It’s been over four decades since audiences were introduced to the world of Dallas, a cutthroat environment that followed the ambitions of the Ewing family, most notorious being J.R. A powerhouse of a cast brought this drama-filled family to life, and although the story unfolded in Texas, California recently played host to a surprise reunion among the Dallas cast members.
Made primarily of an ensemble cast, Dallas stars Barbara Bel Geddes, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, and many more. In a move that would please the Ewings, Dallas built a monopoly on cliffhangers, essentially defining and mastering the narrative technique, and it gave audiences an easy and long-lasting way of following familiar characters. 45 years later, it’s still celebrated and this reunion has fans as excited as ever.
The cast of ‘Dallas’ reunites for its 45th anniversary
The Stars of 'Dallas' Reunite 45 Years After the Show's Debut — See the Photos! (Exclusive) pic.twitter.com/tbuZb8i4e4
— People (@people) June 14, 2023
Dallas first premiered in 1978 and 45 years later, much of the cast reunited in Palm Springs, California on Tuesday for the special occasion. Those in attendance included Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray, Joan Van Ark, Sheree Wilson, Cathy Podewell, Charlene Tilton, and Audrey Landers. They were also joined by director Michael Preece.
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There, the former colleagues converged at Oscar’s, where they were also set to participate in a panel on Tuesday night. People participated in an exclusive photoshoot and interview, giving the cast and crew a chance to reflect on the legacy of what they helped create.
The cast reflects on the Ewing legacy
“Dallas was so influential,” Gray, 82, mused. “I think the fans really loved to relate to the stories that were bigger than life. I think that they were definitely bigger than life so they could live vicariously through those characters.” Gray also believes the show filled a niche, inhabiting a hole in everyone’s hearts. Specifically, she feels “that Dallas was like daytime soaps that were very popular and Dallas came into play and it was gigantic and it filled that same need that people love to have a recurring story, suspense and something to look forward to.”
Duffy, who turned 74 this spring, believes Dallas wrote the book for all similar shows after it. “I really thought about it with Succession,” he explained. “The way Dallas was written, its standard writing template for shows that run any period of time from a few episodes onto years. But yeah, it all started with us.” Tilton recognized the advent Dallas granted for characters audiences loved to hate, who were flawed but could be rooted for, asserting, “it all started with us.”
When the dust settled over the land of Southfork, Dallas had four Emmy Awards to its name and, with 357 episodes, it is still among the longest-lasting full-hour prime-time dramas in U.S. television history, beaten only by Gunsmoke, two iterations of Law & Order, Bonanza, and Grey’s Anatomy.
It’s hard to believe it’s been 45 years. In celebration, catch up with the rest of the cast in the video below!