Dallas Actors Why Wasn’t William Smithers (Jeremy Wendell) Included In The Opening Titles When Lesser Characters Dack Rambo (Jack Ewing) Was?

[Billy Wall]

Come to think of it, why weren’t John Beck (Mark Grason) or Mary Crosby (Kristin) never added to the opening credits? But Jack Ewing was? Not to pick on that particular actor/character, but come on. Lol

 

[Barbara Fan]

if they had stuck around for final season they would have made it! There was no one left to fill the 90 secs
Surprised the porcelan dog didnt get a 3 way split by then but then they decided to change dallas history and did away with the iconic 3 way split

In the early or best years ie 1-6 it was always main cast who made it - supporting cast didnt get a look in

 

[Richard Channing]

Come to think of it, why weren’t John Beck (Mark Grason) or Mary Crosby (Kristin) never added to the opening credits? But Jack Ewing was? Not to pick on that particular actor/character, but come on. Lol

I think when Jack Ewing came on the show they had high hopes for the character, seeing as he was supposed to be filling Bobby's shoes. But as his story lines weren't great and Bobby came back from the dead he became obsolete and never became an enduring central character like they had originally planned.

I agree that Mark and Kristin should have been in the credits and Katherine definitely should have too. Maybe Afton also.

Here's some fan made title cards from DallasDecoder.

 

[Rove]

I've always been curious how actors are chosen or are entitled to be added into the opening credits. I'm assuming it's at the discretion of the producer. I also agree the likes of Morgan Brittany should have been elevated to the opening credits such was her importance in Dallas at the time. Another one which comes to mind is Alexis Smith as Lady Jessica Montford. Though her role was brief offering her a head turning, "Special Guest Star" status in those opening titles has the potential to draw in additional eyeballs.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

few if any will agree, but I hold fast to my belief that the show would have held onto the #1 position at least 3 or 4 more years if they’d promoted the lovely Karlene Crockett as Muriel Gillis to the opening credits

(seen above sans spectacles with Lucy and an unidentified third Braddock High pal)

 

[Monzo]

For first 12 seasons they added only actors / characters with a future on the show. Kristen und Katherine were too bad to stay forever. John Beck was no Presley widdow to fill gossip pages, so there was no need to keep him around when Mark's liason with Pam ended.

Some people say producers already knew Dack Rambo was written out in season 10, but I don't think so because he's in the opening credits. I think firing him was kind of desperately move to stop ratings' decline, meaning getting rid of characters / actors with no real fanbase.

Starring in alphabetical order is also an issue of not including someone in the opening credits. Knots Landing had alphabetical order, too, but their opening credits had smaller pictures or no actor's faces at all, but in Dallas it was big. John Beck would have been ahead of Barbara Bel Geddes. Maybe the R brought Dack Rambo in the opening credits, because he was the last featured actor in it.

 

[Toni]

I think when Jack Ewing came on the show they had high hopes for the character, seeing as he was supposed to be filling Bobby's shoes. But as his story lines weren't great and Bobby came back from the dead he became obsolete and never became an enduring central character like they had originally planned.

I agree that Mark and Kristin should have been in the credits and Katherine definitely should have too. Maybe Afton also.

Here's some fan made title cards from DallasDecoder.

View attachment 24210

Lol da Winger Tramp!!!

 

[tommie]

I've always been curious how actors are chosen or are entitled to be added into the opening credits. I'm assuming it's at the discretion of the producer. I also agree the likes of Morgan Brittany should have been elevated to the opening credits such was her importance in Dallas at the time. Another one which comes to mind is Alexis Smith as Lady Jessica Montford. Though her role was brief offering her a head turning, "Special Guest Star" status in those opening titles has the potential to draw in additional eyeballs.

It has to do with the actors contract more than anything. The reason why people like John Beck, Morgan Brittany etc weren't in the opening credits were likely because they had recurring contract status.

 

[Grangehill1]

As I recall wasn’t it contractual re Dack Rambo? It was part of his negotiation to return for season 10’(dvd)

 

[Lotus Point Tundra Torque]

It has to do with the actors contract more than anything. The reason why people like John Beck, Morgan Brittany etc weren't in the opening credits were likely because they had recurring contract status.

Yes, from my understanding, this is correct. And it all had to do with money, money, money: Putting someone in the opening credits meant a big extra salary boost, so it's understandable that they wanted to be pretty conservative about who got that boost because once someone is in the opening credits, they can't really be demoted (when, really... Priscilla should have been her last couple seasons).

By the last two seasons, no one else was left, so they just threw everyone in the credits.

If this really was all fueled by money, it makes the Dynasty credits that much more intriguing, since they had NO problem throwing everyone and his brother in their credits!

 

[Willie Oleson]

Starring in alphabetical order is also an issue of not including someone in the opening credits

How frustrating!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Originally, the idea was to have only family in the opening credits.

And Smithers had already sued over billing issues on another show.

 

[Seaviewer]

Smithers had already sued over billing issues on another show.

Do tell?

 

[tommie]

Yes, from my understanding, this is correct. And it all had to do with money, money, money: Putting someone in the opening credits meant a big extra salary boost, so it's understandable that they wanted to be pretty conservative about who got that boost because once someone is in the opening credits, they can't really be demoted (when, really... Priscilla should have been her last couple seasons).

By the last two seasons, no one else was left, so they just threw everyone in the credits.

Putting someone on contract for the entire season also means that you'll pay them even if you don't end up using them - that's how Ana Alicia on Falcon Crest got paid for the entirety of season 8, despite being killed off two episodes in. As she's a smart cookie she ended up being paid extra for when they brought her back as another character by the end of the season since her contract only stated that she was contracted to play Melissa Agretti, not some other character.

Of course, by the last seasons of the four big soaps, they ended up technically contracting people for the entire season but only for a limited amount of episodes (ie Joan Collins only being contracted to do 13 episodes on Dynasty, everyone on Dallas bar Duffy and Hagman having limited episode appearances, etc). Having someone on a recurring contract means you'll only pay them episode by episode, which of course means if someone needs to be quickly written out it can be done with no extra cost. On the other hand the actors themselves are just free to leave which is risky if you're doing a long story arc (ie J. Eddie Peck jumping over from Dynasty to Dallas in the same season to play Tommy McKay instead of poor dead Roger Grimes).

 

[Alison Carr]

Dack Rambo was certainly a contract breaker to have him in the opening, that is a fact

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Putting someone on contract for the entire season also means that you'll pay them even if you don't end up using them - that's how Ana Alicia on Falcon Crest got paid for the entirety of season 8, despite being killed off two episodes in. As she's a smart cookie she ended up being paid extra for when they brought her back as another character by the end of the season since her contract only stated that she was contracted to play Melissa Agretti, not some other character.

Ana Alicia's clause was unusual. Even with a contract, if you don't appear, you don't necessarily get paid.

 

[tommie]

Ana Alicia's clause was unusual. Even with a contract, if you don't appear, you don't necessarily get paid.

Well, yes, you can be contracted like Joan Collins to appear in 13 episodes during a season. But usually people actually do get paid, though sometimes it might be a smaller fee than usual (as compensation for them essentially having to be on "stand-by" the entire year and not that free to make other commitments). I wouldn't say Ana Alicia's contract is that unusual, the difference is that she knew contract law and knew her rights, which a lot of actors simply don't. I think her pointing out that she was contracted only to play Melissa Agretti is proof of that - a lot of other actors probably would've thought they had no choice but to return to work.

Then there are things like get-out clauses that can be exercised etc. (Mariel Hemingway had one on Central Park West after 13 episodes which she used)

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Do tell?

I think it was regarding the nighttime soap THE SURVIVORS with Lana Turner.

 

[One Mighty Hobble]

I always assumed Leslie Ann Down must-have demanded to be in the opening credits for her season 13 stint, UNdeservingly so! I never liked her character and she is a mediocre actress IMO. That must have been a contract demand on her part as other characters had way more appearances and multiple seasons then she did, as discussed above. They even had to lengthen the theme song that season with that little melody repeat to accommodate.

 

[Monzo]

Lesley-Anne Down left Dallas so soon because she hated writing. Well, she didn't care how bad scripts were on Sunsest Beach and The Bold & The Beautiful.

I've always wondered if Barbara Stock's Liz got the storyline that originally was planned for Stephanie, if she had stayed, because I always thought Stephanie would end up with Cliff, so her past could come back like it happened to Liz.