News – Dallas Decoder

Drill Bits: Will Larry Hagman Be Nominated for an Emmy?

July 16, 2013 by Chris Baker 18 Comments

Dallas, Hedging Your Bets, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, TNT

Show him some love, Emmy

Will Larry Hagman receive some much-deserved Emmy recognition when this year’s prime-time nominees are announced on July 18?

The “Dallas” star, who died last fall, is a contender in the dramatic supporting actor race. The editors at awards website Gold Derby rank Hagman 15th on the list of likely nominees in that category, putting his odds at 100 to 1.

In other words: Hagman’s chances are pretty slim.

On the other hand: Never bet against ol’ J.R.

“You don’t know how sentimental the voters might be,” says Chris Beachum, Gold Derby’s senior editor. “Mr. Hagman played one of the most iconic characters of all time … anything can happen.”

The dramatic supporting actor race is always competitive, often with seven or eight strong contenders competing for six slots, Beachum says. This year’s likely nominees include Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) and Mandy Patinkin (“Homeland”), but surprises are possible. Last year, the experts were caught off guard when Jim Carter and Brendan Coyle scored supporting actor nominations for their roles on “Downton Abbey.”

The latest Emmy competition covers programs televised from June 2012 through May 2013, so the first two seasons of TNT’s “Dallas” revival are eligible. Hagman died in November after completing the first half of the second season, which TNT telecast in the winter and spring.

Hagman never won an Emmy. He was twice nominated for best actor during the original “Dallas’s” heyday, losing to Ed Asner (“Lou Grant”) in 1980 and Daniel J. Travanti (“Hill Street Blues”) in 1981. If Hagman is nominated this year, he’ll follow in the boot steps of TV daddy Jim Davis, who received a posthumous nomination in 1981.

Barbara Bel Geddes is the only actor to win an Emmy for “Dallas,” receiving the award for best actress in 1980.

None of the other actors from TNT’s “Dallas” revival are considered likely contenders for nominations this year, Beachum says, although the show could be nominated in technical categories such as costuming and cinematography.

If Emmy overlooks Hagman, his next best shot for recognition from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will be an induction into its Hall of Fame. Beachum lists Hagman among several possible inductees this year, along with David Letterman, Tyne Daly and the late Don Knotts.

Deep-sixed

Hold on, darlins

The good news: Entertainment Weekly included “Dallas” on its recent list of television’s 100 all-time greatest shows. The outrageous news: The series ranked only 61st.

To this, we say: Hold on, darlins! When “Dallas” debuted 35 years ago, it dared to build a dramatic series around J.R., TV’s original anti-hero. “Dallas” also pioneered serialized storylines in prime time and the season-ending cliffhanger.

Without “Dallas,” EW wouldn’t have shows like “The Sopranos” (No. 5 on the magazine’s list), “Mad Men” (No. 9) and “Breaking Bad” (No. 18) to fawn over.

Moreover, does anyone honestly believe “Gilmore Girls” (No. 45), “The Rifleman” (No. 46) and “Freaks and Geeks” (No. 59) deserve to rank higher than “Dallas”?

Hagman’s Hat Man

Ever wonder who made the hats that Hagman sported on TNT’s “Dallas”? Check out Cowboys & Indians’ recent profile of hatmaker Butch Dorer.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Barbara Bel Geddes, Jim Davis, Larry Hagman, TNT

If You Like Dallas Decoder, Please ‘Like’ Us on Facebook

July 4, 2013 by Chris Baker 2 Comments

Mr. All-American

Have you “liked” Dallas Decoder on Facebook? If not, I hope you’ll consider doing so. You’ll find lots of special content there, including holiday “cards” like the one shown here and J.R. and Sue Ellen’s wedding album.

Dallas Decoder is also on Twitter, where I conduct one-hour #DallasChat discussions most Monday nights at 9, as well as Pinterest.com.

If you have ideas for Dallas Decoder, please share them in the comments section below or e-mail me at dallasdecoder-at-gmail.com. I always love to hear from you.

Thank you for reading, and Happy Independence Day!

Filed Under: Announcements, News Tagged With: Dallas Decoder, Larry Hagman

The Dallas Decoder Interview: Mitch Pileggi

June 13, 2013 by Chris Baker 21 Comments

Mitch Pileggi

Mitch Pileggi has become the man to watch on TNT’s “Dallas,” where his venomous character, Harris Ryland, loves to torment the Ewings. I spoke to Pileggi recently about working on the show.

Harris is so mean. Is it hard for you to play him?

No, I like playing him because he is such a jerk. He’s bitter. He’s angry. Ann broke his heart, and whether or not he still loves her is my secret. I think it’s pretty obvious, though. [Laughs] She crushed him — not only his heart, but his huge ego too. But I think there’s going to be some new things you’re going to find out about Harris next season.

Ooh. That sounds exciting. Anything you can tease us with?

No. [Laughs] There were a few hints dropped last season. If they go in the direction that they’re thinking about, it’s going to be pretty interesting. I’m anxious to see what they come up with.

Do you have anything in common with Harris? How are you alike? How are you different?

We’re pretty different. That’s why it’s so easy for me to play him. I can be cranky at times, but not mean-spirited. I would never hurt people the way he does. He definitely has a tender spot in his heart for his daughter, as I do with my daughter. But then again, he also uses his daughter, and that’s something that I would never do. So as far as similarities and differences, I think that’s really it. I look like him. [Laughs]

I’m glad you brought that up. I love the beard. Did you grow that especially for this role?

No, I went to the audition with the mustache and goatee, and then I grew out the whole thing. I just like it. I like the shaved head and I like the beard. I’ve had people who want me to shave it. I tell them: I think this is the way I’m going to work.

The dragon at rest

Do you get to collaborate with the writers over Harris’s direction? Or do you get the script and do what you’re told?

Pretty much [the latter] — and that’s the way I’ve always worked. I’m not a writer. I don’t have the discipline it takes to write, so I have a lot of respect for the writers because it’s brutally hard. There are times when they’ll write certain dialogue and I’ll say, “Can I say this instead because it flows out of my mouth better?” And they’re always so receptive to that. Or I’ll throw in a “Rylandism.” Harris always feels like he’s got to have the last word, whether it’s a grunt or an “Alright then.” So they started writing a lot of that.

There’s a great line in Season 2 where Harris is ending a call with Cliff and you call him a paranoid old coot. Is that something you ad-libbed?

That was definitely written. It’s his attitude toward Cliff. He kind of needs him but he hates having to deal with him. He does think he’s a paranoid old coot.

I don’t think he’s wrong about that!

I don’t either. Ken [Kercheval] did a stunning job with that character the last two seasons. When he tells his henchman to go ahead and blow the [rig] even after he knows his daughter’s on it? I thought it was such a powerful moment. You could see how he was agonizing over it, but ultimately he had to make that decision and so he just went to this dark, sick place. Ken was wonderful in that scene.

The way you’re talking, you sound like you’re a fan of the show too.

I am. I love the show and my character. But I think more than anything, I’m a fan of the people I get to work with. I adore Linda [Gray] and Patrick [Duffy] and everybody else. I really wanted to lock horns with Larry [Hagman], but it didn’t happen. The producers had big plans for that. And having had a history on the show from the first go-round, it’s like it’s come full circle.

Let’s talk about that. You did four episodes in the early ’90s as Morrissey, the bad guy J.R. tangled with in the mental institution. What do you remember about that experience?

I actually pulled up one of the scenes the other day. It was really fun to watch myself working with [Larry]. That was really early in my career and I learned so much from just being around him and working with him and watching him. He was such a wonderful actor and person. Especially now, watching myself [acting] with him back then is pretty special.

Did you get to spend much time with him on the new show?

Not really, unfortunately. One of the few conversations I had with him, I went up and introduced myself and we were talking for a bit and he looked at me and says, “Aren’t villains the best?” And I said, “Yes, sir, they are.”

You know, Harris reminds me a lot of J.R. There’s a little bit of gleefulness to your villainy, and I think that’s why so many fans love Harris.

Well, thank you. He doesn’t have quite the twinkle in his eye that Larry gave to J.R., but he’s probably a little — well, I’m not going to say meaner because J.R. did some pretty dastardly things! [Laughs]

Would you like to see Harris become … I don’t want to say softer, but maybe a little more vulnerable?

I think I tried to do that a little bit with [Harris’s daughter] Emma, to bring some humanity to him so he wasn’t just a beast. And of course his relationship with his mother is just so bizarre — and so much fun to play, especially when I’m standing across from Judith Light. She’s such a giving, wonderful actress. I don’t want to be a cardboard cutout of a mustache-twirling villain. Both [executive producers] Michael [Robin] and Cynthia [Cidre] have made an effort to not take him in that direction, and I’m trying not to do that either.

Mama’s here

I’m glad you brought up Judith Light. What did you think when you found out she was going to be playing your mom?

Well, I thought, “We’re the same age!” [Laughs] And then when she came onto the set for our first scene, we immediately hugged each other. I said, “Mama?” And she gave me sort of a sideways look and said, “Mama’s here.” We just took off from there. Hopefully, the performances made the audience forget that we’re only a few years apart in age.

Well, by golly, I think it did. I was as skeptical as anyone when I read she was going to be playing your mom. But after her first scene, I thought, “OK. This works.”

I think the first scene we had, she comes in and finds me after I’ve been shot. And we were rehearsing the scene and I’m on the ground and she steps over me and says — with a little smile on her face — “Don’t you look up my dress.” [Laughs] I thought, “This is going to be fun.”

So what do you think is going on with Harris and his mom?

Judith Light has her own ideas about this, so I don’t want to speak for her. But I think they’re both just emotionally jacked up. I think he’s been controlled and dominated throughout his life and it definitely affects the person that he is now. And now you can see him doing the same thing with his daughter.

I hope they bring Judith back next year.

I do too, man. I love the fact that she’s on Broadway and doing so well. I’m jealous of that. But to be standing across from her again would be gold. I just want to watch her as a fan. At the beginning of the season, when my character was in bed in the coma and she had that long speech, it was a monumental effort for me to keep my eyes closed and to not watch her.

Let’s talk about the other women in Harris’s life: Ann and Emma, played by Brenda Strong and Emma Bell. You seem to have great chemistry with every actress you’re matched with.

I guess that’s because of who they are. I adore all of them, so we have fun. It’s like the scene where Harris goes to Southfork to take Emma home and Ann tells him to go away. We were shooting that scene and the camera was over her shoulder, filming me. Well, you know when two guys are confronting each other and one of them makes a false move toward the other one? Brenda kind of did that me, right in the middle of the scene. And after they yelled, “Cut,” I said to her, “Did you just do that?” And she says, “Yes, I did!” [Laughs] She does wonderful little things like that.

Do you think there’s any chance that Harris and Ann could ever reconcile?

I don’t know. In this world, anything could happen. But I think she would have to have a pretty good crash and burn to get the point where she’d ever go back to him.

Family court

Well, after she shot you, I thought, “How are they ever going to redeem this woman?” But I’ll be damned if they didn’t do it.

She did an amazing job with her testimony on the stand. I had to do mine right after she did hers. And when she finished, all of the background actors immediately started applauding — as did I. And they were like, “OK, Mitch, you’re up.” And I thought, “This is great. I’ve got to follow that?” [Laughs]

So what was your favorite Harris scene this season?

The Komodo dragon speech would probably be my favorite. That was written to cut away to other scenes, but after we shot it, they realized that they didn’t have enough dialogue so I had to go back and do more in [post production]. Most of that speech — or at least half of it — is stuff that I recorded later, just standing there and speaking these new lines that they added in. It became even richer than the way it was initially envisioned. The great thing is, you can still hear him crunching on the almonds.

Almonds! That was going to be my next question: What were you eating in that scene?

They were almonds. Initially, they had a bowl of them next to where he was sitting, and I said, I’d like to put some in my hand and hold them up like a Tyrannosaurus Rex shoving food into his face. When we were shooting it, the sound guys were saying, “The crunching is killing us!” I was like, you know what? I think the crunching is part of it. This is a Komodo dragon eating. [Laughs] We ended up leaving a lot of it in.

OK, last question: You’re now part of two huge franchises: “Dallas” and “The X-Files.” Do you still get recognized as Skinner?

Well, there’s this whole new generation of “X-Files” fans now. My daughter’s friends are watching the show. She had a couple of them over to the house, and they were really kind of quiet the whole time they were here. So when they left and I asked her, “Did your friends think I was weird or something?” And she said, “No, Dad! As soon as they walked out the door, they turned to me and said, ‘We didn’t know your dad was Skinner!’” [Laughs] These are 14- and 15-year-old girls. And I’m thinking, “OK, that’s really cool: a whole new generation of fans are discovering the show.” It’s really gratifying.

Share your comments below and read more interviews from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Interviews, News Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Cynthia Cidre, Emma Bell, Judith Light, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Michael Robin, Mitch Pileggi, Patrick Duffy, TNT

The Dallas Decoder Interview: Lisa Seidman

June 6, 2013 by Chris Baker 10 Comments

Lisa Seidman

Lisa Seidman was a writer on the original “Dallas” during its final two seasons and penned many of the show’s best episodes from that era. She later wrote for “Knots Landing” and now serves as associate head writer for “The Young and the Restless.” I was thrilled when she agreed to answer some of my questions about writing for three of my favorite TV series.

“Dallas” was one of the first shows you ever wrote for. How did you get the job? Howard Lakin and I worked together on “Falcon Crest.” He moved on to “Dallas” and when CBS told Len Katzman, the executive producer, they wanted a female writer on the show, Howard recommended me. Len read and liked a spec script I had written, a murder mystery that Patrick Duffy eventually optioned, which he planned to direct and star in, but alas, he moved on to “Step by Step” so it fell through. I met with Len, he liked me, and the rest as they say….

Bobby and J.R. in “Cry Me a River of Oil,” Seidman’s first “Dallas” episode

History, indeed! What was it like to work on “Dallas” as it was nearing the end of its run? Was it a struggle to come up with new things for the characters to do?

At the time, we didn’t know the show was nearing the end of its run. We were hoping the show would be picked up for another year but knowing there was a possibility it would not be, the mood was wistful, bittersweet. While I remember days when we struggled to come up with story, I don’t think it was any more difficult than any other show I’d been on before or after — except for the final, two-hour show. Now that was a struggle. Len really wanted to go out with a bang and I remember long, frustrating story meetings where we were really trying to find that great hook.

Oh, wow. Do you remember the other ideas for the series finale that you considered but discarded? And what did you think of the final product?

Unfortunately, I don’t remember the other ideas, although I remember exactly where I was sitting in Len’s office as we plotted out the “It’s a Wonderful Life”-themed finale: on his sofa, which is a strange thing to remember as I usually sat in the chair next to him while Howard sat on the sofa and [producer] Ken Horton was in the armchair across from Len and me. As far as the final product: At the time, I thought it was a terrific idea, but in retrospect I see the flaws. J.R. learns that people led happier lives without him so he was going to kill himself in despair and Bobby had to save his life. It was an anti-J.R. story.

Cliff in “The Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire,” Seidman’s final “Dallas”

Did you have a favorite character to write for?

Cliff Barnes. What a kick! The character would do or say anything. He had no filters. I loved it. I loved him. I also loved writing the female characters: Cally, April, Michelle, Lucy. Sadly, Linda Gray left the season before I came on so I never got to write Sue Ellen. I was always sorry about that.

Are there any scenes or episodes that you are particularly proud of?

The scene between J.R. and Lee Ann De La Vega in “Designing Women.” First, I got to write for Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden, who had both been in “I Dream of Jeannie,” a show I loved as a kid. What a thrill! Second, Lee Ann is confronting J.R. about their shared past, and I remember how much I loved her getting back at J.R. for how he screwed up her life. I watched them shoot the scene and it was exciting to see how they both got into it.

Lee Ann and J.R. in “Designing Women”

That scene contains one of my favorite J.R. quotes. I love when he tells Lee Ann and Michelle, “You two belong together, hatching your silly little plots in your silly little heads.” I’ve been quoting that line for 22 years!

Funny you should bring that up. I have all drafts of the script in front of me. In the writer’s draft, J.R. said, “Hatching your puny little plots in that empty brain of yours.” In the first draft it became, “Hatching your puny little plots in that empty head of yours” — suggested to me by Len — where it remains in the final draft, so Larry Hagman obviously changed it on set to the line you love.

After “Dallas,” you wrote for “Knots Landing.” How were those experiences similar? How were they different?

Writing for “Knots” and “Dallas” were similar in that both shows had strong writer-producers — Ann Marcus and Len Katzman, respectively — who respected their writers and never micro-managed us. What you saw on air was the writer’s work, not a rewrite by either Ann or Len. They were different in that Len preferred to be in charge of the production of each script while Ann let each writer attend casting, tone meetings, production meetings. If the actors had concerns about their story on “Dallas” they went to Len. If the “Knots” actors had concerns they went straight to the particular writer of the script. On both shows, stories were created and laid out with all the writers in the room. While Len and Ann had the final say, they listened to all their writers’ contributions. Both were fantastic bosses!

Gary and Val in “Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac”

What are your memories of co-writing the “Knots Landing” reunion miniseries?

Where do I begin? Ann Marcus taught me so much about structure, high stakes, letting character drive story. We wrote the miniseries in her home office and I remember spending a lot of the time staring at her Emmy for “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” feeling incredibly lucky that I was getting to write with Ann, who is still a dear friend. Ann would come in with a lot of ideas and then we would discuss each one at length, discarding what didn’t work and developing in more detail what did.

Do you watch the new “Dallas”? What’s your opinion?

Fantastic. Fun. It’s great to see how the series successfully uses J.R., Bobby, Sue Ellen and Cliff with the young ’uns. It’s a kick.

You’ve written a lot for daytime television too. How is that different from writing for prime-time television?

Daytime TV is much harder to write than anybody thinks. You’re writing a detailed outline or a script every week while in prime time you’re writing one script a month or even less, depending on how many writers are on staff. You have two days to write an 11-page outline on daytime, whereas in primetime you have a week or a week and a half to write your script. In daytime you have many more characters to deal with — at least 10 to 15 — and you have to know all their voices, their stories. You have to know their histories from before you went on the show — and those histories are much more complicated than prime time back story because these characters have been on the air anywhere from 10 to 40 years!

In daytime, is it hard to balance giving fans what they want and trying to pursue your own artistic vision?

Yes, absolutely, because the reality is you can’t really give the fans what they want, which is happy couples. Once a couple is happy, they’re boring. So the writers have to keep creating complications for characters that keep couples apart while at the same time keeping fans wanting to watch every day, rooting for them to get together.

You’re currently writing for “The Young and the Restless.” If J.R. Ewing had ever faced off against Victor Newman in business, who do you think would win?

Ha! Good question. Neither of them would ever have a total win. J.R. might defeat Victor in some aspect of business but then Victor would pick himself up, dust himself off and go after J.R. with a vengeance. Neither would be down for long. The battle would go on forever!

Share your comments below and read more interviews from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Interviews, News Tagged With: Ann Marcus, Barbara Eden, Cry Me a River of Oil, Decline and Fall of the Ewing Empire, Desgining Women, Howard Lakin, Ken Horton, Knots Landing, Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, Larry Hagman, Leonard Katzman, Linda Gray, Lisa Seidman, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Dallas Decoder’s Classic Critiques Resume Next Week

May 23, 2013 by Chris Baker 8 Comments

Bobby Ewing, Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Pam Ewing, Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal

Stay tuned

Now that TNT’s “Dallas” has completed its second season, I’m ready to get back to writing about the classic series. I plan to post a critique and “Dallas Scene of the Day” transcript each Monday and Wednesday, beginning next week.

I’ll pick up with the sixth season, the year that gave us Jock’s will, the contest for Ewing Oil, Holly Harwood, the Trotters, cut-rate gas, Cuba, Walt Driscoll, the McLeish brothers and of course, the Tundra Torque. (If you don’t know what any of this means, what better time to start reading Dallas Decoder?)

I also hope to continue offering interviews, the “Drill Bits” news column and other features, including special content for social media. By the way: If you haven’t liked Dallas Decoder’s Facebook page or followed the Twitter.com feed, please consider doing so.

If you have ideas or other feedback for Dallas Decoder, share them in the comments section below or send me an e-mail me at dallasdecoder-at-gmail.com. I always appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks for reading, and have a great summer!

Filed Under: Announcements, News

Drill Bits: Will ‘Dallas’ Get a New Dance Partner?

May 16, 2013 by Chris Baker Leave a Comment

Dallas, J.R. Ewing, Larry Hagman, Last Hurrah, Linda Gray, Sue Ellen Ewing, TNT

Ready to dance again?

Now that TNT has cancelled “Monday Mornings,” we wonder: Will “Dallas” be paired with another show next season?

TNT says “Dallas” will return for its third season in “early 2014,” but the show’s time slot hasn’t been announced. The cable channel’s roster next year also includes two new dramas: “Legends,” a spy series from “Homeland” producer Howard Gordon, and “The Last Ship,” a post-apocalyptic saga from director Michael Bay. The new shows will each produce 10 episodes.

TNT also has several unscripted shows on tap, including two that will roll out early next year: “Life Flight,” which follows air-ambulance crews, and “Nashville Confidential,” a behind-the-scenes look at the country music business. The latter might be the best potential match with “Dallas,” although TNT has ordered only eight episodes of “Nashville Confidential,” while “Dallas” has a 15-hour order.

During “Dallas’s” first season last summer, TNT encouraged viewers to go online after each episode to watch the 15-minute chat show “Dallas Roundup.” This year, TNT paired “Dallas” with the hospital drama “Monday Mornings,” which held onto about half of the 2.7 million viewers that “Dallas” averaged.

TNT has more shows in its pipeline. During yesterday’s “upfronts” in New York, where television executives pitch their shows to advertisers, TNT announced plans for a Steven Spielberg-produced revival of the 1960s private eye series “Peter Gunn” and “A Bend in the Road,” a mystery show based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Neither show will be ready anytime soon.

Also on the horizon: “Crushed,” which TNT describes as a prime-time soap opera about rivalries in the wine industry.

Prime-time soap? Rivalries? Wine? Sounds like an ideal show to follow “Dallas.”

Stream ‘Dallas’ Live

Fire up your Microsoft Surface: Next year, you’ll be able to stream “Dallas” live.

TNT and its sister TBS will become the first major channels to stream their on-air content, allowing subscribers to watch them live on any mobile device. The streaming will begin with TNT’s summer lineup, which will include “Major Crimes” and “Rizzoli & Isles.”

More Soaps Coming

Speaking of the upfronts: It looks like ABC will do its part to keep alive the prime-time soap opera genre. The network has renewed “Nashville,” “Scandal” and “Revenge,” which will be paired on Sunday nights with a new serialized drama, “Betrayal.” Meanwhile, PBS confirmed it will begin the fourth year of “Downton Abbey” in January 2014 – right around the time “Dallas” is expected to return for Season 3.

Support Your Local Sheriff!

If you missed my interview with Akai Draco, who plays Sheriff Derrick on the new “Dallas,” I hope you’ll check it out. Also, be sure to read the profile of Draco published last month in his hometown newspaper, the Upper Marlboro Gazette.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Akai Draco, TNT

The Dallas Decoder Interview: Akai Draco

May 15, 2013 by Chris Baker 11 Comments

Akai Draco

“Dallas” fans love Sheriff Derrick, the loyal Ewing friend who is forever getting the family out of trouble. I spoke recently to Texas-based actor and screenwriter Akai Draco about his role as the show’s top cop.

Sheriff Derrick has the hardest job on TV: trying to make the Ewings obey the law. Is that how you see it?

Yeah, a little bit. The nice thing is Derrick is a friend of the Ewing family, so they can call on him when they need help. He does what he can to make sure the Ewings get past the bad guys who get in their way. Sometimes he gets yelled at, but hey, it’s all in a day’s work.

Draco in “No Good Deed”

We don’t know a lot about Derrick. What do you think he does when he isn’t rescuing the Ewings?

That’s a good question. When I got the role, I didn’t know a lot about him other than he’s a friend of the Ewings – a friend of Bobby’s, specifically. So I sort of invented my own backstory. To me, he’s just one of those good guys who plays it pretty straight and narrow, except when it comes to Bobby and the rest of the Ewing clan. He’ll do them a favor here and there. Derrick seems like a nice guy, but you never know. He could have his own aspirations. I don’t think it’s an evil agenda or anything like that, but maybe we’ll find out he has aspirations beyond being sheriff. We’ll see. I’ll leave that to the writers and producers.

I definitely want to see more of Derrick in Season 3, but I hope we never find out he’s up to something nefarious!

I hope not too! The bad guys on this show tend not to last very long, especially when they get in the way of the Ewing clan. So hopefully Derrick will stay on the good side of the law.

Did you watch “Dallas” growing up?

I did. I didn’t watch every episode, but coming up in the late ’70s and early ’80s, “Dallas” was one of the big things on TV – especially when the “Who Shot J.R.?” thing came around. So you couldn’t help but get into it. It’s kind of funny to think back to those days and realize that I’m now part of the reincarnation of the show. It’s such a pleasure and a privilege to be part of something that great actors like Larry Hagman have been part of.

What’s it like to work on the show?

This is the fifth show I’ve worked on and it’s by far the most fun I’ve had as an actor. Everyone – the cast, the crew – they’re a joy to work with. They’re all very selfless, hardworking folks. Everyone involved with the show has kind of become like a family. So I’m really excited to be a part of it.

Can you talk a little bit about how much work goes into the show? How long does it take to film a typical scene?

It really depends on the scene. A lot of different factors go into it: the location, the lighting, the camera angles. I’ve done scenes that have taken as little as 30 minutes versus scenes that have lasted a day or two.

Oh, wow. Which scene was that?

There were a couple. In one of the latter episodes from Season 2, they had me looking out for some of [Harris Ryland’s] trucks. The entire thing was shot over a couple days. You can’t always tell how long these things are going to take to shoot. Sometimes unforeseen things happen, but this show is put together by really great directors and writers and producers. It’s a really well-run show.

What goes in between takes? Do you get to spend time with the rest of the cast?

Depending on what’s going on – if it’s just a matter of moving lighting and cameras and that sort of thing – we’ll sit around and chit-chat. We’ll get on the phone and text or whatever. If there’s a long break and they’re changing locations, we might go off on our own. But usually between takes we’re kind of sitting around and shooting the breeze.

Draco and Duffy in “A Call to Arms”

So tell me: Is Patrick Duffy as cool in real life as he is on the show?

He is very cool. He’s extremely down to earth. He’s a veteran. He’s been around the business a long time so he doesn’t let stuff get to him. Everyone on the show is great to work with. They’re all really nice people.

You also work in the tech sector, so acting is kind of a part-time thing for you. Is it something you’d like to do regularly?

I don’t know if I’d call it part-time. It’s one of those things that I do as much as I can. Some days, it’s full-time. Other days, it’s part-time. It’s such an unpredictable business in general. Because I’m one of the supporting characters on the show, I don’t really have a set schedule for when I’m going to be shooting. I usually find that out maybe a week in advance. But whenever I book [an acting job], I drop everything I’m doing and I’m all in. I would love to be able to be a writer and actor full-time. That’s my goal eventually. I would love to start with “Dallas” and commit more time to Sheriff Derrick and anything else that comes after that.

And “Akai Draco” is your stage name. How’d you come up with it?

When I first started acting, I knew I wanted a name that stood out. So I decided I was going to pick something that had some meaning to me. “Akai” is the Japanese word for red, which is my favorite color. And I picked a Japanese name because when I was a kid, I got into martial arts, which went on to become a big influence in my life. And “Draco” is Latin for dragon. I’ve always been a fan of dragons and I wanted a Latin name because my wife is Latina and my wife and kids are the other big influence in my life.

What do your kids think when they see you on TV?

My son’s in high school so he’s a little subdued but I can tell he likes me being on TV. He tells his friends about it. My daughter is 13 and she’s perhaps my biggest fan. Anytime she knows I’m going to be on TV, she tells her friends. She’s on Instagram. She posts pictures and stuff. All of her teachers, her friends know that Daddy is Sheriff Derrick. The other day we were in the mall at a restaurant and one of the girls behind the counter said, “Hey, are you on ‘Dallas’?” And my daughter was giggling. She loved it. We walked away and my daughter was like, “That is so cool!”

Plus, it’s got to be fun to have a dad who’s a sheriff.

Exactly. Historically, I play a lot of cops, so anytime she sees a show with a lot of police officers, she says, “Dad, you could be a better cop than him!” I’m happy being Sheriff Derrick right now. If they’d give Sheriff Derrick more screen time, I’d be even happier.

Speaking of sheriffs: Have you met Barry Corbin, who played Sheriff Washburn on the original “Dallas”?

I know of him. I’ve not met him. He recently sent me a note on Facebook, which I thought was pretty cool.

And in the small world department, it turns out you and I both grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

My father is retired military, so when I was born we lived on Bolling Air Force base in Washington, D.C., and later Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. We moved a couple of other places in between, but eventually settled in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. But for the most part I grew up in Prince George’s County. My parents are still there and my brother still lives in the area. I try to get home a couple of times a year.

Well let me say this: I’m no actor, but if ever Sheriff Derrick needs a deputy, your homeboy back here in D.C. will gladly volunteer for the part.

[Laughs] I’ll let them know.

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Filed Under: Interviews, News Tagged With: Akai Draco, Barry Corbin, Call to Arms, Larry Hagman, No Good Deed, Patrick Duffy, TNT

The Dallas Decoder Interview: Kevin Page

May 6, 2013 by Chris Baker 13 Comments

Kevin Page

Kevin Page has charmed “Dallas” fans with his portrayal of Bum, the loyal private eye who helped J.R. execute his master plan. (Spoiler alert: This included executing J.R. himself.) I recently spoke to Page about his role on the show – and his place in TV history.

How does it feel to be the last guy who’ll ever shoot J.R.?

Well, I was honored when that script came through. It was also sort of an emotional experience because we had just finished working with Larry [Hagman], and all these issues of mortality and death were kind of fresh. So I was a little shocked. I suppose as an actor, I was also kind of pleased.

I can understand that. You’re the answer to a trivia question now.

Yes, I’ve been ribbed by a number of my friends. I’ve now become a “Jeopardy!” topic.

How did you find out Bum was going to be the triggerman?

About eight weeks before we finished the season, a director pulled me aside and said, “Do you know what’s going on with your character?” And I said, “Well, no, not really.” And in order to accomplish something that was necessary in the scene we were about to shoot, he had to tell me. He took me into my little trailer and we closed the door and he gave me about a two-line indication of what was to come.

What was your reaction? Were you shocked?

Yes, but I also had to go out and shoot a scene where I’m walking in the cold and talking on a cell phone. So I was, frankly, a little distracted. At that exact moment, I was trying to think of other things.

That’s the thing about Bum: You’re always on the phone!

[Laughs]

How do those scenes work? Does the director give you the other character’s lines and you have to react to them?

Usually you have the first assistant director who holds a copy of the script off-camera and he’ll read the other party’s lines. And you just say your lines and try not to overlap. You don’t want to be talking while they’re talking. You have to kind of concentrate as an actor because you want to make that sense of communication real.

Is it harder to do a scene like that as opposed to one where you’re face to face with another actor?

I don’t know if there’s a “harder” or “easier.” Every day as an actor is another set of challenges, problems or puzzles. And what you want to do is solve those puzzles as best you can. You want to make sure you know your lines and you can hit your marks and get the job done so the crew can go home!

Page and Larry Hagman

So talk to me about working with Larry Hagman.

It was sort of like working with – this kind of sounds corny – TV royalty. I’ve read your website so I know I’m not adding anything new here, but Larry just had such an energy about him, that even in his 80s, he was just a stunning presence. He could light up a room. It was very difficult to describe, but the really big stars have some kind of quality similar to that. I guess you probably call it charisma. Larry had a lot of that. You could feel that firepower every time you spent time with him.

As a viewer, I can see that. You could feel it in his presence as well?

Oh, it was palpable. Absolutely. And he was a master actor. He was constantly cracking jokes and keeping everybody on their toes. He’d just zing you and crack up everybody. Often at your expense. I mean, the guy was a true genius comedian.

I’ve heard that one of his last scenes was the one in the courthouse men’s room during Ann’s trial.

That was the last scene he ever shot.

And you were there for that.

Absolutely.

When you think about that now, what’s it like to know you were part of Larry’s last scene?

I didn’t really know that was the case until several weeks later at the memorial. I walk in and some of the camera crew is telling me, “You shot the very last scene that Larry ever had.” … So really, honestly, I was sort of floored. It kind of gave me the chills.

It seems like there was more to that scene than what we saw. In the finished product, I don’t think you had any lines.

That happens a lot. The show is 42-and-a-half-minutes long. That’s pretty much a hard number. So I think everybody in the cast has given up pieces of scenes before. That’s just what you have to have if you want to have a rocking show that moves forward like a freight train, which is what I think we have.

Are you a fan of the show?

You know, I’ve been dying for somebody to ask me this question because I’ve thought about this a lot. I think the cast are the first fans. Because each and every one of us gets these scripts, and we’re reading them, and we’re laughing and crying and howling just like everybody else does when they watch the show at home. The cast is watching them on the TVs in our minds. I read a script and I wonder how Patrick [Duffy] is going to do that, or I wonder what Brenda [Strong] is going to do with that line. And then we get a chance to watch it when it airs. And we’re loving it and wanting to find out what happens next just like everybody else.

I want to ask you about two scenes that I loved as a fan, beginning with the one where Sue Ellen asks Bum to track down Lee Majors’ character. I think that’s the first time we saw you work with Linda Gray.

The only thing I can say about Linda Gray is that she’s just a fantastically charming and gracious woman of the cinema. She’s beyond words.

And you know, there was quite a bit of chemistry between Bum and Sue Ellen in that scene.

Are you trying to lead me somewhere, Chris? Because you know they don’t tell me nothing! I’m not going to follow you there, but you go ahead. [Laughs]

I have no inside information!

Neither do I! [Laughs]

But I thought, ‘Gosh, these two have something going here!’

Well, we absolutely have something going. Linda Gray is one of my very favorite actresses of all time and somebody I just adore working with. I hope that comes out when we share a screen together because she’s just fabulous.

Yeah, she is. Let me ask you about the big scene where it’s revealed that Bum is the “Who Killed J.R.?” triggerman. What was it like to film that?

That actually makes me recant my earlier comment about there are never any hard days as an actor because everybody on the set that day was particularly pumped up to try to make that real. Not only was it a scene that was important to the character that we all loved as “first fans,” but also it was our final salute to Larry. So we were really wound up and I spent probably eight hours that day weeping.

Oh, wow. Well, you’re fantastic in that scene.

Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I was proud of that.

And Patrick was great too.

Oh, Patrick was just off the hook. He was like a man possessed. He was amazing. It was easy to cry because you’re listening to this guy and he’s just tearing your heart out.

So that took all day to film?

Oh yeah, we were probably there six or eight hours, I think. And the whole thing was very secret. None of the crew had really seen the script, so a lot of people were really shocked that it was coming out as we were going along. Usually the crew is a pretty jocular bunch. It’s one of the great Texas crews. They’ve all worked together on various things for 25, 30 years. And everybody knows each other. We’re all pretty close, I think. But on that day, everybody was putting their head down and making it happen. Boy, I think we got results.

You sure did. So will Bum be back next season?

They literally don’t tell me anything. But I say between you, me and my mom, I’m voting he does come back!

You know, I think Bum would fit in well with the TNT lineup. I think we need a Bum spinoff.

“The Bum Chronicles”! We’ve talked about it as a joke on the set.

Kevin Page with one of his creations: a re-imagined version of Georges Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”

Page with his interpretation of Georges Seurat’s “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”

Even if it doesn’t happen, you have a nice second career going as an artist. Tell me about that.

It’s a strange story. A couple of years ago, I was presented with this opportunity by a scientist who had a robotic platform for painting in pointillism, which is a style of painting with thousands of little tiny strokes of paint that look like dots. And I thought that was so fascinating both as a business and as an artistic thing because I’ve been a painter and sculptor for years. So I took that on and ended up being the only person in the world to own this robotic platform. I now control four patents on the technology software and to my knowledge, I’m the only painter in the entire world that’s painting in monumentally scaled pointillism. So I’ve got an art dealer and I’m selling paintings. It’s been this crazy, unique thing. So that’s what I do on my off-time. I like to say that for my day job, I’m a fine art painter.

Well, between playing Bum and painting, you’re quite the renaissance man.

Yeah, who would think? Bum, a renaissance man. I love it!

Share your comments below and read more interviews from Dallas Decoder.

Filed Under: Interviews, News Tagged With: Brenda Strong, Kevin Page, Larry Hagman, Lee Majors, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, TNT

Drill Bits: TNT Renews ‘Dallas’ for Season 3

May 1, 2013 by Chris Baker 12 Comments

Cliff Barnes, Dallas, Guilt by Association, Harris Ryland, Ken Kercheval, Mitch Pileggi, TNT

Back for more

Giddy up! “Dallas” will return early next year with 15 new episodes, TNT announced yesterday.

Fans have been anxious about the show’s future since last fall, when Larry Hagman died while filming the second season. When TNT began televising the episodes in January, ratings dipped amid tough competition from the broadcast networks.

Michael Wright, programming chief for TNT and its sister channels, acknowledged Hagman’s death in yesterday’s news release. “‘Dallas’ has many more stories left to tell, and the Ewing clan will continue to honor J.R.’s memory by keeping its audience surprised and delighted,” Wright said. He also praised the show’s “passionately loyal following” and its “expertly woven storylines, clever twists and turns, and numerous outstanding performances.”

Indeed, “Dallas” hit its creative stride in the second season, which was shown on Monday nights opposite hits like NBC’s “The Voice” and ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” “Dallas” averaged 2.7 million viewers, although the audience climbed to 3.8 million when DVR users who record the show and watch it within seven days are counted. The weekly haul includes 1.6 million adults between ages 25 and 54, a demographic that TNT targets, and 1.4 million between 18 and 49, another crucial group in TV ad sales.

“Dallas’s” first season averaged 4.5 million viewers on Wednesday nights last summer, when the broadcasters are in rerun mode. The first-season audience soared to 6.1 million viewers with DVR playback.

Even with softer numbers in the winter and spring, “Dallas” is TNT’s most-watched series so far this year. By bringing the show back in early 2014, the cable channel seems to be continuing its strategy to become more competitive year-round, building on the success it enjoys with its summertime lineup of popular police dramas like “Major Crimes” and “Rizzoli & Isles.”

Economics were also likely a factor in “Dallas’s” renewal. The series is filmed in Texas, and as the Dallas Morning News pointed out yesterday, the real-life Dallas City Hall helps cover production costs. The cast and crew are expected to begin shooting the third season in early fall, the Morning News reported.

In recent interviews, “Dallas” executive producer Cynthia Cidre has dropped hints about the show’s third-season storylines, including the possibility that John Ross might build his own home on Southfork and that Ann’s brother might be introduced. Yesterday’s news release mentions the show’s 10 regular cast members, a signal they’ll all return for Season 3. Also mentioned: Ken Kercheval, whose character Cliff was jailed in the season finale.

Season 3 Wish List

What do you want to see during “Dallas’s” third season? Let’s discuss your wish list during Dallas Decoder’s next Twitter chat this Monday, May 6, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Drill Bits, News Tagged With: Cynthia Cidre, Ken Kercheval, Larry Hagman, Michael Wright, TNT

Drill Bits: DVR Users Give the ‘Dallas’ Finale a Big Boost

April 24, 2013 by Chris Baker 29 Comments

Dallas, John Ross Ewing, Josh Henderson, Julie Gonzalo, Legacies, Pamela Rebecca Barnes, TNT

Flying high

DVR users have been boosting “Dallas’s” ratings all year – and they didn’t disappoint last week.

“Guilt by Association” and “Legacies,” the last two episodes of “Dallas’s” second season, averaged 2.9 million viewers when TNT telecast them back-to-back on April 15. During the next three days, DVR users boosted the combined average for the two episodes to 3.8 million viewers, a 26 percent increase from the previous week.

“Legacies,” which resolved the “Who Killed J.R.?” mystery, performed especially well. When DVR users are included, the episode hit season highs in two important categories: It drew 1.9 million viewers between the ages of 25 and 54, an audience that TNT targets, and 1.5 million adults between 18 and 49, another crucial demographic.

TNT hasn’t announced if it will renew “Dallas” for a third season. Perhaps the cable channel will announce the show’s renewal at its May 15 “upfront,” when executives from TNT and sister station TBS will pitch their programming to advertisers?

Say Uncle

Who is Joaquin, the Mexican mystery man that Elena (Jordana Brewster) visited at the end of “Legacies”? Elena’s Twitter feed offers a clue. Here’s what she tweeted yesterday: “Can’t wait to introduce you all to my uncle Joaquin. He’s quite a character. And a potentially powerful ally.”

Meanwhile, is Ann (Brenda Strong) ready to get out of the Southfork kitchen? Here’s one of her character’s tweets: “I’ve been thinking about venturing away from the ranch, maybe get involved in some Dallas charities or politics. Sue Ellen inspired me.”

Let’s Play ‘Dallas’

When I was a kid, I used to play “Dallas” with my “Star Wars” action figures. Han Solo made a pretty good J.R., while the Bespin-gowned version of Princess Leia was glamorous enough to be Sue Ellen. Now it seems “Dallas” fans like me will be able to collect the real thing: Figures Toy Company has announced plans for a line of classic “Dallas” action figures, beginning with two versions of J.R. – “oil tycoon” and “Who Shot J.R.?”

No word on when the figures will become available. The company encourages fans to “like” its Facebook page for updates. Hopefully we’ll eventually get a Sue Ellen figure – complete with a flask and pearl-handed pistol.

And while we’re on the subject of “Dallas” merchandise: J.R.-branded bourbon will go on sale this fall. Plan accordingly.

“Drill Bits,” a roundup of news about TNT’s “Dallas,” is published regularly. Share your comments below.