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Dallas: The Early Years
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Wikipedia article
'Dallas: The Early Years' is a 1986 American made-for-television drama film and a prequel to the television series 'Dallas'. The three-hour film aired on CBS on March 23, 1986 between the 26th and 27th episodes of the 19851986 ninth season of 'Dallas'.
Plot
Written by series creator David Jacobs, the movie chronicles the exploits of Jock Ewing, Ellie Southworth, and Willard "Digger" Barnes from 1933 to 1951, and firmly established the background story of 'Dallas' and how the long and ongoing feud between Jock and Digger started. Larry Hagman also appears in the opening sequence as his character, J.R. Ewing, being interviewed by a reporter who is researching the Barnes Ewing feud.
While focusing on the triangle of Jock Ellie Digger, the movie also features Jock's brother, Jason, and Miss Ellie's father, Aaron, as starring characters. It shows the origins of the Ewing Oil, and Jock's schemings to make it big, and it deals with the inter-family relations of the Ewings, the Barnes, and the Southworths. It also shows Jock's first marriage to Amanda Lewis, and Ellie's relationship with her mother, Barbara, and brother, Garrison.
Cast
;Starring
* David Grant as Willard "Digger" Barnes
* Dale Midkiff as Jock Ewing
* Molly Hagan as Ellie Southworth Ewing
* David Wilson as Jason Ewing, Jock's brother
* Hoyt Axton as Aaron Southworth, Miss Ellie's father
;Introduced by
* Larry Hagman as (the contemporary) J.R. Ewing
;Also Starring
* Bill Duke as Seth Foster
* Geoffrey Lewis as Ed Porter
;Guest Starring
* Diane Franklin as Amanda Lewis Ewing, Jock's first wife
* Marshall Thompson as Dr. Ted Johnson
* William Frankfather as Newman
* Wendel Meldrum as Honey
* Joe Rainer as Sam Culver
* Marjie Rynearson as Barbara Southworth, Miss Ellie's mother
* Liz Keifer as Cherie Simmons
* Matt Mulhern as Garrison Southworth, Miss Ellie's brother
* Davis Roberts as The Preacher
* Kevin Wixted as J.R. Ewing
;Co-Starring
* Ryan Beadle as Bobby Ewing
* Angie Bolling as Deborah Culver
* Johnny Felder as Cliff Barnes
* Rhashell Hunter as Priscilla Foster
* Bennie Moore as Benjamin Foster (1933)
* Norma Moore as Maggie Barnes
* Terrence Riggins as Benjamin Foster (1951)
* Andrea Wauters as Pamela Barnes
* Joel Allen as Gary Ewing (uncredited)
Home media
Warner Home Video released 'Dallas: The Early Years' on DVD April 12, 2011 on 'Dallas: The Movie Collection' 2-disc set.
References
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