Dallas (1978 TV series) season 1

Dallas (season 1)

Dallas: The Complete First & Second Seasons DVD cover art
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 5
Broadcast
Original channel CBS
Original run April 2, 1978 – April 30, 1978
Home video release

DVD release

Region 1 August 24, 2004
Region 2 November 1, 2004
Region 4 October 22, 2004

The first season of the television series Dallas was a mini-series consisting of five episodes that aired on Sundays, beginning in April 1978. Though initially meant to stand alone, the mini-series led to thirteen full seasons.[1]

Production

The miniseries was shot over six weeks during the winter of 1977, on location in Dallas, with Cloyce Box Ranch serving as the first 'South Fork Ranch' exterior, and a Swiss Avenue building used for the interior stage sets.[2]

Cast

Starring

In alphabetical order:

Also starring

Special guest star

Notable guest stars

The most notable among the first season's recurring guest stars was Tina Louise as J.R's secretary/mistress Julie Grey, Donna Bullock as the first of four characters to portray Bobby's original secretary Connie Brasher, and Jo McDonnell as Ray's girlfriend Maureen.

Major non-recurring guest stars included: Jeffrey Byron as Lucy's schoolmate, Roger Hurley, and Paul Tulley as their teacher Mr. Miller (episode 2); Norman Alden as Ewing family friend and US Senator William "Wild Bill" Orloff (episode 3); Brian Dennehy and Cooper Huckabee as Luther Frick and Peyton Allen, who held the Ewing women hostage after J.R. and Ray slept with their wife and girlfriend (episode 4); and James Canning as Cliff's and Pam's cousin Jimmy Monahan, who was recast with Philip Levien for the season 2 premiere, and then never seen again (episode 5).

Crew

Series creator David Jacobs wrote the first and final episodes of the season and served as the executive script consultant (i.e. showrunner). He remained as the creative consultant until mid-way through the second season, when he left his day-to-day involvement with Dallas to create, and later serve as showrunner on spinoff series Knots Landing. The three other episodes were written by Virginia Aldridge, which was her only involvement with the show, Arthur Bernard Lewis, who remained on the show until the end and wrote the teleplay for the two reunion movies; and Camille Marchetta, who left during season four.

Lee Rich and Philip Capice served as executive producers. Rich stayed on the show until the season three finale, and Capicel left his duties at the end of the ninth season. Future showrunner Leonard Katzman's involvement with the first season was limited to being the producer, and Cliff Fenneman—who served as producer for the final three seasons of the show—was the associate producer. The directing duties of the season were shared by Robert Day and Irving J. Moore.

DVD release

The first and second seasons were released by Warner Bros. Home Video on a Region 1 DVD box set on August 24, 2004. It includes five double-sided DVDs. Alongside the 29 episodes of the first two seasons, it also features a Soap Talk Dallas reunion featurette, and three commentary tracks by actors Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, and series creator David Jacobs.[3]

Episodes

Dallas season 1 episodes
No. in
series		 No. in
season		 Title Directed by Written by U.S. original air date UK original air date
11"Digger's Daughter"Robert DayDavid JacobsApril 2, 1978September 5, 1978
The first episode of Dallas begins on a cold, winter day as Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal), married for less than 24 hours, drive to Southfork. Highlighting the longtime rivalry between the Ewings and the Barnes', Pam's now-famous line "Your folks are gonna throw me right off that ranch" infuriated both Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) and Jock (Jim Davis). Meanwhile, Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval) tries to hurt the Ewings on TV as legal counsel to a government investigation. Also, Miss Ellie's and Jock's oldest son J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) attempts to divorce Bobby and Pam, by recruiting her former flame, the Ewings' ranch foreman Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly).
22"The Lesson"Irving J. MooreVirginia AldrigeApril 9, 1978September 12, 1978
Pam attempts to win acceptance at Southfork by intervening in Lucy's life when she discovers she has been skipping school and having an affair with ranch foreman Ray Krebbs.
33"Spy in the House"Robert DayArthur Bernard LewisApril 16, 1978September 19, 1978
All along, J.R. has suspected that Pam's marriage to Bobby was nothing more than a Barnes family attempt to plant a mole inside the Ewing lair. Now he may have the proof.
44"Winds of Vengeance"Irving J. MooreCamille MarchettaApril 23, 1978
A hurricane threatens Southfork, but an even bigger storm is about to hit when Miss Ellie, Pam, Sue Ellen and Lucy become the captives of men who are more than a little ticked off over J.R. and Ray's affairs with the women in their lives.
55"Barbecue"Robert DayDavid JacobsApril 30, 1978September 26, 1978
Hostility is the main course at the Ewing barbecue as Jock and Digger jab at old wounds, but Pam and Bobby use Pam's pregnancy as a truce between the prospective grandfathers. Tensions run high as J.R. and Bobby argue, which leads to an accident nobody expected. As a result, Pam's health as well as the future of the Ewing dynasty are in question.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/dallas
  2. ↑ Ultimate Dallas staff (July 15, 2008). "A season-by-season look at 'Dallas'". Dallas Critic. Ultimate Dallas. p. 1. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  3. ↑ Lambert, David (May 10, 2004). "'Dallas' DVD news: Video Business reports DVD date and content". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved December 7, 2013.

External links