Cliff Barnes
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Clifford "Cliff" Barnes, played by Ken Kercheval, was a character on the hit American television series Dallas. The Barnes family were competitors and sometimes enemies of the Ewing family. Cliff's father, "Digger" Barnes, was the former partner and sworn enemy of Jock Ewing (J.R.'s and Bobby's father). Cliff's mother was Rebecca Wentworth. Evil J.R. Ewing (played by Larry Hagman) was Cliff's personal nemesis.
Cliff's sister, Pamela (played by Victoria Principal), married Bobby Ewing (played by Patrick Duffy), J.R.'s younger brother.
Cliff had a romantic relationship with J.R.'s wife, Sue Ellen (played by Linda Gray), once during the second season of Dallas, and then again during the fifth season.
During the fifth season, Cliff proposed marriage to the recently divorced Sue Ellen, however she turned him down and eventually remarried J.R. again.
Cliff did find happiness again with aspiring singer Afton Cooper (played by Audrey Landers), the sister of Lucy Ewing's husband Mitch Cooper.
During the beginning of Dallas, Cliff worked for the state of Texas, building an impressive recorded reputation as investigator of corruption within the independent oil companies. It was no coincidence that these investigations often cited or targeted Ewing Oil. Cliff’s career took an upward swing when he was appointed Chief of the Office of Land Management, the enormously powerful state agency that coordinated and approved all ventures that affected the surface and geological texture of Texas land, including oil drilling permits.
In the course of the fourth season, Cliff’s mother, Rebecca Wentworth (played by Priscilla Pointer) made a dramatic reentry into his life. After much debating, Cliff forgave her for her desertion. It also delighted Cliff that his mother was an important lady who was wealthy and powerful in her own right. Rebecca eventually offered him the presidency of Wentworth Tool & Die, a small subsidiary of Wentworth Industries, which made parts for oil rigs. Cliff happily accepted and did extraordinarily well for a time. Eventually Cliff asked for, and received, complete autonomy at Wentworth Tool & Die.
Soon after, Rebecca bought out Wade Oil and renamed it Barnes-Wentworth Oil. Rebecca asked Cliff to run it for her and he accepted.
Rebecca unexpectedly died and Cliff inherited Barnes-Wentworth Oil, lock, stock, and barrel, and a third of Wentworth Industries.
Cliff married Jamie Ewing in 1985 but the union was unhappy. The marriage was headed for divorce when Jamie died in an accident in 1987.
