CTVA
The Classic TV Archive - US  Drama series
<Previous                      "Dallas"                            Next>
"Dallas: J. R. Returns" (1996 TV Movie)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive

############# Dallas: J.R. Returns ###########
################ 1996 TV Movie ###############
##############################################

"Dallas: J. R. Returns" (1996 TV Movie) (2hrs)

Eagle Point Production / Olive Productions
in association with
Warner Bros. Television
for CBS
Directed by Leonard Katzman

Cast:
Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing;
Linda Gray as Sue Ellen Ewing;
Patrick Duffy as Bobby Ewing;
Ken Kercheval as Cliff Barnes;

George Kennedy as Carter McKay;
Tracy Scoggins as Anita Smithfield;
Audrey Landers as Afton Cooper;
Rosalind Allen as Julia Cunningham;
Chris Demetral as Christopher Ewing;
Omri Katz as John Ross Ewing III;
Deborah Kellner as Pamela Cooper;

Deborah Rennard as Sly Lovegren;
Buck Taylor as Steve Grisham;
George Petrie as Harv Smithfield;
Blue Deckert as Detective Markham;
Lee Gideon as Judge Hooker;
Sean Hennigan as Dave Colquit;
William Earl Ray as Male Nurse;
Ellen Locy as Debbi;
John William Hoge as Rattigan;

In the last scene of the "Dallas" finale in May 1991, a
gunshot was heard in a bedroom. Bobby opened the door and a
look of horror on his face left the clear impression that J.R. had killed
himself. Now it turns out that J.R. merely shot his own reflection in a
mirror. He left Southfork for Europe the following morning where he has
been living for the last five years, plotting his revenge. Now J.R. returns
to Dallas, meets with his lawyer Harve Smithfield , and is romantically
involved with the attorney's sexy young niece Anita (played by Tracy
Scoggins who starred in The Colbys). He uses the niece in a secret plot to
reclaim Ewing Oil from long-time archenemy Cliff Barnes. He fakes his own
death in a car crash as part of a scheme to steal his son John Ross' $ 200
million inheritance from granddaddy Jock Ewing. J.R. came up with the phony
death scheme with the help of his new lover Anita. They plant the body of a
homeless man in J.R.'s car and set up the crash.

Two days after the blast that apparently took his life, family, friends,and
enemies (including Carter McKay and Cliff Barnes) gather at the famous
Southfork ranch to mourn J.R.'s passing. Even Sue Ellen flies in for the
memorial service from her home in England and is met by her former
brother-in-law Bobby in a tearful scene at the airport. During the memorial
service John Ross (who is now 18 and flies in from England with his mother)
makes a speech about how dear J.R. was to him. But suddenly a truck filled
with pigs pulls into the driveway and in the center of the squealing
porkers is J.R. He "returns from the grave" at and lies to everybody that
he was kidnapped and left for dead.

As part of his revenge on Cliff, J.R. has Cliff's former girlfriend Afton
(Audrey Landers) arrested on a bogus drug possession charge and has her
committed to a sanitarium where she's kept drugged and locked up.
Meanwhile, Bobby is preoccupied with the ranch and with his neighbor Julia
(played by Rosalind Allen), a passionate horsewoman whom he romances. When
the dust settles after J.R.'s "death and resurrection", he kisses Sue Ellen
and tries to seduce her. He takes advantage of the fact that she had
recently split up with Englishman Don Lockwood.

In the end, J.R. manages to regain control of Ewing Oil from
Cliff and his partner McKay,and moreover, he manages to get
Bobby and Sue Ellen involved in the oil business (Sue Ellen becomes Bobby's
partner). It looks like Ewing Oil is back in Ewing hands and it doesn't
seem like Sue Ellen is going back to England.

During the movie, traditional Ewing elements are present on many occasions,
e.g. the meals at the table in the dining room (even though many of the
Ewings are absent). There is also a new and bigger picture of Jock Ewing
hanging proudly in the living room, where Jock is seen against the
background of Southfork. J.R. and Bobby have conversations with the picture
right behind them.

Absent from the movie were, among others: Miss Ellie, Clayton, Ray, Lucy,
and Jenna Wade. Bobby is seen talking to middle brother Gary on the phone,
letting him know about J.R.'s death, but Gary is not shown. We also learn
that Miss Ellie and Clayton are away travelling and Valene (Gary's wife) is
in the hospital and that's why Gary cannot make it to the funeral. Bobby
and Pam's adopted son Christopher is also seen dating Pamela Rebecca
Cooper, the daugther of Cliff and Afton.

A spokesman for Lorimar has hinted in the media that if "Dallas: J.R.
Returns" has high ratings, it might in fact start off a continuing series,
kind of "Dallas: The Next Generation", focused mainly on the young Ewings,
with the old cast members appearing from time to time.

############# Dallas: J.R. Returns ###########
################ 1996 TV Movie ###############
##############################################