Southfork opened, its doors and problems 10 years ago by TOM GREEN Gannett News Service
HoLLYWOOD-Still nasty after all these years. Hard to believe, darlin,but "Dallas" the TV show that defined the four basic food groups of the primetime soap (greed, lust, vanity and power), is 10 years old. "I knew when I got shot that we were going to be the hottest thing ever,"says Larry Hagman who made J.R. Ewing the meanest two timer in the history of avarice and. as a result, just about the world's most beloved TV character. A total of 200 million viewers a year worldwide have tuned in since "Dallas' " made its debut as a five-part miniseries April 2,1978 on CBS. They've watched a full decade in delicious horror as the filthy rich Ewings learned absolutely nothing of human value. J.R. still thinks fidelity is when you li but don't steal. But the fans love it.
"Dallas" created an appetite for trysting and swindling that spawned rivals "Dynasty" and "Falcon Crest." "Knots Landing," in fact, is a "Dallas" spinoff. The Who Shot JR? cliffhanger episode in 1980 - it was Mary Crosby as Kristin -snared a 77 share of the audience. Only the "M-A-S-H" farewell show topped if. Three times, the series has been the season's highest rated. But the current season has brought some gloom to the set of TV's first primetime soap. The show slipped barely out of the top 10 last season (finishing 11th) and is struggling to hold the No. 23 primetime spot this season. CBS is dragging its feet on renewal, and the feeling is strong that the show is too costly, especially since lucrative repeats and Syndication airings are " ratings duds. But cancellation is not expected.
Dallas still is beleaguered CBS' fourth highest-rated show (after "60 Minutes," "Murder. She Wrote" and "Newhart"). It will be back, but probably in a revamped form that shrinks the ' cast to save money and gives each episode a beginning and end. But a little uncertainty has not dulled an appreciation of 10 years of accomplishments. "I have the sweetest memories of the miniseries." says Victoria Principal, who played Pam Ewing until exiting the show last season. "Those are still my five favorite shows." "Dallas" began, really, as Pam's story. "We used to call it 'Pammy Knows Best." " says executive producer Leonard Katzman. "Then we began to feel that the show wouldn't have a long life that way, the story of a wife who solves everyone's problems." The miniseries was not a huge hit, hut CBS picked it up for the fall. The character of J.R. clicked instantly.
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