Who shot J.R.?

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"Who shot J.R.?" display at the Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, including the prop gun used in filming Who Shot JR%3F display.jpg
"Who shot J.R.?" display at the Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, including the prop gun used in filming

"Who shot J.R.?" is an advertising catchphrase created in 1980 by American network CBS to promote the television soap opera Dallas . [1] It referred to the fictional mystery surrounding a murder attempt against arch-villain J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) in the show's third-season finale "A House Divided". The mystery and its catchphrase became a global phenomenon, with international odds-makers setting odds for the culprit. The mystery was not resolved until the fourth episode of the fourth season titled "Who Done It" which aired eight months later, with an estimated 83 million American viewers tuning in, one of the most watched television broadcasts in history. The catchphrase has a strong legacy in pop culture and the format helped popularize the cliffhanger ending for television series. [2]

Contents

Plot

In the final scene of the 1979–80 season, J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) hears a noise outside his office, walks out to the corridor to look, and is shot twice by an unseen assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was broadcast on March 21, 1980, [3] and was written by Rena Down and directed by Leonard Katzman. Viewers had to wait all summer to learn whether J.R. would survive, and which of his many enemies was responsible. [4] [5]

J.R. Ewing was a villain on the series who regularly double-crossed business associates, who plotted against his own family, and who called his wife Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) a "slut" and had her committed to a sanatorium so he could take custody of their infant son John Ross. Almost all of the other characters on the show were potential suspects. [6]

Ultimately, in the "Who Done It?" episode which aired on November 21, 1980, the person who pulled the trigger was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby). Kristin was J.R.'s scheming sister-in-law and mistress who shot him in a fit of anger. J.R. did not press charges, as Kristin claimed she was pregnant with his child as a result of their affair. [2]

Production

Hagman had begun Dallas as a secondary character, but by 1980 he was the star. [4] Advised by friend Carroll O'Connor that the shooting had made him very valuable, Hagman demanded a raise. While negotiating with the actor, CBS prepared to replace him by having J.R. receive facial reconstructive surgery (despite having received the bullet in his stomach). [7] Production for the 1980–81 season began in June 1980 without Hagman. He returned to work ten days later with a new contract that paid him $100,000 per episode and royalties from J.R. Ewing merchandise. Viewers had to wait an additional two months to find out the answer to the famous question, however, as a strike by the Writers Guild of America began in July that delayed the production of most new network shows by eight weeks. During the delay, CBS showed reruns of early Dallas episodes featuring J.R. Ewing, helping the show's many new fans better understand his character. [4]

Marketing and reception

T-shirts printed with such references as "Who Shot J.R.?" and "I Shot J.R." became common over the summer. Several media outlets held "Who shot J.R.?" contests. [8]

The media hype over the series was unprecedented and a global phenomenon. [9] The Barron Knights used the melody and background music of the Gary Numan song "Cars" in "We Know Who Done It," their 1980 parody and spoof of 'Who shot J.R.?'. The episode also inspired a novelty record by radio personality Gary Burbank which reached No. 67 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in July 1980.

During the 1980 United States presidential election, the Republicans distributed campaign buttons that claimed "A Democrat shot J.R.", [10] while Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter joked that he would have no problem financing his campaign if he knew who shot J.R. Former president Gerald Ford unsuccessfully asked producer Leonard Katzman who the shooter was. [7] When Hagman attended Royal Ascot while on vacation in the United Kingdom - at which the crowds chanted "J.R.! J.R.!" when he arrived [11] - Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother enquiried about the identity of the shooter, to which Hagman replied "I wouldn't say even to you, Your Majesty"; [12] when the British press offered Hagman £100,000 to reveal the shooter, he admitted that neither he nor any other member of the cast knew the answer. [13] Betting parlors worldwide established odds and took bets as to which character had actually pulled the trigger. [13]

Suspects

Every actor and crew member—even Hagman himself—was filmed shooting J.R. to keep secret the identity of the actual shooter. [7] International bookmakers created a set of odds for the possible culprits: [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

The only characters never considered suspects were Lucy's parents, middle Ewing brother Gary (Ted Shackelford) and his wife Valene (Joan Van Ark), who were featuring prominently in California-based spin-off series Knots Landing at the time of J.R.'s shooting, making it impossible for either to be responsible. Similarly, ranch-hand Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly) had no established motive for the shooting, and was not considered a suspect.

Real-life suspects

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas jokingly placed Tom Landry, the then-coach of the Dallas Cowboys football team, at 500-to-1 odds. Similarly, former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach was placed at 1000-to-1 odds. [17] British disc jockey Terry Wogan, who famously referred to Lucy Ewing as "the poison dwarf", was placed at 1000-to-1 odds by British bookmakers. [19]

Wogan was also put forward as a suspect in the "We Know Who Done It" novelty song, as were several other well-known personalities, including The Incredible Hulk, the Lone Ranger, television host Nicholas Parsons, poetry character Hissing Sid and octogenarian Coronation Street character Albert Tatlock (Jack Howarth). Burbank's song also suggested sportscaster Howard Cosell, presidential candidates Ronald Reagan and John B. Anderson, NBC's then-President Fred Silverman, J.R.'s infant son John Ross and even Satan as possible culprits.

Who shot J.R.?

"Who Done It?" was, at the time, the highest-rated television episode in U.S. history. It had a Nielsen rating of 53.3 and a 76% share, and it was estimated that 83 million people watched the episode, [20] more than the number of voters in that year's presidential election. [11] The previous record for a TV episode had been the 1967 finale for The Fugitive . "Who Done It?" now sits second on the list, beaten in 1983 by the final episode of M*A*S*H . In 2011, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly named "A House Divided" number one of the seven most "Unforgettable Cliff-Hangers" of prime time dramatic television. [21]

The episode was an international event, with more than 350 million people tuning in to find out who shot J.R. A session of the Turkish parliament was suspended to allow legislators a chance to get home in time to view the conclusion of the cliffhanger. [22]

Legacy

The great success of this 1980 stunt helped popularize in the United States the practice of ending a television season with a cliffhanger. [23] In addition, the episode is credited with helping CNN, which began airing in June 1980, to get off the ground. [4] The success of the cliffhanger helped Dallas become the most watched show in its fourth season and for the next five years be either the number-1 or number-2 most watched TV show in America.

The "Who shot J.R.?" storyline was spoofed in the February 21, 1981, episode of Saturday Night Live , which was guest-hosted by Dallas star Charlene Tilton. The episode, sometimes referred to as "Who Shot C.R.?", provided several cast members with various motivations to hate co-star Charles Rocket, who is shot in the episode. At the end of the episode, Rocket made the notorious ad-libbed comment "I'd like to know who the fuck did it", for which he was subsequently fired. [24] It was spoofed in an episode of The Jeffersons ("As Florence Turns"), when Florence writes a soap opera based on characteristics of The Jeffersons characters.[ citation needed ]

In 1990, the first season of Twin Peaks ended with numerous cliffhangers, the main one being Kyle MacLachlan's character, Agent Dale Cooper, being shot by an unknown assailant in a clear tribute to the earlier soap. [25] [26] The storyline wouldn't be resolved until more than halfway through the second season. "Who shot J.R.?" was later spoofed in a 1995 The Simpsons episode entitled "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" which similarly provided many characters with motivation to kill Mr. Burns, and similarly ended on a cliffhanger. In the second part, it was revealed that Maggie Simpson had accidentally shot Mr. Burns in a struggle over a lollipop. Homer Simpson wears a shirt with the phrase "I shot J.R." written on it in the 1991 episode "I Married Marge". In March and April 2001 British soap EastEnders ran a storyline of the same treatment as the Who shot J.R.? storyline entitled Who Shot Phil?.

In Larry Hagman's final episode of the 2012 sequel, Dallas , which aired on March 4, 2013, J.R. was shot again, this time fatally. In the 2013 season 2 finale it was revealed that J.R. asked Steve "Bum" Jones to shoot him so his "masterpiece" could play out, framing Cliff Barnes for his murder. [27] The main reason he had himself killed was because doctors told J.R. that he had only days to live; he was dying from cancer (as was actor Larry Hagman in real life). [27] In his letter to Bobby he reveals all of this and that he wanted to die helping his family end the Ewing–Barnes feud once and for all. As J.R.'s son John Ross said "The only person that could take down J.R.—was J.R." [27]

In the season 4 finale of Jane the Virgin , Jane "J.R." Ramos (Rosario Dawson) shot a mystery person before "#JRShotWho?" appeared on the screen. [28] The character of Tom from the Irish television comedy series Father Ted is often pictured wearing an "I shot J.R." T-shirt.[ citation needed ] In Thomas Friedman's book From Beirut to Jerusalem , he describes an incident in 1983 when journalist David Zucchino, who thinks he is in trouble after being driven through a checkpoint, upon confirming he is from Dallas, is asked by a bearded militiaman in Beirut "who shot JR?".

In the Homestar Runner webtoon Bug in Mouth Disease , Strong Bad catches up on the in-universe soap opera Caleb Rentpayer, which teases the mystery "Who Shot Caleb Rentpayer?" Homestar readily admits to the act, first to Strong Bad, then on-air.

Related Research Articles

<i>Dallas</i> (1978 TV series) American television series

Dallas is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1978, to May 3, 1991. The series revolved around an affluent and feuding Texas family, the Ewings, who owned the independent oil company Ewing Oil and the cattle-ranching land of Southfork. The series originally focused on the marriage of Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes, whose families were sworn enemies. As the series progressed, Bobby's elder brother, oil tycoon J.R. Ewing, became the show's breakout character, whose schemes and dirty business became the show's trademark. When the show ended on May 3, 1991, J.R. was the only character to have appeared in every episode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Hagman</span> American actor (1931–2012)

Larry Martin Hagman was an American film and television actor, director, and producer, best known for playing ruthless oil baron J. R. Ewing in the 1978–1991 primetime television soap opera Dallas, and the befuddled astronaut Major Anthony Nelson in the 1965–1970 sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. Hagman had supporting roles in numerous films, including Fail-Safe, Harry and Tonto, S.O.B., Nixon, and Primary Colors. His television appearances also included guest roles on dozens of shows spanning from the late 1950s until his death, and a reprise of his signature role on the 2012 revival of Dallas. Hagman also worked as a television producer and director. He was the son of actress Mary Martin. Hagman underwent a life-saving liver transplant in 1995. He died on November 23, 2012, from complications of acute myeloid leukemia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Duffy</span> American actor

Patrick Duffy is an American actor and director widely known for his role on the CBS primetime soap opera Dallas, where he played Bobby Ewing, the youngest son of Miss Ellie, and the brother of J.R. Ewing from 1978 to 1985 and from 1986 to 1991. Duffy returned to reprise his role as Bobby in a continuation of Dallas, which aired on TNT from 2012 to 2014. He is also well known for his role on the ABC sitcom Step by Step as Frank Lambert from 1991 to 1998, and for his role as Stephen Logan on the CBS daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. Duffy played the lead character's father in the 2014 NBC sitcom Welcome to Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlene Tilton</span> American actress and singer

Charlene L. Tilton is an American actress and singer. She is widely known for playing Lucy Ewing on the CBS prime time soap opera Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. R. Ewing</span> Fictional character

John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series Dallas (1978–1991) and its spin-offs, including the revived Dallas series (2012–2014). The character was portrayed by Larry Hagman from the series premiere in 1978 until his death in late 2012; Hagman was the only actor who appeared in all 357 episodes of the original series. As the show's most famous character, J.R. has been central to many of the series' biggest storylines. He is depicted as a covetous, egocentric, manipulative and amoral oil baron with psychopathic tendencies, who is constantly plotting subterfuges to plunder the wealth of his foes. In the PBS series Pioneers of Television, Hagman claimed the character of J.R. began its development when he played a similar character in the film Stardust, and that he was also inspired by a mean boss he once had.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Crosby</span> American actress

Mary Frances Crosby is an American actress, the only daughter of actor/singer Bing Crosby and his second wife Kathryn Grant. She played Kristin Shepard in the television series Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Ellen Ewing</span> Fictional character in Dallas

Sue Ellen Ewing is a fictional character and one of the female leads in the CBS primetime soap opera Dallas. Sue Ellen was portrayed by Linda Gray and appeared on the show since its pilot episode, first broadcast on April 2, 1978. Dallas followed the trials of the wealthy Ewing family in the city of Dallas, Texas, into which Sue Ellen married when she wed J.R. Ewing. Gray played Sue Ellen until the twelfth season of Dallas, when her character finally leaves Texas after beating J.R. at his own game in the 1989 episode "Reel Life". Gray returned for the 1991 series finale "Conundrum" and the subsequent Dallas telemovies. She reprised the role for the 2012 continuation series of Dallas, which ran until 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Ewing</span> Fictional character

Robert James Ewing is a fictional character in the American television series Dallas and its 2012 revival. The youngest son of Jock and Miss Ellie Ewing, he was portrayed by actor Patrick Duffy. Bobby had been killed off in the final episode of the 1984–1985 season, and Patrick Duffy left the show for a year. Bobby returned in the famous "shower scene" at the end of the following season. The subsequent "dream revelation" at the start of the next season explained Bobby's accident, his death, and all but the final scene, as a dream of Bobby's fiancée and ex-wife, Pamela Barnes Ewing.

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Pamela Jean "Pam" Barnes Ewing is a fictional character from the CBS primetime soap opera Dallas. Pamela is portrayed by actress Victoria Principal, first appearing on the show in the first episode, titled "Digger's Daughter", which was first broadcast on April 2, 1978. Dallas follows the trials of the wealthy Ewing family in the city of Dallas, Texas, which Pam has married into. Principal played Pam until the end of season 10 in 1987, when the character crashes her car into a truck carrying butane and propane and her body is severely burned. A year later, she was briefly played by actress Margaret Michaels in an attempt to write the character out. Pamela's storylines in season 1 focus on her relationship with her new husband, Bobby Ewing, and her fight against the considerable suspicion and hostility from within the Ewing family, due to Pamela being a member of the Barnes family. Pamela's love for Bobby remains a strong character trait throughout her tenure on the show, noted for its similarities to Romeo and Juliet, with two people from hostile families falling in love.

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Kristin Marie Shepard is a fictional character on the American television series Dallas, played by Mary Crosby (1979–1981) and, briefly, by Colleen Camp (1979). The character also made one appearance on Dallas's spin-off series, Knots Landing, during its second season.

"A House Divided" is the 25th and final episode of the third season and 54th overall of the American television series Dallas. It is the episode known for spawning the eight-month "Who shot J.R.?" phenomenon. The episode ended with the mysterious shooting of J.R. Ewing in his office by an assailant whose identity was not revealed until the following season. The mystery was resolved in the fourth episode of the following season, entitled "Who Done It", which remains the second most-watched episode in American TV history.

"Who Done It" is the fourth episode of the fourth season and 58th overall of the American television series Dallas. The episode was written by Loraine Despres, and revealed who had shot J.R. Ewing in the third season finale "A House Divided". The perpetrator's fate was revealed in the subsequent episode one week later.

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"Conundrum" is the title of the 22nd episode of the fourteenth season of the American television drama series Dallas. It is also the 356th and last episode of the original Dallas series. The episode was written and directed by showrunner Leonard Katzman and aired on CBS on Friday, May 3, 1991, as a double-length episode. Subsequent airings in syndication split the episode into individual hours, which raises the total episode count to 23 for the season and 357 for the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pamela Rebecca Barnes</span> Soap opera character

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References

  1. ↑ Corliss, Richard (November 23, 1990). "The 'Dallas' Shot That Was Heard Round the World". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Who Shot J.R.?: 30 Years Later". CBS News. November 19, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
  3. ↑ "A House Divided". tv.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Archived from the original on July 13, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Robertson, Ed (March 21, 2005). "Ultimate cliffhanger: Who shot J.R.?". Media Life Magazine . Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Echoes of who shot JR". BBC. April 5, 2001. Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  6. ↑ Weinman, Jaime (December 8, 2008). "Why we still care who shot J.R." Macleans. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 Marshall, Max (September 19, 2018). "'Dallas' at 40: The Inside Story Behind the Show That Changed Texas Forever". Texas Monthly. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  8. ↑ Buck, Jerry (September 23, 1980). "J.R. Fever': Cooling Off?". The Boston Globe (First ed.).
  9. ↑ "Obituary: Larry Hagman". BBC News. November 24, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  10. ↑ Gray, Linda (2015). The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction (1st ed.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN   978-1-941393-09-3.
  11. 1 2 Hurt, Harry III (June 2012). "Larry Hagman's Curtain Call". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  12. ↑ Heilner, Sam (November 19, 1980). "Names & Faces". The Boston Globe (First ed.). Referring to Hagman's TV role as J.R. Ewing in Dallas, the Queen Mother told him: 'I am not going to ask you who shot you'. Hagman replied: 'I wouldn't say, not even to you, Your Majesty'.
  13. 1 2 Corliss, Richard; Willwerth, James (August 11, 1980). "TV's Dallas: Whodunit?". Time. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  14. ↑ Thomas, Jack (November 21, 1980). "Place Your Bet On Who Shot J.R. Ewing: [First Edition]". The Boston Globe .
  15. ↑ "The Mystery Solved: Kristin Shot J.R. - The Washington Post". The Washington Post .
  16. ↑ "Fans worldwide bet $360,000 in two days on 'Who".
  17. 1 2 Buck, Jerry (November 21, 1980). "Did This Man Shoot J.R.: He's a 500-To-1 Shot, But Then Again, Who Knows?". Evening Independent . Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  18. ↑ White, Diane (July 12, 1980). "J.R.'s Wild, Crazy Antics". The Boston Globe (First ed.).
  19. ↑ Peacock, John (May 26, 1980) "Me shoot J.R.? Don't bet on it, says 1000-1 Wogan". The Daily Mirror
  20. ↑ Facts on File 1980 Yearbook. p. 905.
  21. ↑ Tucker, Ken (March 25, 2011). "Unforgettable Cliff-Hangers". Entertainment Weekly . No. 1147. p. 12.
  22. ↑ Rettenmund, Matthew (1996). Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV. St. Martin's Press. p. 143. ISBN   978-0-312-14436-4.
  23. ↑ Meisler, Andy (May 7, 1995). "Television: When J.R. Was Shot The Cliffhanger Was Born". The New York Times . Retrieved August 31, 2010.
  24. ↑ Hill, Doug; Weingrad, Jeff (1986). Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. William Morrow & Co. p. 431. ISBN   0-688-05099-9
  25. ↑ June 15, Ken Tucker Updated; EDT, 1990 at 04:00 AM. "Twin Peaks". EW.com. Retrieved April 20, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ↑ Cohen, Finn (May 17, 2017). "How 'Twin Peaks' Got Lost, and Found Its Way Back". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 20, 2022.
  27. 1 2 3 Bierly, Mandi (April 16, 2013). "Dallas season finale recap: J.R.'s Masterpiece Unveiled". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  28. ↑ Gallagher, Caitlin (April 20, 2018). "Who Did JR Shoot On 'Jane The Virgin'? Petra Definitely Recognized Her Attacker". Bustle .
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