On Dallas, J.R. and Sue Ellen Ewing shared one of television’s most famously complicated marriages. Their glamorous Texas life came with betrayal, power struggles, and plenty of tension, but according to Linda Gray, some of their supposedly romantic moments felt far less glamorous behind the scenes.
According to Fox News, Gray recently looked back on working with Larry Hagman and revealed that the actor had an unusual way of coping with kissing scenes. The Larry Hagman Dallas dynamic may have looked convincing on camera, but Gray says Hagman sometimes turned those moments into practical jokes involving peanut butter, onions, and whatever else he could find.
Larry Hagman Turned Kissing Scenes Into Practical Jokes
Gray recalled one early kissing scene in which Hagman surprised her with a mouthful of peanut butter. She had no choice but to keep acting while the cameras rolled, even as Hagman laughed through the prank. What viewers saw as a dramatic moment between J.R. and Sue Ellen felt very different to the actors filming it.
The peanut butter was only the beginning. Gray said Hagman later used onions and other strong-smelling foods before kissing scenes. She explained that Hagman had admitted he disliked filming romantic moments, and she came to believe that the jokes helped him deal with the discomfort. The Larry Hagman Dallas chemistry may have looked polished on television, but the reality behind those scenes was often pure mischief.
The Dallas Set Was Famous for Its Pranks
Hagman’s joking did not stop with kissing scenes. Gray remembered the Dallas set as a place where practical jokes happened constantly, with cast members never quite knowing who would become the next target. Hagman, however, usually led the charge. That playful atmosphere helped create strong bonds among the cast, even while their characters dealt with some of the most dramatic storylines on television. Gray’s Sue Ellen became one of the show’s most memorable characters, while Hagman’s J.R. Ewing became one of the most famous villains in TV history. Together, they helped turn Dallas into a prime-time phenomenon.
Gray still looks back warmly on those years, even as her stories reveal how different things felt off-camera. For fans who remember the Larry Hagman Dallas era as polished and dramatic, her memories add a funny behind-the-scenes twist. Sometimes the tension was scripted; other times, it came down to what Hagman had eaten before the next take.