Calpurnia "Cally" Harper Ewing, was a character that appeared in the later seasons of the popular American television series Dallas

Dallas (TV series)

Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...

, played by Cathy Podewell

Cathy Podewell

Cathy Podewell is an American actress. She played Cally Harper Ewing, the second wife of the character J.R. Ewing, on Dallas from 1988 to 1991.She appeared in the 1988 horror film Night of the Demons...

 (1988-1991). Cally was the second wife of the nefarious J.R. Ewing

J.R. Ewing

John Ross Ewing, Jr., more commonly known as J. R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was a central, nefarious figure on the hit CBS television series Dallas . J. R...

.

Biography

Cally, born in 1965, was a waitress at a hotel in Hayleyville, Arkansas, whom J.R. met while on a hunting trip with his brother Bobby and their sons. J.R. seduced Cally into bed, but when J.R. is discovered by her crazed brothers, he is arrested and convicted for rape. After Cally's brothers break J.R. out of prison, Cally lies that she is pregnant, so her brothers force J.R. into a shotgun wedding. J.R. eventually escapes from Hayleyville and returns to Dallas, but Cally shortly thereafter follows him with the intention of making their marriage work. To her dismay, she finds that J.R. wants nothing to do with her.

Seeking the help of J.R.'s first wife, Sue Ellen

Sue Ellen Ewing

Sue Ellen Ewing is a character on the popular American television series Dallas, played by Linda Gray from 1978 to 1989. Sue Ellen was the long-suffering two-time wife of the nefarious J. R. Ewing....

, Cally tricks J.R. into renewing their wedding vows when she claims she really is pregnant. After tying the knot, J.R. discovers her ruse, but decides to remain married to Cally — mainly because his son John Ross has become fond of his stepmother.

Cally Ewing develops an interest in painting and has a distinct primitive Grandma Moses style. Miss Ellie encourages her talent and Lucy has Cally display her paintings at her art gallery.

However, their rocky marriage is short-lived as J.R. soon returns to his philandering ways. By the time Cally divorces J.R., she really is pregnant with his child. However, in an attempt to escape from J.R., Cally lies that J.R.'s son James

James Richard Beaumont

James Richard Beaumont, was a character that appeared in the later seasons of the popular American television series Dallas, played by Sasha Mitchell from 1989 to 1991.-Biography:...

is the child's father and J.R. allows Cally to leave Dallas. Later, upon discovering the child's true paternity, J.R. decides to track Cally down and finds she has created a new life for herself in Florida with her new child and boyfriend. Realizing how happy Cally is, J.R. decides to leave her in peace.

Last appearance

In the very last episode of the actual series, J.R. dreams of what life would have been like without him. In the dream Cally is the victim of repeated spousal abuse from a very aggressive husband until she shoots him and is thus set to spend life in jail.