Who killed J R is not longer the question. Larry Hagman is actually really dead. He was 81 was died overnight in Dallas after spending Thanksgiving with family and friends. He was working on the TV show that came back last year. He died of complications of his recent bout with cancer.
Dallas was one of the longest running TV shows in history. It made a come back last year, much to the delight of people like me. J. R. was just as conniving and morally bankrupt as ever. The original show ran on CBS network from April 1978 to May 1991. The recent back to life Dallas was seen on TNT. Many original characters at least put in cameo appearances when the show started back up. Notably absent was Bobby’s wife, Pamela Ewing, daughter of Digger Barnes.
Hagman was the son of Mary Martin, of Broadway’s Peter Pan fame. Mary Martin flew through the theater on wires. No one minded that Peter was a girl.
Did you watch the original Dallas? How about the reruns? I thoroughly enjoyed it coming back years later although probably not as much as the original.
From dallasnews.com:
In his memoir, Hello Darlin’, Mr. Hagman said, “Ronald Reagan was campaigning against Jimmy Carter, American hostages were being held in Iran, Polish shipyard workers were on strike, and all anyone wanted to know was, who shot J.R.?”
The world was filled with J.R. T-shirts, coffee mugs and bumper stickers.
“Everyone was making a windfall from J.R. except me,” he said.
He threatened to leave the show if his contract were not renegotiated.
I remember the J. R. frenzy and Hagman was right. It was the question of the day. Who shot J. R. ?
Warner brothers released the following, describing Larry Hagman:
“…a giant, a larger-than-life personality whose iconic performance as J.R. Ewing will endure as one of the most indelible in entertainment history. He truly loved portraying this globally recognized character, and he leaves a legacy of entertainment, generosity and grace.”
Loved I Dream of Jeanie too, who didn’t want to be a Barbara Eden genie!
Yup. Wiggle that nose.
Jeanie crossed her arms and blinked. Samantha wrinkled her nose. You must be too young…
I think too old. My memory is going. You are right, of course.
God speed, Major Nelson.
I’m ancient. My first thought was, “Mary Martin’s son is dead.” Actors are first, human, and as much as their work is captured for posterity, they are, to those who loved them, real people.