The early sets --- I mean, really..??

[LMLDallas78]

But what was it that miffed you about the second Southfork? -- because that may have been what we were complaining about.



But we snickered about them then -- until they improved later.

I just missed the original one and it took me a while to accept Southfork 2, but I was so young then and more fascinated by dark, imposing buildings. I thought it suited the Ewings then. I've since learnt to appreciate both for different reasons and Southfork 2 was obviously nicer looking cosmetically.

I didn't poke fun at the sets then, too young maybe to have any style flair, and I was easily impressed. I wouldn't wish to now either, fashions always return!

Famous UK TV presenter Terry Wogan always joked about them saying if the Ewings were so rich why did they always get married on the drive/car park :laughing:

 

[Daniel Avery]

There’s an early scene where a couple of Lucy’s friends are taking these tiny little steps trying to “run around the pool” to set up a situation where poor Jock isn’t even allowed to move his own barbecue grill out of the way. It looks completely absurd!

If you want to get a better sense of just how small these "grand" sets are, count the steps of an actor crossing the set when possible. Then compare to how many steps it takes to get across your living room, etc. to give you a reality check.

I say "when possible" because directors rarely allow a character to make a quick, straight-line march across a set for this very reason---it ruins the illusion. My guess is the director of that scene had them make multiple, tiny steps in a failed effort to make it seem like they were running across a large area...but created another bad illusion instead.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I was lucky enough to get on the MGM Dallas set in 83 and watch them film and the famous Living room on the set is far bigger than the living room at SF and you can push the walls back!

The interiors were far better than whats on offer at SF, but the fake set of garage, patio and pool were smaller than the real SF, the pool looked tiny

Also you went out of one door way and had to go across to another sound stage to walk thro the other!!

I did enjoy doing a sue Ellen - pouting and posing on the SF staircase (on set) that led to nowhere

The staircase at real SF leads to 1 - yes ONE, UNO, Un, EINS!!!!! bedroom only! so disappointing!!

 

[Toni]

So I guess these two super-stars of the show have been forgotten since nobody talks about them here... Why all dogs in the show were in porcelain? Was Jock a taxidermist in secret and took every dog in the ranch, stuffed them and covered them in porcelain? Why was Darius the only animal to be acknowledged in the show (Miss Piggy asks...)?

"Remember when we met...?"
"Shhhht, Takapa is coming..."​

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Why was Darius the only animal to be acknowledged in the show ?

Better-hung. Producers like it.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Tacky though the real interiors of Southfork are, the dining room and the living room in the back are okay -- as is the too-red kitchen. And that huge bathroom upstairs (where Bobby & Pam's bedroom would logically be) is interesting.

But the rest of the house is a wreck -- the bedrooms are awful (although Lucy's looks like it could be hers).

I think you have to watch it on Youtube, but this may be the least-irritating tour of the interiors:

This makes me suspect that Southfork is indeed doomed. The new owner's 'assurances' make me a bit queasy:

 

[Bobby Southworth]

I was lucky enough to get on the MGM Dallas set in 83 and watch them film and the famous Living room on the set is far bigger than the living room at SF and you can push the walls back!

The interiors were far better than whats on offer at SF, but the fake set of garage, patio and pool were smaller than the real SF, the pool looked tiny

Also you went out of one door way and had to go across to another sound stage to walk thro the other!!

I did enjoy doing a sue Ellen - pouting and posing on the SF staBa

Barbara Fan, did you ever get to see what was behind those little doorways next to the fireplace, or the ones on the right side of the back wall? I know after about season 9 or 10 they opened the doors and tried to make them look like extra sitting rooms I guess? was anything actually behind those doors when you were there?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Barbara, did you ever get to see what was behind those little doorways next to the fireplace, or the right side wall? I know after about season 9 or 10 they opened the doors and trying to make them look like extra sitting rooms I guess? was anything actually behind those doors when you were there?

I think if you rewatch the Sue Ellen's movie storyline (and I haven't seen it in eons) the kitchen set is actually in front of the living room set (I think).

 

[Billy Wall]

Speaking of sets. JR and Sue Ellen really got screwed on the bedrooms when you compare it to Bobby and Pam's. If I'm not mistaken, Bobby's room has a sitting area/room attached to it.

 

[LMLDallas78]

We never got to see upstairs in Southfork 1 did we?
I wonder what it would look like? How would the bedrooms look?
How many bedrooms could magically appear?........10, 20??

Speaking of sets. JR and Sue Ellen really got screwed on the bedrooms when you compare it to Bobby and Pam's. If I'm not mistaken, Bobby's room has a sitting area/room attached to it.

Yes! I feel I should know those bedrooms inside out (was going to say intimately!) Those rooms had plenty of screen time.
Didn't JR & Sue Ellen's room have chairs plonked by the end of the bed? Which often changed in style and position I believe.

 

[Richard Channing]

Then, about a third of the way into the season or a little more, we get this drab, fake, “overcast”, echoey set, overhead lights reflecting off a tiny replica pool…

True, although I will say that they got much better at lighting it as the seasons went on. Notably season 7 which had Bradford May in charge of cinematography. He was able to light it in a way that seemed much more natural.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

True, although I will say that they got much better at lighting it as the seasons went on. Notably season 7 which had Bradford May in charge of cinematography. He was able to light it in a way that seemed much more natural.

Hello, Richard Channing. Who's house did you post a picture of? Did someone on Dallas supposedly live there? Believe it or not, I recognize it from the intro to an american police drama called "Hunter" that ran in the '80s. It kinda took me aback, and a moment to figure out what I knew it from.

 

[Richard Channing]

Hello, Richard Channing. Who's house did you post a picture of? Did someone on Dallas supposedly live there? Believe it or not, I recognize it from the intro to an american police drama called "Hunter" that ran in the '80s. It kinda took me aback, and a moment to figure out what I knew it from.

The house in my signature has been in a lot of TV shows but is probably most well known, around here anyway, as The Colby mansion in The Colbys. But also other shows like The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman etc. And some movies too. It used to be owned by the Hilton family.

 

[Bobby Southworth]

We never got to see upstairs in Southfork 1 did we?
I wonder what it would look like? How would the bedrooms look?
How many bedrooms could magically appear?........10, 20??

I think you're right on this. However, we also really never saw the inside of that house at all, since just like Southfork 2, the interior was shot in another home. I would have liked to have seen more of the inside of that house, or even the actual inside of the Box ranch. There is one scene in "Spy In The House" with Bob and Pam. and one in "Barbecue" with them as well that shows their bedroom, (I think), but was this in the cottage behind the mansion, or the mansion. I'm thinking in "Spy In The House" it might be before they moved into the cottage, if they ever did??

 

[GillesDenver]

I think you're right on this. However, we also really never saw the inside of that house at all, since just like Southfork 2, the interior was shot in another home. I would have liked to have seen more of the inside of that house, or even the actual inside of the Box ranch. There is one scene in "Spy In The House" with Bob and Pam. and one in "Barbecue" with them as well that shows their bedroom, (I think), but was this in the cottage behind the mansion, or the mansion. I'm thinking in "Spy In The House" it might be before they moved into the cottage, if they ever did??

You can see 3 black and white pictures here : http://dynastie.wifeo.com/detailsC1.php

EDIT : oops, I just realized you were not talking about the Colbys' house !

 

[LMLDallas78]

I think you're right on this. However, we also really never saw the inside of that house at all, since just like Southfork 2, the interior was shot in another home. I would have liked to have seen more of the inside of that house, or even the actual inside of the Box ranch. There is one scene in "Spy In The House" with Bob and Pam. and one in "Barbecue" with them as well that shows their bedroom, (I think), but was this in the cottage behind the mansion, or the mansion. I'm thinking in "Spy In The House" it might be before they moved into the cottage, if they ever did??

I was intrigued by this so took a quick peek at those episodes (any excuse!)
You're right and I'm so wrong, I'd completely forgotten about those scenes.
In "spy in the house" we see Pam & Bobby in a sort of office room with a desk, book shelves and little sofa. Not sure where that is but guess somewhere in the main house as their "little house" as they call it, is being decorated.

In "Barbecue" we do indeed see their bedroom when she tells him she's pregnant and later after the miscarriage. It's big and brown as trends were then.

I'd also forgotten that we see Miss Ellie poorly in bed in the early part of "winds of vengeance". The room as a whole isn't shown, but it looks as though it's quite grand and in keeping with the rest of the house.
I don't believe Pam and Bobby ever did move into their little house, after "Barbecue" they all lived in Southfork 2 as we know.

 

['V']

In "Barbecue" we do indeed see their bedroom when she tells him she's pregnant and later after the miscarriage. It's big and brown as trends were then.

I'd also forgotten that we see Miss Ellie poorly in bed in the early part of "winds of vengeance". The room as a whole isn't shown, but it looks as though it's quite grand and in keeping with the rest of the house.
I don't believe Pam and Bobby ever did move into their little house, after "Barbecue" they all lived in Southfork 2 as we know.

There's also the scene in "Digger's Daughter", where Pam says that nobody talked to her over dinner, then JR comes in to tell Bobby to go to Austin the next morning. I'm not sure if this is the same bedroom we see in Barbecue.

 

[LMLDallas78]

There's also the scene in "Digger's Daughter", where Pam says that nobody talked to her over dinner, then JR comes in to tell Bobby to go to Austin the next morning. I'm not sure if this is the same bedroom we see in Barbecue.

Yes you're right! It's the same bedroom as in Barbeque, although it looks a lot nicer as it's lit with lamps and gives a nicer colour and cozier feel.
As you say JR appears, I think looking quite dapper in his cardigan, don't recall seeing that again, he must've replaced it with that pale belted utility jacket!