Christopher Atkins Recalls Linda Gray’s ‘Dallas’ Prank That Left His Lips Numb

In the early 1980s, Christopher Atkins made a name for himself on Dallas as Peter Richards, the younger lover to Linda Gray’s Sue Ellen Ewing. Their sizzling on-screen chemistry captivated audiences, stirring plenty of buzz about the relationship. Sue Ellen, trapped in a tumultuous marriage to oil tycoon J.R. Ewing, was caught in a steamy affair with the much younger Peter.

Atkins, who was only 22 at the time, and Gray, 43, were even featured on the cover of US Magazine, with the headline “Robbing the Cradle.” Despite the attention and the scandal, one particular moment on set with Gray stands out for Atkins.

Christopher Atkins’ lips went numb after kissing Linda Gray

Atkins vividly remembers the first time he filmed a kiss with Gray on Dallas. It was a pivotal scene set on a dock near a lake, and, after the cameras rolled, the two actors had their moment. As they pulled apart, Gray, always ready with her sense of humor, casually asked Atkins what he thought of the kiss.

Not sure how to respond, Atkins simply agreed it was good. Then, without warning, he felt his lips suddenly go numb. At first, he had no idea what was happening. It was only later that he learned Gray had applied numbing gel, typically used by dentists to numb gums, to her lips as a prank.

All the cast of ‘Dallas’ were pranksters on set

It wasn’t just Gray who liked to keep things lighthearted. Atkins described the Dallas cast as a group of notorious pranksters. Everyone on set, from the main stars to the crew, loved playing jokes on each other, and no one was immune to their antics. Atkins mentioned he was once given a note from the network advising him to stop “stuffing” his Speedo, a lighthearted jab at his on-screen appearance.

Atkins joked that it was probably a prank from his co-stars, especially Larry Hagman. The pranks didn’t stop there; cast members frequently played tricks on each other, like the time Patrick Duffy tricked a fellow actor by placing a wooden leg prop between their legs just before filming an intimate scene.