Leonard Katzman: The Producer & Executive Producer from Season Ten Onwards

[Grangehill1]

I think Victoria said the dream resolution was "a nightmare" but admitted the show had already lost its way.

Linda said, as soon as Patrick's return was announced to "save" DALLAS, that she didn't know why they needed saving.



All the nighttime soaps looked and felt tan or beige-y that year. They just did. Cluttered and beige-y.

No I think Victoria called the whole season a nightmare

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

No I think Victoria called the whole season a nightmare

Quite ironic since it was her character who dreamt it all!

 

[southfork88]

But the nightmare came from Pamela's disturbed mind, not from Victoria

 

[tommie]

I can understand Peter Dunne trying to bring it back to more of an ensemble piece - it seemed like that's what he was trying to do, remove the emphasis on JR as the lead and spread the stories around more evenly to the other characters. But then there was that really odd excursion to Bogota and Matt Cantrell, which made no sense other than a way of writing VP out for a couple of episodes due to her "bad back" (am I the only one who thinks this was code for needing time off for some cosmetic surgery?) and then the whole Jack's double/Martinique business which was just odd, and not Dallas at all ...

I feel like part of it was their obsession with Dallas being a "man's show" and Dunne clearly seemed to try and toughen up the female characters a bit - Swellin' was getting sober and in charge and Pam finally got to go up head-to-head with JR (which was the logical step for the next chapter of Bobby-less Dallas), then... they sort of dropped the ball entirely for no real reason at all. It's a shame because I think in the first few episodes they're actually setting up what could've been a great season then it just... what happened?

 

[alexpaige]

they sort of dropped the ball entirely for no real reason at all.

There's a reason. We just don't know what it is! Peter Dunne is a writer for whom I have the most enormous respect. That guy knows what he's doing - Joel Feigenbaum too. I can only assume interference from higher up in the chain of command - which would logically be Phil Capice. As executive producer he would have had the power to veto and impose storylines.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

There's a reason. We just don't know what it is! Peter Dunne is a writer for whom I have the most enormous respect. That guy knows what he's doing - Joel Feigenbaum too. I can only assume interference from higher up in the chain of command - which would logically be Phil Capice. As executive producer he would have had the power to veto and impose storylines.

Peter Dunne's style worked well for the more artful, nuanced KNOTS. But DALLAS wasn't built for that level of subtlety or casual plot development -- the show just tended to fall apart when it attempted the same kind of meandering that KNOTS pulled off.

Capice had the power, yes, to veto and impose as executive producer, but do we have any reason to believe Capice overruled Dunne other than the fact that Dunne was good on KNOTS where had had a more talented and objective boss with David Jacobs?

 

[alexpaige]

Peter Dunne's style worked well for the more artful, nuanced KNOTS. But DALLAS wasn't built for that level of subtlety or casual plot development -- the show just tended to fall apart when it attempted the same kind of meandering that KNOTS pulled off.

do we have any reason to believe Capice overruled Dunne other than the fact that Dunne was good on KNOTS where had had a more talented and objective boss with David Jacobs?

It's all speculation, isn't it - my only reason for thinking this may have been the case is because the first 13 episodes worked well, and there is a jarring change to what was set up by Dunne and his team from mid-season onwards. That smacks to me of interference, and interference really can only come from higher up. That means either from Capice or from the network, which is another possibility.

I don't know how David Jacobs compared to Capice as a boss. I've never read anything which speaks to Capice's influence on Dallas, actually. Capice and Dunne had worked together before, as co-executive producers of Sybil, so it wasn't as though Dunne had never worked with Capice when he took the job.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

It's all speculation, isn't it - my only reason for thinking this may have been the case is because the first 13 episodes worked well, and there is a jarring change to what was set up by Dunne and his team from mid-season onwards. That smacks to me of interference, and interference really can only come from higher up. That means either from Capice or from the network, which is another possibility.

I don't know how David Jacobs compared to Capice as a boss. I've never read anything which speaks to Capice's influence on Dallas, actually. Capice and Dunne had worked together before, as co-executive producers of Sybil, so it wasn't as though Dunne had never worked with Capice when he took the job.

Arguably, the first half of any DALLAS season is probably easier not to botch, because, despite the complications of filming on location, the new plotlines are still, more or less, parallel. But by the middle of each season, those plots need to start coalescing and intertwining. And that wasn't really happening.

As imperfect as Paulsen's work was on Season 7 of KNOTS, it was still far better than what Dunne (and others) did during the dream season. And Dunne was apparently angry at Katzman and Larry for Dunne's unceremonious firing, and not at Capice (but of course Capice was fired simultaneously).

One has always gotten the impression, correctly or not, that Capice was a typically aloof EP and was mostly hands-off the creative elements of DALLAS (although his control was enough to irritate Katzman into leaving) while Jacobs was more creatively engaged as an EP over at KNOTS. (Larry said in that interview that Capice was "a nice guy" but he said far worse elsewhere, asserting that Capice was "a no talent son of a bitch!").

With all the studio/network/producer/actor politics, it's amazing anything ever gets made -- let alone is ever any good.

I'm sure I'd just kill myself. Even as a viewer, I'm still tempted.

 

[alexpaige]

As imperfect as Paulsen's work was on Season 7 of KNOTS, it was still far better than what Dunne (and others) did during the dream season. And Dunne was apparently angry at Katzman and Larry for Dunne's unceremonious firing, and not at Capice (but of course Capice was fired simultaneously).

If Dunne was fired (do we know that was the case?) then it would probably have been Katzman who fired him, not Capice - although I haven't seen any comments from Dunne talking about any of that, so I wouldn't know. All I've seen is Dunne's comments about the dream season resolution, which he was pissed off about, on the grounds that it was "lying to the audience".

One has always gotten the impression, correctly or not, that Capice was a typically aloof EP and was mostly hands-off the creative elements of DALLAS (although his control was enough to irritate Katzman into leaving) while Jacobs was more creatively engaged as an EP over at KNOTS. (Larry said in that interview that Capice was "a nice guy" but he said far worse elsewhere, asserting that Capice was "a no talent son of a bitch!").

But if he was hands-off, then he would have left Katzman to his own devices, and Katzman would have had no reason to leave in the first place. It's pretty clearly on record that Katzman and Capice were constantly at loggerheads and that's why Katzman left - also why he wouldn't return unless he was given total authority. That only makes sense if Capice was actually hands-on at least to the extent of disagreeing with Katzman about the show's direction and storylines and trying to overrule him or actually overruling him.

With Katzman gone, it's logical that Capice would, if anything, attempt to increase his level of influence over the show - given he was the experienced EP of nine years standing, and Dunne and Jim Brown were the new guys on the block. Which argues for season 9's declining quality being a result of Capice's influence. As I said, it's all speculation, but it makes sense.

 

[tommie]

Peter Dunne helped pull Melrose Place up from the absolute trainwreck of season 6 and that show wasn't really known for being subtle. As @alexpaige says - the first 13 or so episodes of season 9 were fine and there was a clear direction which where the show would go next, only for everything to fall apart. That does scream "intervention" from the higher-ups and not entirely something that should be placed on the normally competent Dunne. He clearly tried to steer the show back into an ensemble piece rather than the JR show, so it wouldn't surprise me if Hagman actually started to become unhappy about it (especially since we know he was a driver in bringing back Duffy).

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Peter Dunne helped pull Melrose Place up from the absolute trainwreck of season 6 and that show wasn't really known for being subtle. As @alexpaige says - the first 13 or so episodes of season 9 were fine and there was a clear direction which where the show would go next, only for everything to fall apart. That does scream "intervention" from the higher-ups and not entirely something that should be placed on the normally competent Dunne. He clearly tried to steer the show back into an ensemble piece rather than the JR show, so it wouldn't surprise me if Hagman actually started to become unhappy about it (especially since we know he was a driver in bringing back Duffy).

I'm willing to bet that this is what happened.

Hagman couldn't stand to see the other actors being centre stage for a while on the show.

A shame really, even if he was the breakout key character that must've went to his head eventually!

 

[WarriorsFan]

I'm willing to bet that this is what happened.

Hagman couldn't stand to see the other actors being centre stage for a while on the show.

A shame really, even if he was the breakout key character that must've went to his head eventually!

Not just that, Larry Hagman was having weekly ratings battles with Joan Collins, Bill Cosby, and Angela Lansbury.

1984/1985 the big battle was Larry vs. Joan but then Bill started beating them both and Angela snuck in a win vs. Larry. In the end Joan won the battle, but barely.

1985/1986 Larry got beat by both Bill and Angela.

I can only imagine what Larry's reaction was when Angela took over from him as the face of CBS's primetime scripted lineup.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Not just that, Larry Hagman was having weekly ratings battles with Joan Collins, Bill Cosby, and Angela Lansbury.

1984/1985 the big battle was Larry vs. Joan but then Bill started beating them both and Angela snuck in a win vs. Larry. In the end Joan won the battle, but barely.

1985/1986 Larry got beat by both Bill and Angela.

I can only imagine what Larry's reaction was when Angela took over from him as the face of CBS's primetime scripted lineup.

Well, as I love Murder, She Wrote and Angela Lansbury as well as Larry Hagman on Dallas, for once I'm saying nothing!

Yeah, I'm saying nothing. Except for this - I love both Murder, She Wrote & Dallas.

 

[Snowcat]

Not sure I believe Hagman that the rest of the cast didn't like the season which became the dream season.

Both Linda Gray and Victoria Principal were both centre stage in that season and I'm of the opinion that might've irked Hagman's ego a bit that they were given a more prominent storyline over himself.

Dallas was and is an ensemble show at it's best. The fact that it turned into the Duffy and Hagman show in it's final four seasons was only to the detriment of the show.

Plus and you're all probably fed up with Via_The _Void for starting this (where's he gone, I wonder!) but the show really would've benefited if Ben Stivers or Wes Parmalee had really turned out to be Jock Ewing all along.

I just watched this interview. Larry said he was going to quit if they didn’t bring back Patrick & Lenny. He was the only one who knew about the dream sequence. He didn’t care for Season 9 because he felt it was too glamorized like Dynasty. I loved donna & Rays storyline & Sue Ellen beating alcohol and becoming independent. I’m glad they made her into a businesswoman in the next Season. I love JR & Larry. But I was annoyed to hear this

 

[Snowcat]

I don’t know what really happened behind the scenes. Plus all actors are only sharing their own filtered perspectives. All I know is as a fan, the show started nosediving in Season 10 that accelerated in season 11 & completely tanked in the remaining Seasons.

 

[kenneth]

Dallas weathered the loss of Bobby just fine, it was the loss of Pam that was a huge detriment to the show.

And the final season was such a shitty, pale imitation of its former self. Everyone involved in it should hang their head in shame.

Plus having a misogynist like Katzman in charge of a show filled with opiniated, strong actresses is recipe for disaster. By season 12 the soufflé had fallen significantly.

 

[CeeCee72]

Dallas failed in the final seasons because it turned away from what has made it so great. I've said a million times that all shows have a shelf life, and nighttime soaps were on the downswing all around. Dallas tried to change with the times, tried to appeal to viewers who were turning off soaps in general, but in doing so, it completely destroyed itself.

Season ten was "fine." But not great. The Wes story was fantastic, but it had no real resolution and they just dropped the whole thing. Donna was removed from the family and shoved into a romantic relationship with a DC senator that no one cares about. Ray and Jenna were forced together in the most unbelievable and annoying "romance" in TV history. Bobby and Pam sort of hovered in the background, with Pam's only real scenes being shrieking about Jenna or JR. Ellie and Clayton had about as much to do as Teresa. Sue Ellen had a great first half of the season but then turned into a scared and insecure little mouse again when Mandy came back on the scene, only to snap back into bitch mode with no explanation or warning to fire her. And JR... this season was the beginning of the end of the JR mystique. The Calhoun story line as well as the losing of Ewing Oil were both interesting, but made him look weak and timid.

By the time season 11 rolled around, there was no Pam, no Donna, and Clayton and Miss Ellie further marginalized. They wedged in Nicholas and Kimberly and April, and none of us cared about any of those people. Jenna was shoved even further down our throats,and the characters were all behaving in ways that weren't true to who the audience knew them to be . The most egregious mistake was the absolute discarding of Pam - who had been a central force in the show - to the point no one seemed to give even the slightest damn what happened to her.

Seasons 12, 13, & 14 were nothing more than them bring ing n young characters - and in some cases (specifically James) - using "pretty" actors who couldn't even...well, act. One bleached blonde bimbo after another to try to steal Ewing Oil, and JR and and Bobby running around acting half their age. It was a mess.

Is Katzman to blame for all of that? Well, some of it for sure. But I suspect the real culprits were Duffy and Hagman and their egos.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Dallas failed in the final seasons because it turned away from what has made it so great. I've said a million times that all shows have a shelf life, and nighttime soaps were on the downswing all around. Dallas tried to change with the times, tried to appeal to viewers who were turning off soaps in general, but in doing so, it completely destroyed itself.

Season ten was "fine." But not great. The Wes story was fantastic, but it had no real resolution and they just dropped the whole thing. Donna was removed from the family and shoved into a romantic relationship with a DC senator that no one cares about. Ray and Jenna were forced together in the most unbelievable and annoying "romance" in TV history. Bobby and Pam sort of hovered in the background, with Pam's only real scenes being shrieking about Jenna or JR. Ellie and Clayton had about as much to do as Teresa. Sue Ellen had a great first half of the season but then turned into a scared and insecure little mouse again when Mandy came back on the scene, only to snap back into bitch mode with no explanation or warning to fire her. And JR... this season was the beginning of the end of the JR mystique. The Calhoun story line as well as the losing of Ewing Oil were both interesting, but made him look weak and timid.

By the time season 11 rolled around, there was no Pam, no Donna, and Clayton and Miss Ellie further marginalized. They wedged in Nicholas and Kimberly and April, and none of us cared about any of those people. Jenna was shoved even further down our throats,and the characters were all behaving in ways that weren't true to who the audience knew them to be . The most egregious mistake was the absolute discarding of Pam - who had been a central force in the show - to the point no one seemed to give even the slightest damn what happened to her.

Seasons 12, 13, & 14 were nothing more than them bring ing n young characters - and in some cases (specifically James) - using "pretty" actors who couldn't even...well, act. One bleached blonde bimbo after another to try to steal Ewing Oil, and JR and and Bobby running around acting half their age. It was a mess.

Is Katzman to blame for all of that? Well, some of it for sure. But I suspect the real culprits were Duffy and Hagman and their egos.

I think it's a combination of all three of them.

Hagman for getting rid of Philip Capice and wanting Patrick Duffy back.

Katzman for allowing that ridiculous shower scene and the dream explanation.

And both Hagman and Duffy for riding on the crest of the Dallas wave as the show itself limped forward to a conclusion.

 

[Seaviewer]

Katzman for allowing that ridiculous shower scene and the dream explanation.

In the short on the DVD, it's stated that it was Katman's own idea.