On Black Friday, November 23, I was completely shocked watching the trailer spot on WarnerTV Asia heralding the premiere of the brand-new and TNT aired 1st season of Dallas, slated on Thursday, November 29. Watching the spot plus the "Destination Dallas" promo ad made me excited for it. Indeed, the whole of Asia (especially the ASEAN nations) was waiting for the comeback of the series, formerly aired in the US from 1978 to 1991 and became an international hit especially after the 3rd season finale (the "Who Shot J.R." episode that turned it into a legend) in 1980.
But on the afternoon of the next day, the 24th, my Twitter was suddenly full of tweets mourning the death of one of its stars.
Just days before the big Asian comeback, the Dallas fans, both old and new like me, were mourning his demise at the age of 81 due to cancer, just 31 years after the death of his on-screen father, the late Jim Davis, who played JR's dad Jock, after completing what would be his last season on the show, and 7 years after the death of Barbara Bel Geddes, who played Miss Ellie Southworth, mother to Pam Barnes played by Victoria Principal. His son, Preston, was beside him when it happened at a local hospital while his wife Maj was at home.
The son of theater actress Mary Martin and a practicing attorney in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the state of Texas (born there in 1931), he was a film veteran and shot into TV fame costaring in ABC's I Dream of Jeannie in the late 60s playing a United States Air Force astronaut officer, MAJ Anthony Nelson. (BTW the program's lead star guested in Dallas' final 1991 episode with him.) He was himself a veteran of military service in the USAF, having served there in the 1950s while in the United Kingdom and even meeting his future wife of Swedish decent in the process!
Many stars were shocked by it and took to Twitter expressing the sadness felt by his death.
Including, most importantly, his very own family from both classic and modern Dallas, most especially on-screen wife Linda Gray (Sue Ewing), Patrick Duffy (Bobby Ewing), Brenda Strong (Ann Ewing), Ken Kercheval (Cliff Barnes), Jordana Brewster (Elena Ramos), Julie Gonzalo (Rebecca Sutter), Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing) and his onscreen son Josh Henderson, who plays John Ross Ewing. Even Facebook was flooded with statuses mourning his demise, and so did new Dallas fans like me.
As the premiere came, I expectedly watched it, while mourning JR's death as a new fan of the series. It was indeed a hit all over Asia.... and fans old and new watched it while at the same time remembering his legacy to everyone, especially as the loved and hated JR they all loved even till the end.
It was only last Friday that I realized it was too much to miss a man like him while reading magazine stories of his demise at two local malls in Makati City, Philippines.
All too much to bear, especially for a new fan.
But now.. I'm gonna watch it every Thursday on WarnerTV Asia, always thinking that if he was still alive, I would have made a point to visit the cast of the new Dallas in Southfork Ranch in the Dallas suburb of Parker.. and visiting it as well as hoping to see them all in person. Most especially Larry and Josh.
John Ross has big boots to fill indeed with the death of his father.
Two weeks on... now I've overcome the sadness of his passing. And I hope that as a new era dawns on the comebacking Dallas on TNT... JR's spirit will forever live on.
Pat, Linda, Brenda, Josh, Jesse, Jordana and Julie, Ken, Leonor Valera, Steve Kanaly, Charlene Tilton, Omri Katz, Ted Shackleford (from Knots Landing) and the rest of the veterans of the old series and the cast of the new one plus the crew past and present, may it be known to all of you as you read this blogpost that the peoples of Asia, especially in the Philippines and Singapore, have finally overcome the grief and sadness of losing the legend that is and forever will be... Larry Hagman, and will always put him in high esteem as the JR Ewing they will always love in Dallas... for all time, most especially as the 35th anniversary of the series draws ever more near.
Eternal memory to the great man that is Larry Hagman and may God rest his soul.
LONG LIVE THE UPCOMING 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF DALLAS IN 2013!!!
May the whole world make sure that history will never forget the name of Larry Martin Hagman!
Cue the legendary theme!
Reminder: As the new season of Dallas on TNT (website is www.dallastnt.com) draws more near as it debuts on January of 2013, South East Asian viewers can watch the 1st season, Thursdays at 9 PM SIN/PH and 10 PM in Malaysia and Thailand on WarnerTV Asia. (www.warnertvasia.com/)
I'm writing this not just in memory of Larry Hagman but also to celebrate Jesse Metcalfe's birthday today!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSE, AND HOPE FOR THE BEST FOR YOU AS THE NEW DALLAS HONORS LARRY'S LEGACY FOREVER!
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