Willard "Digger" Barnes

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Willard "Digger" Barnes was a character in the popular American television series Dallas, played by David Wayne (1978) and also played by Keenan Wynn (1979-1980). Digger Barnes was the father of Cliff Barnes and Pamela Barnes Ewing.

Digger's rival was Jock Ewing, who he had previously been business partners with, but then Jock supposedly cheated Digger out of a fortune and his true love, Ellie Southworth.

Digger's former wife, Rebecca (Cliff and Pam's mother), had left town when they were young children. Digger raised Cliff and Pam with their Aunt Maggie's help. It was later revealed that Digger was not Pam's biological father, Hutch McKinney had had an affair with Rebecca, an angry Digger revealed on his death bed that Hutch was Pam's Father and that when he found out he murdered Hutch and buried the body on Southfork. He revealed this on his death bed as Jock looked set to be done for murder, Digger had used Jock's gun. Due to his long love for Ellie Ewing, Digger admitted to the murder and died seconds later.

A legendary prospector but erratic personality, it was implied in Dallas: The Early Years that Digger could smell oil underground.

Digger was an alcoholic who died from alcohol poisoning in 1980. Jock claimed that he never cheated Digger out of a fortune but had signed over oil in his name as Digger would have drunk any profit. The war never ended and continued through the years with Digger's son Cliff and Jock's son J.R.