John Ross Ewing, Jr., more commonly known as
J. R. Ewing, played by
Larry HagmanLarry Martin Hagman is an American film and television actor, producer and director known for playing J.R. Ewing in the 1980s primetime television soap opera Dallas and Major Anthony "Tony" Nelson in the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early life and career:Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
, was a central, nefarious figure on the hit
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television series
DallasDallas 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...
(1978–1991). J. R. was a covetous, egocentric, and amoral oil baron, who was constantly plotting subterfuges to plunder his foes and their Texas-sized wallets.
The concept was a blend of
BonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
with a rich, western patriarch and his three dissimilar sons, and
Romeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
with two star-crossed lovers whose families are sworn enemies. The thrust of the series was initially the feuding families, with J. R. just a supporting character. However, his popularity grew and the producers acknowledged he became the "break-out character". Two highly rated 1980 episodes became pop culture zeniths. In "A House Divided" and "Who Done It?", the audience witnessed J. R. being shot by an unknown assailant. After the cliffhanger was broadcast in March, the audience had to wait until the October conclusion. The summer of 1980 was all abuzz with a new national obsession known as "Who shot J. R.?". Riding the crest of his newfound popularity, Larry Hagman threatened to leave the series unless his contractual demands were met. CBS leaked rumors of recasting, but the actor eventually prevailed.
J. R. Ewing is considered one of television's most popular characters.
In 1999
TV GuideTV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked him number 11 on its "50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time" list.
Wizard magazine ranked him the 69th Greatest Villain of all time.
Fictional character biography
J. R. Ewing is the eldest son of
Jock EwingJohn Ross Ewing, Sr., better known as Jock Ewing, is a character in the popular American television series Dallas, played by Jim Davis and Dale Midkiff in Dallas: The Early Years...
and
Miss Ellie EwingEleanor "Miss Ellie" Farlow , is a principal character in the popular American television series Dallas, the matriarch of the rambunctious Ewing family....
. He was born in September 1935 (according to
Dallas: The Early Years) on
SouthforkSouthfork Ranch is a conference and event center located near Plano, Texas; it contains the Ewing Mansion, which was the setting for the 1978 - 1991 television series Dallas. The ranch is located at 3700 Hogge Drive in Parker, Texas.-History:...
. J. R. has two younger brothers
GaryGarrison Arthur Ewing was a character in the CBS television series Knots Landing and Dallas. The character of Gary Ewing was played most notably by Ted Shackelford and briefly played by David Ackroyd .-Dallas:...
and Bobby and a half brother
Ray KrebbsRaymond "Ray" Krebbs, was a character in the popular American television series Dallas, played by Steve Kanaly . Ray Krebbs is the illegitimate son of Texas oil baron Jock Ewing and U.S. Army nurse Margaret Hunter....
from Jock's affair during World War II. An alcoholic, Gary and his wife Val were spun off into the prime time soap
Knots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
. Gary's daughter Lucy was whisked away to the ranch by J. R.
Knots Landing was created before
Dallas, but it was not bought by CBS until 1979.
J. R. accompanied his father Jock to Ewing Oil starting at the age of five and was groomed to be heir apparent, of the cut-throat, independent oil business. J. R. had no interest working on Southfork Ranch, which was mostly the domain of his mother
Miss EllieEleanor "Miss Ellie" Farlow , is a principal character in the popular American television series Dallas, the matriarch of the rambunctious Ewing family....
, and half-brother
Ray KrebbsRaymond "Ray" Krebbs, was a character in the popular American television series Dallas, played by Steve Kanaly . Ray Krebbs is the illegitimate son of Texas oil baron Jock Ewing and U.S. Army nurse Margaret Hunter....
, but J. R. did have a love to keep Southfork in the family. Middle son
GaryGarrison Arthur Ewing was a character in the CBS television series Knots Landing and Dallas. The character of Gary Ewing was played most notably by Ted Shackelford and briefly played by David Ackroyd .-Dallas:...
was mostly under the influence of his mother and embraced the Southworth tradition of ranching on Southfork and had no interest in Ewing Oil. He and wife Val fled Dallas for California suburbia, before the series premiered. J. R.'s youngest brother Bobby spent most of his time juggling between Southfork and Ewing Oil, and was Jock's favorite son. This made J. R. enormously determined to impress Jock. Despite his huge successes in the oil business J. R. was never able to overcome Jock's favoritism for Bobby. This caused a major rift between J. R. and Bobby that started in childhood and continued as they grew up.
J. R. had many extramarital affairs and a manic drive to maximize profits. J. R. was keen on women and mean on his arch nemesis
Cliff BarnesClifford "Cliff" Barnes, played by Ken Kercheval, was a character on the popular American television series Dallas. The Barnes family were competitors and sometimes enemies of the Ewing family. Cliff was the son of Willard "Digger" Barnes and Rebecca Barnes Wentworth. J.R. Ewing was Cliff's...
. The two characters were the only ones who remained with the series throughout all 14 seasons. Though ever the womanizer, J. R. had two wives during the show's run:
Sue EllenSue 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....
(played by
Linda GrayLinda Ann Gray is an American actress, best known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the television prime-time soap opera Dallas.-Career:Prior to acting, Gray began working as a model in the 1960s...
) and Cally (played by
Cathy PodewellCathy 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...
), and three sons.
James Richard BeaumontJames 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:...
was J. R.'s eldest son via an off screen affair with Vanessa Beaumont—brought to knowledge during season 11. His second and most favored son was
John Ross Ewing IIIJohn Ross Ewing III was a fictional character on the CBS television series Dallas. He was played by Tyler Banks from 1980-1983; and by actor Omri Katz from 1983 until 1991 and in the Dallas: J.R. Returns reunion TV movie in 1996. In the upcoming series continuation he will be played by actor Josh...
from first wife Sue Ellen, and his third son, Terrance Harper, was with his second wife Cally Harper. His relationship with John Ross was J. R.'s
Achilles heelAchilles Heel may refer to:* Achilles' heel, a metaphor for a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength* Achilles Heel , music by Pedro the Lion* Achilles Heel , off Antarctica...
, revealing a soft underbelly to his otherwise vile character.
As
Dallas drew to its 1991 finale, "Conundrum", J. R. was undone by a combination of his enemies and booze. Except for Bobby, he was left alone to battle his own conscience/demons (Ellie, Cally, Sue Ellen, John Ross, Lucy, & Ray, had all left). J. R. was set up by West Star Oil owner Carter McKay. Believing that West Star was available, J. R. sold his half of Ewing Oil to Cliff Barnes, only to discover a retaliatory plot was orchestrated by Mackay (whom J. R. previously framed for murder). J. R., having bought worthless West Star voting rights, soon lost both companies. Contemplating suicide, the character roamed the lonely Southfork with a bottle of bourbon and a loaded revolver. After an
It's a Wonderful LifeIt's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern....
–like fantasy, J. R. is shown what life would have been like had he never been born. The series ended with a single gunshot, and Bobby dashing into the room shouting, "Oh my God!". J. R.'s fate was not revealed.
J. R. initially drove a green 1979 280SE Mercedes-Benz with the license plate "EWING 3", later replaced by a 1981 Reseda-green Mercedes-Benz 350SEL until 1983 when his wife Sue Ellen wrecked the car at the end of the Southfork driveway. J. R. replaced it with a Mercedes-Benz W126 380SEL. J. R. also occasionally drove a
Cadillac AllantéThe Allanté was Cadillac's first venture into the ultra-luxury roadster market. The vehicle was sold from 1987 until 1993, with roughly 21,000 models built over its 7-year production run...
convertible from 1987–1991.
In a later reunion movie it was revealed that J. R. had shot a mirror and moved away to Europe for a few years. He returned and attempted to take back his empire, succeeding to an extent as he drove Cliff Barnes out of Ewing Oil, returning it to Bobby. J. R. was also elected president of West Star Oil, a feat he had spent almost fifteen years fighting to achieve.
Another reunion movie (in which
Ken KerchevalKen Kercheval is an American actor, best known for his role as Cliff Barnes on the television series Dallas....
was absent) saw J. R. try and fail to force a merger with Ewing Oil, but he did claim the consolation of conning $50,000,000 from Carter McKay.
J. R. will return in the 2012 revival of the series. The series will focus on J. R.'s son
John Ross Ewing IIIJohn Ross Ewing III was a fictional character on the CBS television series Dallas. He was played by Tyler Banks from 1980-1983; and by actor Omri Katz from 1983 until 1991 and in the Dallas: J.R. Returns reunion TV movie in 1996. In the upcoming series continuation he will be played by actor Josh...
and Bobby's adopted son Christopher Ewing.
Trivia
- J. R. Ewing was the only character who appeared in all 357 episodes of the series and one of two actors to have been on Dallas for its entire duration. Hagman, however, missed two episodes while renegotiating his contract. The character, recovering from a gunshot, had his face concealed until Hagman returned.
- The character of J. R. Ewing is based on Texas oilman Ray Lee Hunt
Ray Lee Hunt inherited most of father H.L. Hunt's Hunt Oil Co. along with his three sisters. In 1982, Forbes magazine estimated Ray Hunt's family's total net worth to be $200 million. Ray made a huge oil find in Yemen in 1984. It took two years for Hunt, partnering with other companies, to lay a...
.