Dallas Character Jock Ewing - A Great Man!

[tommie]

A lot of people seem to want to sanctify Jock because of Jim Davis, but as a character I always found Jock a way more villainous character and in all honesty, if Jim hadn't died he might have gone in that direction. JR had to have learnt his craft somewhere; Gary on the other hand was too weak and - dare I say it - too much like miss Ellie. Bobby might have been the only one with some sort of balance between Jock and Ellie.

Of course, when Jock died he was on the series portrayed as a Saint - which is very true to what often happens in real life. It does not mean he was one.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

A lot of people seem to want to sanctify Jock because of Jim Davis, but as a character I always found Jock a way more villainous character and in all honesty, if Jim hadn't died he might have gone in that direction. JR had to have learnt his craft somewhere; Gary on the other hand was too weak and - dare I say it - too much like miss Ellie. Bobby might have been the only one with some sort of balance between Jock and Ellie.

Of course, when Jock died he was on the series portrayed as a Saint - which is very true to what often happens in real life. It does not mean he was one.

I believe that because Jim Davis died, Jock was remembered as a saint. The war hero story of saving the Jews comes to mind. Although I didn't see him as a saint, I saw him as an excellent man. I'm curious, what where the things that made him "villainous" to you?

JR did learn from his father but not the shitty stuff he did - not the compulsive cheating and emotional abuse of his wife. Also, remember JR told Jock that he offered Pam money to have her marriage annulled in the very first episode? If Jock had been as you described him, he would have approved! However, his reaction was "You jackass"! He told JR that he had to learn the art of subtlety. JR actually then asked "Why"? He really didn't know what the use of subtlety was! That's a tremendous testament to the difference between Jock and JR and how JR's worst deeds were precisely from the lack of learning everything Jock taught him.

 

[tommie]

I believe that because Jim Davis died, Jock was remembered as a saint. The war hero story of saving the Jews comes to mind. Although I didn't see him as a saint, I saw him as an excellent man. I'm curious, what where the things that made him "villainous" to you?

JR did learn from his father but not the shitty stuff he did - not the compulsive cheating and emotional abuse of his wife. Also, remember JR told Jock that he offered Pam money to have her marriage annulled in the very first episode? If Jock had been as you described him, he would have approved! However, his reaction was "You jackass"! He told JR that he had to learn the art of subtlety. JR actually then asked "Why"? He really didn't know what the use of subtlety was! That's a tremendous testament to the difference between Jock and JR and how JR's worst deeds were precisely from the lack of learning everything Jock taught him.

So, Jock's criticism of JR in the first episode was that he essentially didn't have the proper tact to buy Pamela Barnes off?

That's not a nice guy move - that's someone who knows how to handle business and telling his jack-ass son that he did a no-no.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

So, Jock's criticism of JR in the first episode was that he essentially didn't have the proper tact to buy Pamela Barnes off?

That's not a nice guy move - that's someone who knows how to handle business and telling his jack-ass son that he did a no-no.

No. It sounds like you might enjoy watching that episode again. It seems you'd be surprised at how different Jock is from what you're imagining. I don't have an especially good memory but I saw this episode just a few weeks ago. Jock went on to say about Bobby and Pam marrying "I'm not sure it's a bad thing anyway." Then in the 5th and final episode of the miniseries Jock says to Pamela as she's lying in bed recovering from her fall some comforting words that show he has grown to care for her. He goes on to say "You've found out that we Ewings aren't the easiest family to live with. Maybe we Ewings have gotten our way for so long that it's gotten in our way of just being people. I don't expect you to have any reason to really care, but I don't want you to leave. I want to keep my family together." Not the "vllainous" guy, you thought he was, huh?

 

[Billy Wall]

I believe that because Jim Davis died, Jock was remembered as a saint. The war hero story of saving the Jews comes to mind. Although I didn't see him as a saint, I saw him as an excellent man. I'm curious, what where the things that made him "villainous" to you?

JR did learn from his father but not the shitty stuff he did - not the compulsive cheating and emotional abuse of his wife. Also, remember JR told Jock that he offered Pam money to have her marriage annulled in the very first episode? If Jock had been as you described him, he would have approved! However, his reaction was "You jackass"! He told JR that he had to learn the art of subtlety. JR actually then asked "Why"? He really didn't know what the use of subtlety was! That's a tremendous testament to the difference between Jock and JR and how JR's worst deeds were precisely from the lack of learning everything Jock taught him.

I believe JR and Jock were more alike than you want to admit. He did cheat on Miss Ellie and fathered Ray. Remember the storyline when Jock was running around with a much younger woman? I still remember a scene where Miss Ellie tells JR something to the effect “Your daddy wouldn’t have did that”. JR’s response “You don’t know half the things daddy did.”

You have to remember that we see an older Jock that probably wasn’t quite as ruthless as he was in his younger days. And all that “shitty” stuff JR did, Jock turned the other cheek to just about all of it.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Jock turned the other cheek to just about all of it.

JR was a grown man. What would you have Jock do? Ground him?

 

[Barbara Fan]

Jock, a great man- let me think...…………….

Committed 1st wife to sanitorium - TICK
Lied to second wife and not told about 1st wife - Tick
Unfaithful and had a mistress in the war - TICK
fathered a child out of wedlock - TICK
Used 3bs to blackmail, bribe, collude and trap any rival - TICK
Drove no 2 son away as he was seen as weak- TICK
Caused Jonus Culver to commit suicide as he got him committed to sanitorium to steal land - TICK
Rode roughshod over Tom Owens - TICK
Pitted sons against each other - TICK
male chauvinist - a womans place is in the bedroom not the board room - TICK
Your're over stepping your place Miss Ellie - WTF!! - TICK

and then there was Digger who Jock wasn't all to blame for his issues in life but certainly helped.

that's not a great man in my book - a chauvinist, a bully and used to getting his own way and would fight anyone who stood in his way by buying off, setting up, corrupting and deceiving. I was never really sure why Miss Ellie married him - yes to save the ranch - and stuck with him. Id take Clayton any day of the week.

JR was his fathers son without a doubt and learnt at the feet of the master!

 

[Michael Torrance]

JR was his fathers son without a doubt and learnt at the feet of the master!

To be honest, I found Jock harder to take than J.R. At least J.R. was always trying to cover his tracks knowing he had done terrible things but believing anything is permissible as long as it benefits him. Jock was self-righteous enough to insist that everything he did, he did for the good of others.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I was never really sure why Miss Ellie married him - yes to save the ranch - and stuck with him.

The impression I got was that although Miss Ellie initially married Jock for his money so she could keep Southfork, she grew to love him deeply after they were married. They both looked at the world in a similar way and had similar values. They were both very capable of doing what was necessary, whatever was necessary.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Jim hadn´t died and Clayton had not been introduced. I mean, would all the Clayton storylines had gone to Jock instead: would he have defended Sue Ellen against J.R., or what would he have thought about Jamie and Jack, or how would he have reacted to Bobby´s "death", or would he have had another heart attack, another flirt with a much younger woman or another secret son (because Mr. Katzman had not too much imagination regarding plots for the elders...).

What do you think, and what would you have liked Jock to be doing (no dirty thoughts please). RIP Mr. Davis, you were Da Man!!

I don't think there would have been a Jaime/Jack storyline, Jock would have prevailed in a knock-out drag out Ewing-Farlow war,
instead of the battle for Ewing Oil,
if Bobby "died" somehow another Ewing son (Amanda's son?) would have appeared.
Just some thoughts.

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

A lot of people seem to want to sanctify Jock because of Jim Davis, but as a character I always found Jock a way more villainous character and in all honesty, if Jim hadn't died he might have gone in that direction. JR had to have learnt his craft somewhere; Gary on the other hand was too weak and - dare I say it - too much like miss Ellie. Bobby might have been the only one with some sort of balance between Jock and Ellie.

Of course, when Jock died he was on the series portrayed as a Saint - which is very true to what often happens in real life. It does not mean he was one.

I think Jock was layered. He could be a good man, he could also be ruthless

 

[Chris2]

Jock was also complicit in stealing a child (Lucy) away from her mother (Valene). Any person who would deny a child her mother is awful. And this is always glossed over.

 

[Billy Wall]

Jock was also complicit in stealing a child (Lucy) away from her mother (Valene). Any person who would deny a child her mother is awful. And this is always glossed over.

That speaks on that entitlement of the Ewing’s we talked about in another thread. To them, a Ewing heir was too good to be running around with a commoner like Valine.

 

[Toni]

Jock was also complicit in stealing a child (Lucy) away from her mother (Valene). Any person who would deny a child her mother is awful. And this is always glossed over.

Maybe Jock found out that Val had an affair with Paul Galveston... either that, or he really didn´t like her coffee.

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[DallasFanForever]

I think Jock was layered. He could be a good man, he could also be ruthless

He was a very complicated man. He did a lot of bad things in his life but I think he also had a good heart and could be quite loving when he wanted to.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

He was a very complicated man. He did a lot of bad things in his life but I think he also had a good heart and could be quite loving when he wanted to.

Jock was a rather complex character. He didn't suffer fools too well.

At the end of the day he was only human, capable of making mistakes.

As to the actors who played him, both Jim Davis and Steve Forrest were similar types of actors.

Both had great screen presence and just lit the screen up when they were in a scene.

The Wes Parmalee Jock Ewing storyline is one of the most memorable of the show's entire run.

Kudos to both Jim Davis and Steve Forrest.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

Maybe Jock found out that Val had an affair with Paul Galveston... either that, or he really didn´t like her coffee.

View attachment 35975​

Her coffee was awful!

Any wonder Jock found it difficult to like Valene, the coffee was too bitter and tasteless.

Just like her!