Charlene Tilton's acting chops

[Bobby's the Best]

Although Charlene Tilton became a polished actress during her lengthy run on "Dallas", it's abundantly clear that during the first season or two of the series that her acting ability needed serious honing. As I restart the series watching the pilot, "Digger's Daughter", her acting could arguably be outdone by that of a high school thespian.

 

[James from London]

I really like her scene on the stairs with Pam. She's raw and unpolished, but I think that works in her favour. She seems real.

 

[Sarah]

To be fair she was very young when Dallas started. Only 17.

 

[Barbara Fan]

She was one of the weakest links in the original cast - but at times she could pull it out of the bag

agree with JFL re scene with Pam on Stairs, with Bobby after dumping Kit and she always seemed to raise her game in scenes with 2 pros like Barbara Bel Geddes and Larry Hagman who i felt brought out the best in her.

her "Why me grandma" in Mastectomy has always stayed with me as being very memorable along with Bobby asking when the pain (over dumping Kit) will go away

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The scene on the stairs could have been helped by some adjusted editing... Don't keep the camera on someone when they glaze over --- unless, of course, they're supposed to glaze over.

 

[Seaviewer]

I don't know anything about acting. I just always assumed that whatever Charlene did was what Lucy did. It seemed to work for me.

 

[Rove]

If the intention was for Lucy to be viewed as a spoilt rich kid...well Charlene she should have been handed a Golden Globe and Emmy. That said, I've always viewed Charlene as the weakest link in what I consider perfect casting. Her most memorable work I believe was anything associated with Mickey.

 

[Chris2]

Charlene had acting chops?

I agree with Rove. She was the weak link. Her range was limited, and I don’t think the pulled off the vixen/bad girl very well, as they wrote Lucy early on. I also agree that she was best during the Mickey story. I think the writers really eventually blew that, BTW. They could have mined a lot more from that couple, with them eventually leaving Southfork together to start a new life elsewhere. That would have been a much more satisfying ending for those characters.

 

[James from London]

I just always assumed that whatever Charlene did was what Lucy did. It seemed to work for me.

That's kind of the ideal situation really.

 

[Angela Channing]

Lucy was still meant to be school girl who didn't have the emotional intelligence of the other principle characters on the show. It's not unusual for young people that age to behave in a melodramatic or over the top manner or in a way that wouldn't be considered to be entirely natural in a more mature person. Charlene's portrayal of Lucy was in keeping with who the character was and I felt her acting range was adequate for who Lucy was at the time.

 

[Bobby's the Best]

If the intention was for Lucy to be viewed as a spoilt rich kid...well Charlene she should have been handed a Golden Globe and Emmy. That said, I've always viewed Charlene as the weakest link in what I consider perfect casting. Her most memorable work I believe was anything associated with Mickey.

I've gotta agree with you when you mention her work with Tim Patrick Murphy.

 

[retrosonic]

I actually think Charlene did fine in the limited role they gave her. She played a spoiled brat fairly well, And yes, her scenes with Mickey *were* very good. Its a shame that the writers didnt consider her "growing up" a launching pad for plot lines. one I can think of......Lucy marries and young up and coming exec of Weststar, who plots to ruin Ewing Oil financially, in order to later bail it out to to take ownership.

 

[Bobby's the Best]

I actually think Charlene did fine in the limited role they gave her. She played a spoiled brat fairly well, And yes, her scenes with Mickey *were* very good. Its a shame that the writers didnt consider her "growing up" a launching pad for plot lines. one I can think of......Lucy marries and young up and coming exec of Weststar, who plots to ruin Ewing Oil financially, in order to later bail it out to to take ownership.

I love that plot twist!! They did tease with that angle during the Kit Mainwaring storyline, but the writers failed to develop that story like they should have.