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| DALLAS has been reborn on TNT |
It's a writer's worst nightmare... What does one do when the star of your show dies unexpectedly? Fans of DALLAS will find out on January 28 at 8PM when Season 2 debuts on TNT. The show's legendary leading man, Larry Hagman (a.k.a. J.R. Ewing) passed away on Nov. 23 at 81 from cancer, almost halfway through filming of season 2 production, forcing the show's producers to make significant changes to the storyline - even as they mourned the show's longtime villain who was also a great friend.
According to People Magazine, "...extra scenes with J.R. that had previously been cut were put back in for episode 6, said executive producer Cynthia Cidre, who had to explain to viewers as she wrote future episodes why the key character was absent. The tribute show will include many faces from the original Dallas series, which premiered in 1978, Cidre said. "It will be funny and appropriate to J.R., but it will also be sad because his family loved him," she said. "As do the fans." Hagman, a Texas native, will starring in six episodes out of the 15 ordered and remain on the production's call sheets for the rest of the year as tribute. His Airstream trailer will also remain on set with a sign that says: "No. 1 is on hold." Co-star and friend, Patrick Duffy said all of it was fitting: "This is the house that Hagman built."
As for the rest of the cast, they are back in Big D after the holidays and filming has begun again. A friend of mine wandered into the Petroleum Club today and found herself in the middle of filming for JR's funeral scene. Another reason, one should always look nice and wear lipstick when leaving the house. You just never know who you will run into!
