Why Didn’t Jock Claim Ray As His Son Earlier?

[Guzzler’s Frightening Hair]

I rewatched the episode "The Fourth Son" and was struck by how good it actually was. I liked that we didn’t see the moment Jock told Miss Ellie that Ray was his son—though we did see the revelation unfold for the rest of the family. William Windom was also compelling as Amos Krebbs. Interestingly, he would soon play the role of an estranged father again—this time as Lane’s wayward father in Flamingo Road—which really highlights the quality of the writing on Dallas. He was convincing here, whereas in Flamingo Road, working with essentially the same material, he just got on my nerves.

Was it actually spoiled before the episode aired that Ray would turn out to be Jock’s son? The episode had fewer viewers than the one before it, which is quite surprising given the subject matter. Were the viewers, in fact, genuinely taken by surprise?

Is it known when the decision was made that Ray should be Jock’s son? Was this something that originated from fan speculation—perhaps in viewer letters or soap opera magazines—that the producers then decided to incorporate? I’ve always wondered why Steve Kanaly was added to the opening credits as early as Season 2. Did they perhaps intend for him to become Lucy’s husband, only to later abandon that idea? After all, a mere employee at Southfork wouldn’t typically warrant a spot in the opening credits, would he?

I think Jock considered Margaret to be very honest, and therefore assumed that if Ray were his son, she would have mentioned it in the message Ray delivered upon his arrival. And I guess Miss Ellie assumed that if Jock had suspected Ray was his son, he would have told her; furthermore, she surely believed that Margaret—being a nurse—would have known how to prevent pregnancy.

I’ve always felt they were hinting at it in the Dove Hunt episode the previous year, when JR wonders why they were being Ray along, almost like he was part of the family. There was a very conspicuous exchange between JR and Bobby that felt like it was setting up that story.

Sure enough, later I read that originally the reveal was supposed to happen in that episode, but they decided to wait.. is it possible that Amanda Ewing was a relatively last-minute “don’t make Ray the fourth son just yet” workaround?

ah, found it! From the resurrected former Ultimate Dallas site:

Steve Kanaly Interview – DallasTVshow.com Exclusive (Ray Krebbs)

Exclusive fan Q&A with Steve Kanaly (Ray Krebbs). Apocalypse Now memories, Larry Hagman stories, Dallas behind-the-scenes, and more.

dallastvshow.com

It was supposed to be in the second year in an episode where Jock had been wounded in a shoot out at a dove hunt, and in that episode there is a moment where he confides something to JR and it was originally in the script "Iv got another son" but they changed it to "I have another wife" to let the Ray Lucy relationship simmer down somewhat.

 

[Mustard]

Jock didn't know. He only knew that Ray was Margaret's son, and assumed that Amos was Ray's dad.

 

[CryptCreeper72]

Jock didn't know. He only knew that Ray was Margaret's son, and assumed that Amos was Ray's dad.

It's probably true that Jock believed Ray was the son of Amos, but he was too smart not to at least suspect he could be the daddy. He knew when he slept with Margaret, he knew how old Ray was, and he knew how to count. Also, surely his suspicions (and Ellie's) were raised even higher after Margaret send Ray to Southfork and ask Jock to take care of him.

 

[Mustard]

It's probably true that Jock believed Ray was the son of Amos, but he was too smart not to at least suspect he could be the daddy. He knew when he slept with Margaret, he knew how old Ray was, and he knew how to count.

Even if true, it would unsettle the family balance and family image if Jock pushed it when Ray was younger.

Also, surely his suspicions (and Ellie's) were raised even higher after Margaret send Ray to Southfork and ask Jock to take care of him.

Not necessarily. Margaret was close with Jock in WW2, and Margaret was now dying (around 1960). Ray was a ranch hand at Southfork initially, growing through the ranks as the years went on.

 

[Spooky Owl!]

Jock probably got off on his son violating his granddaughter, and didn't want the fun to cease too quickly.

Same with Amanda humping Bobby. Which is why he took Bobby & Pam in Colorado in the first place. And to see Ellie's shocked expression.

The little wildcatting perv.