Early Ewing Oil offices

[Herofan]

We’ve have a thread on the oddities of the exterior and interior of Southfork; I’d like to look at the offices.

Weren’t the Ewing offices different by season three than in season one, even though it was supposed to be the same offices? I realize the mini series was different, but I believe it was supposed to be the same ones in 3 as in 1. For one thing, It seems I remember the windows being larger in season one.

I found it strange that they never acknowledged Jock’s office until after his death and it was used for reminiscing purposes. Had they even shown a door for it up to that point? I remember in one episode Jock was looking after the office while JR was away, but he stayed in Jr’s office. I wonder why he didn’t hang out in his own office?

When they did get the new offices later on, was it just on another floor of the Ewing building? I don’t believe there was talk or scenes of remodeling the ones they were in.

 

[Miss Texas 1967]

Starting in season 7 or 8 (maybe? I think when Bobby was shot, I'm not totally sure) there was a line about new offices and then they showed the new brown and stone look, but I don't remember any lines before that. It's likely they didn't expect people to notice set changes when the episodes aired week to week with a few repeats but old episodes weren't easy to access to compare window placement etc.

 

[Toni]

If I remember well, the only time they acknowledged a change of EO offices pre-WestStar takeover was at the beginning of OR Season 5, including Kendall´s debut as receptionist. Of course, after the Calhoun disaster, they changed them every season: Season 10 had the brothers working in different offices, and Season 11 welcomed the very weird arrival of Cliff as their associate, with the reception becoming even bigger than the offices (or almost!).

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[Herofan]

If I remember well, the only time they acknowledged a change of EO offices pre-WestStar takeover was at the beginning of OR Season 5, including Kendall´s debut as receptionist. Of course, after the Calhoun disaster, they changed them every season: Season 10 had the brothers working in different offices, and Season 11 welcomed the very weird arrival of Cliff as their associate, with the reception becoming even bigger than the offices (or almost!).

View attachment 20059 View attachment 20058​

The top I believe was JR’s original office, and the bottom one was the “new office” which I assume was a different office and not a remodeled one.

I just found the episode where the new offices came along; it’s after Bobby took over as president in season 5. He walked in and Kendall asked how he liked the new offices. He said, “so far so good.” Then Phyllis asked if he wanted a guided tour, but he passed. He walked into his new office and didn’t even flinch. It was as if it was his old office. I’m not sure when JR saw them for the first time.

 

[lbf522]

Least in latter seasons, the offices were what you would expect an executive's office to look like. The earlier ones were very small.

 

[Billy Wall]

I always found it strange in the early seasons that there was nothing but trees outside the window in JR’s office. Lol

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I always found it strange in the early seasons that there was nothing but trees outside the window in JR’s office. Lol

The original view was from north of the city looking south (the approximate same view you'd have from Cliff's building) and in the skyline you can see from JR's office window the actual Elm Street building they're supposed to be in.

It was a mural from 1978 to 1981, and then a much superior transparency for the 81/82 season.

When they changed offices (but were in the same high rise) in the fall of 1982, the skyscrapers close around them made more sense for an Elm Street location.

BTW: I always thought a little marble, green or unostentatious white (to match the little table), around the door would have gently upscaled JR's early office rather nicely:

 

[Herofan]

Even though the Ewing’s were rich, I wonder if the intent in the beginning was not necessarily to focus so much on fancy things so much as plot? Were these offices typical of the times or a little weak even for them?