucy, look, it was nice of you to come here, but you’ve gotta understand one thing: being rich is a way of life for you. I’ll never have that kind of money.

LUCY: Well, I don’t care about that.

MITCH: Well, I do!

LUCY: Well, why should you?

MITCH: I can’t compete with your fancy friends with their automobiles and their trips off to Acapulco.

LUCY: Well, why do you have to compete with them? They live like that. So what? Can’t you just accept it? They accepted you.

MITCH: Because I was with you!

LUCY: Well, so wouldn’t it be the same way with your friends? They’d accept me only because I was with you. Look, things will change. It’ll be different when they get to know you better. They’ll accept you.

MITCH: Look, I don’t give a damn about their acceptance! [Slams his fist on the table]

LUCY: You know what? You’re the one who’s the snob. With all that medical stuff you study in school, you sure don’t know much about people. [Walks toward the door, turns back to face Mitch] You know, it’s funny. I came here to apologize because I thought we had a good thing going on. But now I wonder if we do. Because if you can’t like me the way I like you, without caring about anything or anyone else, then I don’t even want to know you. Maybe you’re not the man I thought you were.

She leaves, slamming the door behind her.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Charlene Tilton, Leigh McCloskey, Venezuelan Connection

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘… A Clash Between Those Two Boys’

July 11, 2012 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Dallas, Jim Davis, Jock Ewing, Ray Krebbs, Steve Kanaly, Taste of Success

Father knows least

In “Taste of Success,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Jock and Ray (Jim Davis, Steve Kanaly) come to a stop while riding horses.

RAY: You all right?

JOCK: Yeah, why?

RAY: You’re riding awful hard. That usually means you got something on your mind.

JOCK: You know me real good, don’t you?

RAY: Yes, sir.

JOCK: Well, it’s Bobby and J.R.

RAY: I thought Bobby was working out all right.

JOCK: Well, he is. Of course, he’s got a lot to learn. But that’s not the problem.

RAY: Well, what is the problem then?

JOCK: Well, you know J.R. likes being president. He’s about ready to go back to work, as you can see.

RAY: So?

JOCK: Gonna be a clash between those two boys. Some kind of explosion. And I’ll be damned if I know what to do about it. I just wish that there was some way that I could get those two boys together. You know, work side by side.

RAY: Well, there ain’t no way. You know that as well as I do, Jock.

JOCK: Yeah, I know, but that’s not the worst part of it. After the clash, Bobby may pull out and leave Dallas. And if that happens, well, Miss Ellie’s gonna blame me. And so help me, I, I just don’t know what to do about it. [Pauses] I’ll see you. [Takes off on his horse]

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Jim Davis, Steve Kanaly, Taste of Success

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘It Was You, Kristin, Who Shot J.R.’

July 10, 2012 by Chris Baker 6 Comments

Who done it

In “Who Done It?,” a fourth-season “Dallas” episode, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) arrives at Southfork to find J.R. (Larry Hagman) reading in his wheelchair on the patio.

SUE ELLEN: J.R.?

J.R.: [Looks up from his book, startled] What are you doing here?

SUE ELLEN: Where’s Kristin?

J.R.: Don’t come any closer. [Moves his wheelchair toward the table] I’m going to call the police. Don’t you come any closer. [Struggles to get out of the wheelchair]

SUE ELLEN: [Looks at him with pity] J.R., I didn’t come here to hurt you. I just want to know where Kristin is.

Kristin (Mary Crosby) exits the house, steps onto the patio.

KRISTIN: [Cheery] Sue Ellen, I brought your things.

SUE ELLEN: [Sarcastic] Regular angel of mercy, aren’t you? So supportive. Keeping my secrets. Taking me in.

KRISTIN: What happened? What are you talking about?

SUE ELLEN: I have finally figured everything out, that’s all. You have been trying to frame me.

KRISTIN: [Laughs] You’re crazy.

SUE ELLEN: [Smiles] Well, you were right. I was at that condo that night, looking for J.R. And yes, I did have his gun. But you saw how drunk I was, and you still gave me a drink, knowing I’d put the gun down to take it. You went to the office that night with J.R.’s gun. It was you, Kristin, who shot J.R. Then the next morning, while I was showering, you hid the gun in the closet. [Flashbacks appear as Sue Ellen speaks.]

KRISTIN: You think you’ve got it all figured out.

J.R.: [Speaking into the phone] Get me the police.

KRISTIN: I wouldn’t do that if I were you, J.R. [She and Sue Ellen walk toward him.] Not unless you want your child born in prison. Now wouldn’t that be a scandal? Jock Ewing’s grandson: jail baby. [Snickers] I think I’ll write my memoirs there.

J.R.: You’re bluffing.

KRISTIN: Call Dr. Gibson. I saw him yesterday. He’ll tell you. [A voice on the phone says, “Dallas Police Department.”]

SUE ELLEN: [Reaches for the phone] Give me that phone. I’m not going to jail for her.

J.R.: Nobody’s going to jail. I’ll handle Kristin my own way.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Mary Crosby, Who Done It?, Who Shot J.R.?

Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘If You Need Me, I’m Here’

July 9, 2012 by Chris Baker 1 Comment

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Ray Krebbs, Steve Kanaly, Who Shot J.R.?

Cold shoulder

In “Dallas’s” fourth-season episode “Nightmare,” Ray (Steve Kanaly) visits J.R. (Larry Hagman), who is seated in his wheelchair in the hospital’s rehabilitation center.

RAY: Look, something I gotta say, J.R. Been quite a few differences between you and I over the past couple years. Before that, we were friends for a long time. I just wanted to tell you, that if you need me, I’m here.

J.R.: Thank you, Ray. Thanks. [Begins wheeling away]

RAY: Hey. [Touches J.R.’s shoulder] I just keep thinking of all those good times we had.

J.R.: Like in Waco?

RAY: Yeah, like in Waco. Or how about that time down in Houston when you had them all convinced that you were the talent scout for the Miss Texas contest and I was the front man. [Laughs]

J.R.: [Chuckling] Yeah, they almost killed us with kindness, didn’t they? Yeah, we’ve had some pretty good times, haven’t we, Ray?

RAY: Yeah, you helped me out of some pretty tough scrapes, J.R. More than once. I just wanted you to know, you can count on me if you need to.

J.R.: Well, Ray, I don’t want to ever have to count on anybody but myself. Thank you.

J.R. wheels away.

Filed Under: Dallas Scenes of the Day, Dallas Scenes of the Day (Classic), Features Tagged With: Larry Hagman, Nightmare, Steve Kanaly, Who Shot J.R.?