Serena and J.R. (Stephanie Blackmore, Larry Hagman) complete another scheme in this 1982 publicity shot from “Where There’s a Will,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode.
Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘Where There’s a Way, There’s a Will’
May 29, 2013 by 1 Comment
Cash and carry
In “Where There’s a Will,” a sixth-season “Dallas” episode, John (Robin Strand) is dressing in the Ewing condo while Serena (Stephanie Blackmore) lounges in bed.
SERENA: You’re not leaving already?
JOHN: Gotta get home.
SERENA: Don’t be silly. It’s still early.
JOHN: It’s nearly 10.
SERENA: Aren’t you enjoying yourself?
JOHN: [Sits on bed] Are you kidding? Your husband must have been a fool to divorce you.
SERENA: He’s a lot older. We just weren’t compatible. Not like us. [Kisses him]
J.R. (Larry Hagman) enters.
J.R.: Oh, excuse me. [Noticing John] John Baxter?
JOHN: Mr. Ewing, what are you doing here?
J.R.: Well, this is a Ewing condo. Serena was just staying here.
SERENA: I’m sorry, J.R. I thought I’d be gone by now.
J.R.: Good Lord, what is Harv Smithfield going to say when he hears his brand-new son-in-law is in bed with another woman.
JOHN: Mr. Ewing, you wouldn’t say anything to him, would you?
J.R.: Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m a firm believer in the sanctity of marriage — and I’m damned disappointed in you, John.
JOHN: Yes, sir. I can imagine that you are. But you wouldn’t say anything to Mr. Smithfield, would you?
J.R.: Well, I’m going to give it some thought. I’ll call you tomorrow. I’m sure we can work something out. In the meantime, you might get out of here and go back to your little bride.
JOHN: Yes, sir. [Scoops up his clothes, rushes away]
SERENA: [Smiling] I hope that was what you wanted, J.R.
J.R. [Sits on the bed, reaches into his pocket, pulls out an envelope and hands it to her] That’s exactly what I wanted, my dear. And like my daddy used to say, “Where there’s a way, there’s a will.’”
Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 105 — ‘Where There’s a Will’
May 29, 2013 by 12 Comments
Let us prey
Larry Hagman has no scenes with his main co-stars in “Where There’s a Will,” but this is still a terrific hour of “Dallas.” The fun comes from watching J.R. scheme to sneak a peek at Jock’s will before the document is unsealed for the rest of the family. Usually when J.R. hatches a plot like this, it takes a few episodes to execute it. Here, J.R. puts his plan in motion in the first scene and completes his mission right before the closing credits roll. The efficient storytelling reminds me of “Dallas’s” earliest episodes, before the show became serialized.
J.R. has two foils in “Where There’s a Will.” The first is Harv Smithfield, the Ewings’ ethical consigliere, who refuses J.R.’s demands to see Jock’s will. In one of George O. Petrie’s many great scenes during his long run on “Dallas,” Harv removes his pince-nez spectacles, looks his bull-headed client in the eye and tells him: “I was your daddy’s attorney before you were born, J.R. My allegiance is to his memory. I will follow his instructions to the letter. No one will see that will until such time as it is read to the entire family.”
J.R. pretends to respect Harv’s decision (“I admire your loyalty to my daddy. Believe me. I’ll never mention that will again.”), but the glint in Hagman’s eye lets us know J.R. isn’t going to give up that easily. Enter Foil No. 2: John Baxter, Harv’s new son-in-law and the latest addition to the Smithfield & Bennett law firm. After Harv turns J.R. down, we see J.R. call John and invite him to lunch at 1 o’clock. Seconds later, J.R. places a call to someone else — we don’t see who it is — and instructs the person on the other line to meet him at the same restaurant at 1:05. “You know what to wear,” J.R. says.
Once we see J.R.’s favorite call girl Serena show up at the restaurant and pretend to be an old Ewing family friend, we have a pretty good idea of what J.R.’s up to. Sure enough, J.R. is conveniently called away from the restaurant, leaving John and Serena alone. The next time we see them, they’re at the Ewing condo, where J.R. walks in on them in bed together. Leonard Katzman, who wrote and directed “Where There’s a Will,” gives this scene enough humor to amuse the audience without letting things devolve into slapstick. “I’m a firm believer in the sanctity of marriage — and I’m damned disappointed in you,” J.R. says before the shirtless John scoops up his clothes and dashes out of the room.
In the final act, J.R. summons John to the restaurant where this scheme began. (These scenes appear to have been filmed in a real-life white-tablecloth eatery with impressive views of downtown Dallas.) J.R. tells John he’ll keep his fling with Serena secret — if John shows him Jock’s will. Guest star Robin Strand is terrific in this scene. The boyishly handsome, fair-haired actor loosens his necktie as his character begins to feel the weight of J.R.’s pressure. When John tells J.R. that showing him the will would be “betraying a trust,” Hagman licks his lips and waits a beat before delivering J.R.’s next line: “Now, what do you call cheating on your wife? Or more to the point, what would Harv call that?”
Other highlights of “Where There’s a Will” include the scene where Ray tells Donna he’s decided to send money to his Aunt Lil, who is caring for his ill “father” Amos. Steve Kanaly does a nice job conveying Ray’s conflicted feelings, but I also love what Susan Howard does with Donna’s line, “You’re not going to call her and talk to her?” If another actress delivered this dialogue, it might make Donna seem like a nag, but Howard never makes her character seem like anything less than a wise, caring spouse. Patrick Duffy also does a nice job in the scene where Bobby politely brushes off Carl Daggett, the harmlessly sleazy chap looking to drum up business for his escort service.
This episode’s other highlight is the final sequence, when John brings Jock’s will to the darkened Ewing Oil office after hours so J.R. can finally see it. We don’t discover what the document says in this scene, but after we see J.R. smile, cast his eyes upwards and thank Jock, we know whatever’s in the will makes our hero happy. And by golly, hasn’t he earned it?
Grade: A
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The good wife
‘WHERE THERE’S A WILL’
Season 6, Episode 2
Airdate: October 8, 1982
Audience: 19.2 million homes, ranking 3rd in the weekly ratings
Writer and Director: Leonard Katzman
Synopsis: J.R. blackmails Harv’s son-in-law into showing him Jock’s will before the document is unsealed for the rest of the family. Lucy tells Pam she’s pregnant and that she’s decided to have an abortion. Sue Ellen visits the Southern Cross. Marilee offers Cliff a job. Ray learns Amos has fallen ill in Kansas.
Cast: Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Stephanie Blackmore (Serena), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Alice Hirson (Mavis Anderson), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Joseph Miller (bartender), Charles Napier (Carl Daggett), George O. Petrie (Harv Smithfield), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Robin Strand (John Baxter), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis), Aarika Wells (Millie Laverne), Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson)
“Where There’s a Will” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.
The Art of Knots Landing: ‘Daniel’
May 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
J.R. and Abby (Larry Hagman, Donna Mills) have a meeting of the minds in this 1982 publicity shot from “Daniel,” a fourth-season “Knots Landing” episode.
Knots Landing Scene of the Day: ‘The Crown Stays in Dallas’
May 28, 2013 by 1 Comment
The king’s speech
In “Daniel,” a fourth-season “Knots Landing” episode, Abby and J.R. (Donna Mills, Larry Hagman) are in his hotel room, where she gives him the missing chapters of Val’s book.
ABBY: As promised, chapters 2, 5, 6, 11 and 18. [Places each chapter on a table]
J.R.: [Pouring two glasses of champagne] Good, good.
ABBY: Now, the will?
J.R.: You don’t think I brought a copy with me, do you?
ABBY: Well, I guess I can wait until tomorrow.
J.R.: Honey, you’re going to have to wait until it’s read. I don’t even have a copy.
ABBY: [Angry] Wait a minute!
J.R.: [Reassuring] I know what’s in the will — generally speaking. And generally is all you need to know, isn’t it? [Abby sighs.] Gary’s coming into money. Big money. Valene’s got nothing to do with it. Now, feel better? [Hands her a glass of champagne]
ABBY: [Giggling] Oh, yes. [They clink glasses and each take a sip.] Yes, indeed.
J.R.: Oh, my poor little baby brother. You’re just going to eat him alive, aren’t you?
ABBY: [Sits on the sofa] What makes you think I want to do a thing like that?
J.R.: Well, drink’s not the only thing he can’t handle.
ABBY: He handles me very nicely, thank you.
J.R.: [Chuckles] That’s not what I’m talking about. You know, when Gary was 16, he somehow got it into his head that he wanted a motorcycle. And our family spoiled us boys rotten. But on this issue, my daddy put his foot down. He says, “You want a motorcycle? You’re going to have to earn it.” And by God, he did. Before dawn, up every day, mucking out the stables and pitching hay. Working on the rigs in the blazing sun. He just never missed one single day. Come September, my daddy took him down to the showroom. Gave him a slap on the back and a blank check. And of course, Gary had read all the brochures and motorcycle magazines. He knew exactly what he wanted. And he signed the check and revved that old motorcycle up. He drove straight through that plate-glass window. [Chuckles] I tell you.
ABBY: Some people take longer to grow up.
J.R.: Well, that’s true. [Sits next to her] And then of course some people never grow up at all. Are you really going to marry him?
ABBY: I love him.
J.R.: You mean that? Hmm? [He tries to kiss her. She resists.] Well if you do mean it, keep him out of my showroom.
ABBY: Your showroom?
J.R.: Keep him out of Dallas.
ABBY: What makes you think that I want to be in Dallas?
J.R.: You’re not Valene. When they were together, he wouldn’t come within spitting distance of me. But you’re different. You want to be queen of the Ewings.
ABBY: [Smiles] No. I’ll settle for princess.
J.R.: All right, you’ve got it. You get the ermine and the jewels. But the crown stays in Dallas. Because the crown is mine.
ABBY: If I do keep Gary out of Dallas, what do I get in return?
J.R.: [Strokes her hair, grins] My blessing.
Critique: ‘Knots Landing’ Episode 55 — ‘Daniel’
May 28, 2013 by 11 Comments
Surprise
J.R. Ewing is sitting across from Abby Cunningham in his hotel room, where he’s invited her to join him for a seafood lunch. Of course, J.R. wants more from Abby than her company. She promised to sneak him a copy of Val’s soon-to-be-published novel about the Ewings, but Abby sent only a handful of chapters. When J.R. tells her he wants to see the whole manuscript, Abby says she can arrange it — if J.R. lets her know what Gary’s going to inherit in Jock’s will. J.R. tries to charm his way out of giving up this information, but Abby won’t hear it. She fixes a steely gaze upon J.R., picks up a crab leg and — crunch! — cracks it in two. Our hero has met his match.
This is one of several terrific scenes in the “Knots Landing” episode “Daniel,” although my favorite moment comes later, when Abby returns to J.R.’s hotel room with the missing chapters from Val’s book. J.R. keeps up his end of the bargain too, telling her that Gary will soon come into “big money” courtesy of Jock’s will. J.R. then launches into a story about how a teenaged Gary spent one summer working at Southfork to earn the motorcycle he desperately wanted. That September, Jock took him to the showroom, where Gary picked out his bike, revved it up — and drove it through the dealership’s plate-glass window. The purpose of J.R.’s tale: He wants Abby to keep Gary out of his showroom. “Your showroom?” she asks. “Keep him out of Dallas,” J.R. responds.
The metaphor isn’t all that elegant, but no matter. I love watching Larry Hagman in this scene. He delivers every word of J.R.’s speech with a downhome, folksy charm. In J.R. speak, the word “motorcycle” becomes “motor-sickle.” Next to the parable about the blind horse that J.R. shares with John Ross during an early episode of TNT’s “Dallas,” this might be Hagman’s most memorable monologue. It makes me wish he had taken this act to the stage. Imagine: a one-man show where Larry Hagman tells stories, in character as J.R., about growing up on Southfork. It could’ve been this generation’s “Mark Twain Tonight.”
Donna Mills doesn’t have much to do in this scene, but she holds her own against Hagman nonetheless. In J.R.’s previous visits to “Knots Landing,” when Abby was still a new character, the writers tried to elevate her to his level by having him fawn over her (J.R. to Abby in “A Family Matter,” a second-season “Knots Landing” episode: “You know, you are the most delicious conniver it’s been my pleasure to encounter.”). In “Daniel,” with Abby’s bona fides established, we see her and J.R. try to outmaneuver each other, which proves much more entertaining. I especially like when J.R. tells Abby she wants to be “queen” of the Ewing family. “No. I’ll settle for princess,” she purrs. J.R.’s response: “You’ve got it. You get the ermine and the jewels. But the crown stays in Dallas. Because the crown is mine.”
“Daniel” also includes a terrific scene where J.R. shows up unexpectedly on Val’s doorstep. Hagman and Joan Van Ark are always electric, especially when J.R. is pretending to be nice to Val. His “compliment” on her recent redecorating (“I just love what y’all have done with this room. It’s … it’s really you.”) is sublime. As an added bonus, this scene also features a brief encounter between J.R. and Lilimae, which reunited Hagman with Julie Harris, his co-star in the 1959 Broadway production of “The Warm Peninsula.” The best exchange, though, comes when J.R. is introduced to Val’s book editor Joe Cooper, played by Stephen Macht:
J.R.: Her editor? Oh, well it is true, then. You know, there’s been rumors flying all around Dallas about a book called “Corn Crude” or “Crude Porn” or “Corn Pone.”
Joe: “Capricorn Crude.”
J.R.: Yeah, that’s it!
“Daniel” was written by John Pleshette, the great actor who played Richard Avery on “Knots Landing.” Besides J.R.’s appearance, the episode is probably best remembered as the segment where Richard wrecks his car while driving pregnant wife Laura to the hospital, forcing him to deliver their child in the backseat. I watched it with my mom on the night it first aired, but the only thing I remembered were the credits rolling over a shot of Laura holding the child, whom she and Richard name “Daniel.” Seeing the episode again recently (it isn’t available on DVD, but you can find recordings online), I was gripped by the childbirth sequence. The baby isn’t breathing when he’s born, so Richard must force air into his lungs. It’s a touching performance and a reminder that on “Knots Landing,” even jerks like Richard can occasionally be heroes.
Grade: A
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Special delivery
‘DANIEL’
“Knots Landing” Season 4, Episode 2
Airdate: October 7, 1982
Audience: 14 million homes, ranking 28th in the weekly ratings
Writer: John Pleshette
Director: Joseph B. Wallenstein
Synopsis: J.R. visits Knots Landing and wishes Val success on her novel, then secretly buys the company that published the book. After J.R. tips Abby off to Gary’s inheritance, she sneaks him an advance copy of Val’s manuscript.
Cast: Tonya Crowe (Olivia Cunningham), Kevin Dobson (Mack MacKenzie), Hank Garrett (Frank), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Julie Harris (Lilimae Clements), Lisa Hartman (Ciji Dunne), James Houghton (Kenny Ward), Robert Jayne (Brian Cunningham), Kim Lankford (Ginger Ward), Michele Lee (Karen Fairgate), Claudia Lonow (Diana Fairgate), Stephen Macht (Joe Cooper), Constance McCashin (Laura Avery), Richard McMurray (Glen Needham), Donna Mills (Abby Cunningham), Harry Northrup (Wayne Harkness), Pat Petersen (Michael Fairgate), John Pleshette (Richard Avery), Danny Ponce (Jason Avery), Marcia Solomon (Masha), Ted Shackelford (Gary Ewing), Joan Van Ark (Valene Ewing), Lesley Woods (Martha Needham)
Share your comments about “Daniel” below.
Dallas Scene of the Day: ‘To J.R. Ewing, Back in Power Again’
May 27, 2013 by 5 Comments
Silent partner
In “Changing of the Guard,” “Dallas’s” sixth-season opener, Holly and J.R. (Lois Chiles, Larry Hagman) sit at a table inside a darkened cocktail lounge.
HOLLY: Well, what do you say? Do we have a deal?
J.R.: [Leans forward] Well, it’s a very tempting offer. Especially coming from such a lovely young lady.
HOLLY: It’s a dynamite offer. And you know it. [Smiles, squeezes a lime into her drink] You’re out of Ewing Oil. And I don’t know a damn thing about running an oil company.
J.R.: You’re very bright. [Sips his drink]
HOLLY: I’m bright enough to know what I don’t know. [Smiles, stirs her drink]
J.R.: All right, I’ll accept your offer. I’ll run Harwood Oil for you — on one condition: that I stay completely in the background. Nobody’s to know of my involvement.
HOLLY: Forever?
J.R.: Till I say so. You continue to act as president and I’ll give you all the moves. I don’t want an office, and I certainly don’t want to meet in your office.
HOLLY: Whatever you say. What about money? Or do you have somebody to take care of that for you?
J.R.: [Chuckles] Well, Holly, I think as you get to know me a little better, you’ll find that I take care of just about everything. I don’t want any money up front. But I do want 25 percent ownership of Harwood Oil.
HOLLY: [Smiling] Twenty-five percent? You don’t come cheap, do you J.R.?
J.R.: You wouldn’t want me if I did, would you? Look at it this way, Holly: With me, you have 75 percent of a profitable business. And without me, you just might have 100 percent of nothing.
HOLLY: [Long silence] All right. [Looks down, then back at him] Deal.
J.R.: [Smiles] That calls for a toast.
HOLLY: To Harwood Oil. Someday it may be bigger and stronger than Ewing Oil.
J.R.: [Hesitates, smiles, drinks] You know, it just occurred to me: I’ve only been out of work 48 hours.
HOLLY: [Smiles] To J.R. Ewing, back in power again.
J.R.: [Clinks her glass with his] As it should be.
Critique: ‘Dallas’ Episode 104 — ‘Changing of the Guard’
May 27, 2013 by 19 Comments
He’s back
“Dallas” shakes things up in its sixth-season opener, “Changing of the Guard.” Miss Ellie ousts J.R. as president of Ewing Oil and installs Bobby in his place, the company’s executive suite gets a much-needed makeover and Sue Ellen suddenly begins sporting shorter hair. This episode also introduces an intriguing newcomer: Holly Harwood, played by Lois Chiles, whose debut is the highlight of this episode.
We meet Holly when she drops by the Cattleman’s Club, where Bobby is celebrating his new job along with Jordan Lee and Marilee Stone. Jordan introduces Bobby to Holly and explains she recently inherited her company, Harwood Oil, from her late father. After she departs, Bobby observes how Holly is “mighty young” to run an oil company. “I give it maybe a year or two alive with her in charge,” Jordan responds. You have to wonder: Would these two be having this conversation if Holly were a young man?
Of course, Holly seems destined to get the last laugh. Chiles makes her second appearance in “Changing of the Guard’s” final scene, which takes place in another darkened cocktail lounge. We see Holly at a table, seated across from someone who is off-camera. “What do you say? Do we have a deal?” she asks. The other person leans into the shot. It’s J.R. “Well, it’s a very tempting offer. Especially coming from such a lovely young lady,” he says. As the conversation continues, we learn Holly wants J.R. to help her run Harwood Oil. He agrees to take the job — in exchange for a 25 percent ownership stake in the company. “You don’t come cheap, do you J.R.?” Holly purrs. His response: “You wouldn’t want me if I did, would you?”
This dialogue is delicious, but I also like how director Michael Preece reveals Holly and J.R. are in cahoots by waiting a beat to bring him into the frame. It reminds me of the kind of surprises we get on TNT’s “Dallas” revival. Coincidentally, “Changing of the Guard” is the title of the new show’s first episode, which ends with the revelation that J.R. is secretly plotting with another young beauty, Marta del Sol. Both sequences also feature J.R. and the schemer toasting their underhanded alliance, and both end with Larry Hagman flashing his famous grin. (Another parallel between the new and old “Dallas”: Seeing Afton slink around Cliff’s hospital bedside in this episode presages her behavior in “Guilt and Innocence,” a recent edition of the TNT series.)
I also like how the 1982 “Changing of the Guard” doesn’t leave J.R. down after Ellie kicks him out of Ewing Oil. In this episode’s most dramatic shot, Preece shows us the top of the Ewing Oil building at night, then sweeps down to reveal a forlorn-looking J.R. gazing at it from the street. I always appreciate seeing J.R.’s vulnerable side in moments like this, but more than anything I want to see him riding high, which is why I’m glad this episode wastes no time getting him back in the saddle.
“Changing of the Guard” also resolves two of the plots left dangling at the end of the previous season. Cliff recovers from his coma after his suicide attempt — no surprise there — while Lucy learns she is indeed pregnant with Roger’s baby, which does feel like an unexpected twist. In addition, this episode offers two notable casting milestones: Danone Simpson (now known as Danone Camden) makes her first appearance as Kendall, the receptionist at Ewing Oil, while Roseanna Christiansen assumes the role of Teresa, the Southfork maid played by multiple extras during the show’s first five years. William Bassett also makes his third and final appearance as Cliff’s physician Dr. Hollister, a role Bassett originated in 1979.
Finally, a word about Sue Ellen’s new hairdo: When the fifth-season finale “Goodbye, Cliff Barnes” ended, Sue Ellen had long, luscious locks. “Changing of the Guard” picks up moments later, yet suddenly her hair is shorter and styled much differently. She has what might now be called a mullet, although I can remember how chic everyone thought Linda Gray looked in 1982. In a newspaper interview later that year, Gray joked about the continuity error, suggesting Sue Ellen was so distraught over Cliff’s coma, she ducked out of the hospital for a quick makeover. It’s hard for me to imagine that look ever coming back into vogue again, but what do I know? I never expected to see the return of the three-piece suit, which has become one of Josh Henderson’s signatures on the new “Dallas.” Might one of his leading ladies someday sport a Sue Ellen-style mullet?
Never say never, darlin’.
Grade: B
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Snipped
‘CHANGING OF THE GUARD’
Season 6, Episode 1
Airdate: October 1, 1982
Audience: 18.7 million homes, ranking 5th in the weekly ratings
Writer: Arthur Bernard Lewis
Director: Michael Preece
Synopsis: Cliff emerges from his coma, but Sue Ellen isn’t sure she wants to marry J.R. When the Ewings vote to oust J.R. as president of Ewing Oil, he agrees to become a silent partner to Holly Harwood, who recently inherited her father’s oil company. Lucy learns she’s pregnant.
Cast: Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing), William H. Bassett (Dr. Hollister), Barbara Bel Geddes (Miss Ellie Ewing), Lois Chiles (Holly Harwood), Roseanna Christiansen (Teresa), Karlene Crockett (Muriel), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Eric Farlow (Christopher Ewing), Fern Fitzgerald (Marilee Stone), Phyllis Flax (Mrs. Chambers), Linda Gray (Sue Ellen Ewing), Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), Susan Howard (Donna Krebbs), Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs), Howard Keel (Clayton Farlow), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Priscilla Pointer (Rebecca Wentworth), Victoria Principal (Pam Ewing), Debbie Rennard (Sly), Danone Simpson (Kendall), Don Starr (Jordan Lee), Charlene Tilton (Lucy Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis)
“Changing of the Guard” is available on DVD and at Amazon.com and iTunes. Watch the episode and share your comments below.
The Dallas Decoder Interview: Akai Draco
May 15, 2013 by 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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Tonight on #DallasChat: ‘Heroes and Villains’
May 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The master
It’s time for another #DallasChat on Twitter.
On Monday, May 13, from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern time, I’ll tweet a question about TNT’s “Dallas” every few minutes. The theme: “Heroes and Villains.” Each question will be numbered and include the hashtag #DallasChat, so your responses should do the same. Here’s a sample exchange:
My Question: Q1. Who on #DallasTNT do you most love to hate? #DallasChat
Your Response: A1. Harris Ryland is so mean, but I can’t get enough of him! #DallasChat
Feel free to respond to what other people are saying and to start “side conversations” of your own.
Two tips:
• During the chat, enter the hashtag #DallasChat in Twitter’s search field. This will help you watch the search results so you can follow the conversation. Be sure to click on “All” to see all the related tweets.
• Don’t forget to include the hashtag #DallasChat in each tweet you send so others can see your contributions to the conversation.
I look forward to another fun discussion. See you tonight!
Dallas Decoder 