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I watched Dallas back in the late 70s & 80s, and the again over the last few years as I acquired DVDs of the legendary TV show. ( I am at the end of series 9, Debbie is still doing Dallas. ) I was a "Dallas" girl, NOT a "Dynasty" girl.
So I guess it was almost as silly as Pommie "Neighbours" fans going all the way out to see "Ramsey Street" in Melbourne, but I wanted to see the most famous ranch on TV, Southfork.
We had booked into the Southfork Hotel, which is affiliated with Southfork Ranch - a very popular tourist attraction. So we drove a little north out of the big city to a town called Plano.
The Hotel has a Dallas Theme going. One of the restaurants there is the Cattlemen's Club, familiar to other fans of Dallas no doubt.
We did not eat here, but in the morning we had breakfast in Remington's Restaurant. This was adorned with large framed photographs of the TV shows main stars, taken recently at a reunion.
In fact the stars had been at Southfork only a week or so before us, to film a new Dallas show about the grown John Ross & Christopher. The lady in the restaurant told me that the staff had been asked if they wanted to be extras!! Although she did not do this she was able to tell me that Linda Gray was lovely and Victoria Principal - was stuck up!! Sadly no comment about Larry Hagman though.
Our breakfast was great by the way, I love American Buffet breakfasts. I tried the grits and was not really impressed, but then the same lady specially made some for me , how she said they were supposed to be made, a kind of milky warm porridge, but made of ground corn and eaten with syrup.
It was a short drive to Southfork Ranch, through lovely green rural areas. It was an overcast day, and very muggy. The Dallas area can get very humid.
Before we joined a few others on the tour of Southfork we were beset upon by a photographer who took my photo in the studio style set up. He asked me who my favourite from "Dallas" was, and even though I said Lucy or JR, he plonked a hat on my head and sat me in Bobby's ( Patrick Duffy ) chair. I think he believed all females loved Bobby the most.
...and this is Cameron & me, but I think Cameron ought to be wearing bib & brace, have a piece of hay in his mouth and be called Cletis. ( My C&W name is Rayette, named after Karen Black's character in 5 Easy Pieces.)
The actual Ewing Mansion is much smaller than it apppears on TV. The outdoor scenes were filmed here, and most indoor scenes were filmed in LA. The Theme from "Dallas' was played over and over again as we were told the story of the home while sitting by that famous pool. I kept thinking about Sue Ellen lounging here with a drink, or JR pushing Cliff Barnes into the pool from the balcony. I would have loved to have jumped in myself!
We were then lead through the home, and here are a few photos of the inside.
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| Lucy Ewing's room, or how it might have been as imagined by designers of this tourist attraction. |
We also strolled around the outside grounds, and checked out the gift shop and museum. It is interesting to recall being told that the ladies of Dallas would often have to be dressed up in massive fur coats in that oppressive humidity. The make-up people would have been extremely busy too!
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| Jock Ewing's Cadillac |
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| Something I really liked!!! - Texas shaped tiles paving the outside of gift shop. |
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| Sue Ellen's saddle |
So that was about it, all very amusing. I bought a few postcards and then we left good ol'
Southfork for further adventures, but not before getting a photo of that famous entrance!!
Now that I am back home, watching Dallas is a bit surreal, having seen all those places from the show, the tall office buildings and the ranch. What fun!!! Back in the 80s, I would never in a million years have thought I'd be doing all that. ( and I still have Dallas items from those days too !! )
Dallas intro - season 9 below
