Priscilla - what Patrick said about Victoria

[Laurie!]

At least she didn´t pull a gun and made her Latin maid get her that cup of tea...

​

Hey, if someone mistreats my dog I might pull a gun on them too.

 

[Rove]

The show full of folk i didn't care a jot about

I think that was the issue with the continuation. The eyeballs were certainly there in that opening episode but the following week the audience vanished when they felt duped. I suspect most of those viewers were fans of the original and were happy to revisit where our favourite family was in 2012.

It certainly didn't live up to the promise I was hoping for. I can appreciate the difficulty the showrunner and producers of TNT Dallas were handed; ignore the reunion movies and continue from Conundrum. From my perspective it was doable but it was obvious the showrunner was told to ram in the next generation with special guest appearances from others.

Herein lies the issue with that scenario. You've alienated fans from the original and the newbies had no concept of the history of Dallas unless they watched the original series run and the reunion movies...as bad as they were...hence the failure of TNT Dallas...

...11 years ago.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

I’m not taking away PD’s role in making Dallas a success, but the key ingredient was always VP.

We saw this with season 9 without Bobby, it didn’t feel jarring without him, and we had gotten to the original planned outcome of what Dallas was supposed to come down to, Pam vs JR. The real yin and yang.

And yes season 10 was good as a final hurrah and a nod back to the early seasons but in season 11 without Pam it felt wrong, there is a huge void left behind and it’s never truly filled again, they tried with April but it flopped.

Losing the OG women was detrimental to the show, once Linda left in 1989 it was in a death spiral

 

[Top Jimmy]

I just finished reading Priscilla's new memoir, and she talks a little bit about "Dallas" and her early days on set. She said as her first day on set loomed closer, people began to warn her about the show and to watch out for Victoria in particular. Priscilla mentioned that she knew Victoria as a customer of hers from a boutique Priscilla co-owned in the 70s but did not know her well. Anyway, people supposedly told her to remind herself that it was really Victoria's show and Larry Hagman's. Also, that Victoria would probably not be accepting of her and she had to be very careful how she interacted with her. Priscilla then stated that she was very anxious and nervous, but when she finally started filming, she said she worried for nothing. She said Patrick was warm and supportive, and that "The whole cast was warm and welcoming, even Victoria!" Priscilla mentioned what a great group of people they were, and everyone was surprisingly down-to-earth, including Linda Gray, "who was lovely." I wish she had written more about her time on "Dallas." She talked about it mainly from pages 99-102 or so.

 

[ArchieLucasCarringtonEwing1989]

I can believe Victoria was friendly, I don’t get an aloof vibe from her, she was very close to Ken Kerchavel and Charlene Tilton back in the day, I just believe she wasn’t part of the Larry-Patrick-Linda triple act and that’s okay, some people are just colleagues and some become more than that

 

[Seaviewer]

a recent Charlene podcast interview on YouTube where she said her and Steve felt slighted about theim only being background people for the TNT reboot episode.

Maybe it was because they had left the show earlier, but if they were willing to play bigger roles they should have been allowed.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I just finished reading Priscilla's new memoir, and she talks a little bit about "Dallas" and her early days on set. She said as her first day on set loomed closer, people began to warn her about the show and to watch out for Victoria in particular. Priscilla mentioned that she knew Victoria as a customer of hers from a boutique Priscilla co-owned in the 70s but did not know her well. Anyway, people supposedly told her to remind herself that it was really Victoria's show and Larry Hagman's. Also, that Victoria would probably not be accepting of her and she had to be very careful how she interacted with her. Priscilla then stated that she was very anxious and nervous, but when she finally started filming, she said she worried for nothing. She said Patrick was warm and supportive, and that "The whole cast was warm and welcoming, even Victoria!" Priscilla mentioned what a great group of people they were, and everyone was surprisingly down-to-earth, including Linda Gray, "who was lovely." I wish she had written more about her time on "Dallas." She talked about it mainly from pages 99-102 or so.

^^
That's what I totally believe.

I can believe Victoria was friendly, I don’t get an aloof vibe from her, she was very close to Ken Kerchavel and Charlene Tilton back in the day, I just believe she wasn’t part of the Larry-Patrick-Linda triple act and that’s okay, some people are just colleagues and some become more than that

First of all, Vipers isn't necessarily a monster --- she's a complicated, insecure, intelligent and oh-so-predatory person who handles every situation and individual differently.

As I stated above, why would Principal diss the King of Rock-n-Roll's ex-widow and treat her poorly (especially when Priscilla is so nice to begin with)? She wouldn't.

It's a status thing.

The Morgans had a different experience. Some of VP's reputation is justified -- and she is not Pam Ewing.

Even Victoria has referred to herself as "a bitch" --- but only to throw us off into thinking she isn't really a bitch by calling herself "a bitch."

So, she's clever.

 

[Toni]

^^
That's what I totally believe.



First of all, Vipers isn't necessarily a monster --- she's a complicated, insecure, intelligent and oh-so-predatory person who handles every situation and individual differently.

As I stated above, why would Principal diss the King of Rock-n-Roll's ex-widow and treat her poorly (especially when Priscilla is so nice to begin with)? She wouldn't.

It's a status thing.

The Morgans had a different experience. Some of VP's reputation is justified -- and she is not Pam Ewing.

Even Victoria has referred to herself as "a bitch" --- but only to throw us off into thinking she isn't really a bitch by calling herself "a bitch."

So, she's clever.

​

 

[Laurie Marr]

VP was a critical part of the show’s success. At times she was also transcendentally beautiful on screen. I am watching the 83-84 season and Bradford May’s lighting (perhaps surprisingly) makes her look even more gorgeous. And as someone said, her acting improved immensely after the first few seasons.

Like all workplaces there are contested hierarchies, political manoeuvrings to win the favour of the bosses, egos, alliances and all the other micro-dramas. Some of the gossip may be true, some of it may be invention - but VP probably had the same mix of virtues and vices as most other human beings. The fact that all these years later most of Principle’s ‘challenging’ behaviour is still mired in winks and innuendo suggests to me that her misdemeanours were not all that scandalous by Hollywood standards.

In recent years Duffy has become somewhat tiresome. He's fond of hyperbole and has long since appointed himself as the sagacious chronicler of the Dallas phenomenon. He has an ego the size of Section 40.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Two things can be true at the same time.

VP could have been on good terms with some cast members and not with others.

It is possible that Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy may be regarded better because they may have been better at
giving interviews and better at presenting themselves in a positive manner

VP was overmatched in the interview with Joan Rivers. She was no match for Ms. Rivers' quick wit

I might be more supportive of her refusal to return to "Dallas", had she not been willing to act in "Titans" (2000)

a thirteen episode flop. Clearly, she was willing to return to a TV series, and she was certainly not being paid a "Dallas" salary.

PD, on the other hand, did have a starring role in a series that lasted 7 years.

PD also seems more fond of Suzanne Somers, at least in one interview that I noticed.

VP also never had a big screen career.

Priscilla Presley may not be Barbara Stanwyck, but she did have a major role in a successful movie series.

VP is certainly a successful businesswoman and has performed in made for TV movies.

Different careers have different levels of success. That is show business

 

[Rove]

He has an ego the size of Section 40.

The award for sentence of the week.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

At times she was also transcendentally beautiful on screen. I am watching the 83-84 season and Bradford May’s lighting (perhaps surprisingly) makes her look even more gorgeous.

she had her moments in the 80s for sure, but when I saw the ‘miniseries’ for the first time well into adulthood (was too young when it first aired and never saw any of those episodes on TV as reruns) I was absolutely stunned at how beautiful Victoria was with the simple straight hair. As many variations as she was able to sport in the Jhirmack era, she never got back to the miniseries level imo.

 

[the-lost-son]

At Southfork they are currently doing some renovations at the fan shop. They offer the biography of Howard Keel. I thought about buying it, but when I realized that there was just one chapter with approx. 10 pages about Dallas I read it there. Like all other cast members he called the show very professional (including Duffy and Hagman and their pranks). He wasn't close with any (including BBG). I read and liked Linda Gray's book too which was nice but included just a handful of pages on Dallas (the same btw with Joan Collins' book which included less than 10 pages on Dynasty, mostly Michael Nader.) It was a job for a few years which did not overshadow their whole life.

After having been at the last two Southfork experiences/reunion I made the following observations:
- The actors present were all cordial and professional towards and liked to be around each other (excluding maybe Jesse Metcalf).
- Some were closer (eg. Linda and Patrick or Dewitt and Barnes/3's a company) with each other but there wasn't any kind of dislike noticeable.
- I somehow doubt that any actor has any indepth knowledge about the series/casting/writing or had any power/interest behind the scenes (It was mentioned for example that Angela Lansbury, the star of the 80s hit Murder she wrote, only got in her last season a contract which required her to stay on set for not more 12 hours). When the actors talked about the routines of doing their shows, it was all of the same: they get their schedules, stayed at the set till they were called and were glad when they did not have to stay too long. If you don't have any scenes together you hardly meet, eg. Secretaries/BBG having their first scene in S8. VP and PP didn't have many scenes together anyway.

At these events they talk about about the same scenes over and over again - eg. Charlene Tilton and the wedding, Steve Kanaly and Mickey Trotter...
I somehow believe that hardly any watched the show as a whole back then (months later when their individual scenes had been edited etc.) but for sure none of them watched the show since then. Every fan there knew weigh more about the show.

So from an actor's perspective it's no wonder that the last years of Lorimar Dallas and the TNT Dallas felt like the golden years for them.

There is the old saying - never meet your heroes. They all have their virtues and vices, but every interview I have read over the years had the word "professional" in it. So kudos to every show/actors who manage to give us the allusion of loving couples, family or best friends when in reality they are just "professional".

 

[Barbara Fan]

VP was overmatched in the interview with Joan Rivers. She was no match for Ms. Rivers' quick wit

VP appeared on Terry Wogan ( a beloved TV and radio presenter - who loved to take the mickey out of Dallas in a nice way and helped make the show a success here) chat show x 3 in UK and the Christmas broadcast was his highest ever rating. She more than held her own with him and i remember her laugh most of all. She was a lot of fun x

 

[Barbara Fan]

At these events they talk about about the same scenes over and over again - eg. Charlene Tilton and the wedding, Steve Kanaly and Mickey Trotter...
I somehow believe that hardly any watched the show as a whole back then (months later when their individual scenes had been edited etc.) but for sure none of them watched the show since then. Every fan there knew weigh more about the show.

Oh I agree, at the events i attended in the 2000s and 2010s I used to wonder if they actually watched the show as several things they said were wrong - but they have said them so often that they accept them as fact

or it was the same old, same old especially Larry, Linda Patrick stories

I do think that Steve Kanaly is the most reliable raconteur of Dallas stories

 

[KayLloyd]

^^
That's what I totally believe.



First of all, Vipers isn't necessarily a monster --- she's a complicated, insecure, intelligent and oh-so-predatory person who handles every situation and individual differently.

As I stated above, why would Principal diss the King of Rock-n-Roll's ex-widow and treat her poorly (especially when Priscilla is so nice to begin with)? She wouldn't.

It's a status thing.

The Morgans had a different experience. Some of VP's reputation is justified -- and she is not Pam Ewing.

Even Victoria has referred to herself as "a bitch" --- but only to throw us off into thinking she isn't really a bitch by calling herself "a bitch."

So, she's clever.

To be fair, Queen Bee Mean Girl Morgan likely caused the issues that she had with Victoria;. While Classy Morgan showed that her issue on the Dallas set was with someone other than Victoria.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

let’s face it, as much as Larry loved to tout his negotiating skills in the Who Shot JR summer, and he did make incredible money from the show (as ratings fell, necessitating slashing almost all the regulars other than uproariously funny fellow food-thrower and pants-stuffer Patrick), Victoria ended up making many times more $$ in the long run.. and she actually remembers true things about the show, not the old “the producers heard us talking about cufflinks and that inspired them to give Sue Ellen actual lines, because apparently episodes 3-5 of the miniseries hadn’t been written yet” nonsense.

 

[KayLloyd]

I just finished reading Priscilla's new memoir, and she talks a little bit about "Dallas" and her early days on set. She said as her first day on set loomed closer, people began to warn her about the show and to watch out for Victoria in particular. Priscilla mentioned that she knew Victoria as a customer of hers from a boutique Priscilla co-owned in the 70s but did not know her well. Anyway, people supposedly told her to remind herself that it was really Victoria's show and Larry Hagman's. Also, that Victoria would probably not be accepting of her and she had to be very careful how she interacted with her. Priscilla then stated that she was very anxious and nervous, but when she finally started filming, she said she worried for nothing. She said Patrick was warm and supportive, and that "The whole cast was warm and welcoming, even Victoria!" Priscilla mentioned what a great group of people they were, and everyone was surprisingly down-to-earth, including Linda Gray, "who was lovely." I wish she had written more about her time on "Dallas." She talked about it mainly from pages 99-102 or so.

Very interesting to get her take on her experience on Dallas, and my sense is that it's probably the most truthful part of her book. She's out to cash in on Lisa Marie and Elvis yet again, so it doesn't surprise me that she only devoted a few pages to Dallas. She's always been more interested in the next notch on her bedpost and keeping her seat on the Presley gravy train than anything else.

 

[Chris2]

she had her moments in the 80s for sure, but when I saw the ‘miniseries’ for the first time well into adulthood (was too young when it first aired and never saw any of those episodes on TV as reruns) I was absolutely stunned at how beautiful Victoria was with the simple straight hair. As many variations as she was able to sport in the Jhirmack era, she never got back to the miniseries level imo.

I’m always kinda sad on rewatch I get to the middle of the 1978-79 season and Victoria gets that shag haircut and starts lightening the shade. Totally unnecessary. She was such a natural beauty - she didn’t need the heavy makeup and complicated hairdos.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

Priscilla Presley may not be Barbara Stanwyck, but she did have a major role in a successful movie series.

which I’ve always felt was an intentional, all parties aware, piss-take on her wooden acting in previous roles, i.e. Dallas. And if not intentionally in on the gag, Priscilla was at least a perfect fit for the role.

(talking about Naked Gun here, don’t know if there were any others)