Michael Filerman on Dallas

[Laurie Marr]

Do you think, like me, that one of the strengths of Dallas was the casting? If so, Michael Filerman disagrees......and he is very candid in his assessment of Linda Gray’s acting ability:

Michael: It didn’t strike me that they would take, you know, KNOTS LANDING.
I was just happy they were gonna take the other show.

James: Was that – was the other show DALLAS?

Michael: The other show was DALLAS.

James: Were you involved in DALLAS at all?

Michael: I was involved in the development of DALLAS and, with David,
through the first, I think, thirteen episodes.

James: Right.

Jason: That’s really interesting. In retrospect, when you look back on those
episodes, was it everything that you thought or did it turn out better than
you imagined?

Michael: You mean DALLAS?

Jason: Yes, DALLAS. When you look back on it.

Michael: No. I mean, you always want it to be – I didn’t like the casting
that much.

Jason: You didn’t?

Michael: No. I thought the casting was OK. I didn’t like – I thought Larry
was great. I liked Larry very, very, very much. And I liked Victoria, I
thought she was good.

James: Did you have any specific – where did you see the casting – if it was
left to you, where would you have gone with it?

Michael: Well, I wouldn’t have cast Linda Gray for one.

James: Really?

Michael: Really.

Jason: Mary Frann was up for that role, wasn’t she?

Michael: Yes, we wanted her really badly. Cos she could act, you know.

Jason: And was the role more heavily written because Sue Ellen, if I
remember, in the first –

Michael: – was not.

Jason: – was not.

Michael: It was, (mimicking Sue Ellen) “Yes, JR. No, JR.”

(Jason and James laugh)

Jason: Wow. And Linda Gray tells a story of how she was doing a scene with
Larry Hagman and she just gave him a look, and that you guys all sat up and
went, “Oh my God, this woman can really act,” and then it all changed. Is
there any truth to that?

Michael: I certainly wasn’t in the room.

(Jason and James laugh)

James: Well, my –

Michael: I never saw any indication that she could act.

Jason: You didn’t. Right.

James: Well, my confusion with the Mary Frann story – wasn’t Mary Frann
already well known before DALLAS?

Michael: I think this came, if I’m not mistaken, before THE BOB NEWHART
SHOW.

Jason: Oh, really?

James: Right, right. Oh, so that explains why she would be cast in what was
originally quite a small role.

Michael: Yeah.

James: Right.

Michael: And, you know, Linda Gray got the part because her husband and she
were friends with Merv Adelson and his wife.

James: And who was Merv Adelson?

Michael: One of the Elders of Lorimar.

James: Oh right, right.

Jason: Oh, I see. I see, I see, I see. And yet it’s incredible, isn’t it,
because the role went on to be phenomenal in it’s – I mean, it’s quite
ironic, isn’t it, that it, you know – sometimes the best laid plans …

Michael: I guess.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Mary Frann had more experience than Linda (although her comedic performance on NEWHART was far below that of Suzanne Pleshette in THE BOB NEWHART SHOW) but Linda Gray was the right casting. Linda just hit that neurotic diva "note" better than Frann would have.

 

[Billy Wall]

Damn. Tell us what you really think. Lol I actually thought Linda Gray could have won an Emmy during the early years. Then he says that Victoria was good. I admit, she got better, but her acting in the early seasons left a lot to be desired.

 

[Laurie Marr]

Gray brought a subversive note of camp to proceedings. And she got a whole lot better after her rendition of ‘People.’

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Damn. Tell us what you really think. Lol I actually thought Linda Gray could have won an Emmy during the early years. Then he says that Victoria was good. I admit, she got better, but her acting in the early seasons left a lot to be desired.

Exactly. VP became terrific, but she was awfully wobbly in the early days.

But Filerman also thought David Paulsen, the most brilliant constructionist DALLAS ever had (and that includes Katzman) was a wash-out.

 

[Kenny Coyote]

Michael: Well, I wouldn’t have cast Linda Gray for one.

James: Really?

Michael: Really.

Jason: Mary Frann was up for that role, wasn’t she?

Michael: Yes, we wanted her really badly. Cos she could act, you know.

Jason: And was the role more heavily written because Sue Ellen, if I
remember, in the first –

Michael: – was not.

Jason: – was not.

Michael: It was, (mimicking Sue Ellen) “Yes, JR. No, JR.”

(Jason and James laugh)

Jason: Wow. And Linda Gray tells a story of how she was doing a scene with
Larry Hagman and she just gave him a look, and that you guys all sat up and
went, “Oh my God, this woman can really act,” and then it all changed. Is
there any truth to that?

Michael: I certainly wasn’t in the room.

(Jason and James laugh)

James: Well, my –

Michael: I never saw any indication that she could act.

That is funny. He's so adamant about her lack of acting ability, as he sees it. You rarely come across someone these days who is that candid, who is that unconcerned with being politically correct.

 

[Gold Canyon 340]

What is the source for this material, btw?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

That is funny. He's so adamant about her lack of acting ability, as he sees it. You rarely come across someone these days who is that candid, who is that unconcerned with being politically correct.

I'm not sure Filerman was so much candidly politically incorrect as he was someone with odd ideas who just stuck with them.

What is the source for this material, btw?

UlitmateDallas​

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

I wonder to what extent the scripts for the episodes after Digger’s Daughter were altered after production began. Sue Ellen might have been something of a non-entity in the first couple of episodes, but she had a beefy scene in Spy in the House, and by far, I’d say, the most difficult assignment in Winds of Vengeance. By Barbecue she was already starting to round into form with the double-wine-fisted soliloquy to the old ladies and the Lady Godiva on horseback scene.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

I'm not sure Filerman was so much candidly politically incorrect as he was someone with odd ideas who just stuck with them.

UlitmateDallas​

it’s also here: http://www.knotslanding.net/interviews/michaelfilerman.html

 

[TJames03]

I think Frann has just left Days of Our Lives as Amanda, at this point (def before “Newhart”).

The only good acting Gray ever did was when Sue Ellen was in the drunk tank in the dream season. Other than that, dreadful. All Sue Ellen could say to JR was, “You bastard!”

 

[stevew]

Sounds more full of himself that he’s willing to be hurtful after the fact when there’s absolutely no need to say such things.

 

[Rove]

I don't see this interview as mean spirited. Michael is simply offering his honest opinion when both he and David Jacobs were working on those early episodes of Dallas. Sometimes producers/writers/showrunners have a clear image in their mind what actors would best suit characters. I personally would never have picked Larry Hagman to play JR based on his turn as Major Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie. Honestly does anyone here think Larry could play such a character? Guess what? The bloke nailed it.

I have never heard of or seen any work related to Mary Frann so I won't judge whether she could have played a convincing Sue Ellen. There is also the chemistry factor which comes into play. From the very first moment, Patrick/Victoria had spark. The same could be said with Larry/Linda and Jim/Barbara Bel. The chemistry between these three couples just oozed from the small screen.

Many have stated the casting for Dallas was near perfection and I have to agree.

 

[Swami]

I don't know how he thinks Linda Gray couldn't act, she was brilliant right throught the show's history.

Swami

 

[James from London]

I don't see this interview as mean spirited.

He was a very nice interviewee, very funny and generous with his time, and he spoke very warmly of David Jacobs whom he regarded as the brother he'd never had. He told us some other stuff that he stipulated was to remain off the record so, unlikely as it may seem, he did have some discretion!

 

[Angela Channing]

Michael Filerman always seems like great value. I recall reading an interview many years ago on the subject of Falcon Crest and he was surprisingly very open about his thoughts on a wide range of issues and personalities.

I never believed that guff about JR and Sue Ellen bickering in the background leading to the producers wanting to increase their screen time as I couldn't recall a single scene in which that happened.

He told us some other stuff that he stipulated was to remain off the record so, unlikely as it may seem, he did have some discretion!

James, I'll have to take you out for a drink sometime and get you to divulge everything you know!

 

[Kenny Coyote]

I'm not sure Filerman was so much candidly politically incorrect as he was someone with odd ideas who just stuck with them.

Why do you suppose David Jacobs collaborated with him on Knots Landing if his ideas were odd?

 

[Toni]

Do you think, like me, that one of the strengths of Dallas was the casting? If so, Michael Filerman disagrees......and he is very candid in his assessment of Linda Gray’s acting ability:

Michael: It didn’t strike me that they would take, you know, KNOTS LANDING.
I was just happy they were gonna take the other show.

James: Was that – was the other show DALLAS?

Michael: The other show was DALLAS.

James: Were you involved in DALLAS at all?

Michael: I was involved in the development of DALLAS and, with David,
through the first, I think, thirteen episodes.

James: Right.

Jason: That’s really interesting. In retrospect, when you look back on those
episodes, was it everything that you thought or did it turn out better than
you imagined?

Michael: You mean DALLAS?

Jason: Yes, DALLAS. When you look back on it.

Michael: No. I mean, you always want it to be – I didn’t like the casting
that much.

Jason: You didn’t?

Michael: No. I thought the casting was OK. I didn’t like – I thought Larry
was great. I liked Larry very, very, very much. And I liked Victoria, I
thought she was good.

James: Did you have any specific – where did you see the casting – if it was
left to you, where would you have gone with it?

Michael: Well, I wouldn’t have cast Linda Gray for one.

James: Really?

Michael: Really.

Jason: Mary Frann was up for that role, wasn’t she?

Michael: Yes, we wanted her really badly. Cos she could act, you know.

Jason: And was the role more heavily written because Sue Ellen, if I
remember, in the first –

Michael: – was not.

Jason: – was not.

Michael: It was, (mimicking Sue Ellen) “Yes, JR. No, JR.”

(Jason and James laugh)

Jason: Wow. And Linda Gray tells a story of how she was doing a scene with
Larry Hagman and she just gave him a look, and that you guys all sat up and
went, “Oh my God, this woman can really act,” and then it all changed. Is
there any truth to that?

Michael: I certainly wasn’t in the room.

(Jason and James laugh)

James: Well, my –

Michael: I never saw any indication that she could act.

Jason: You didn’t. Right.

James: Well, my confusion with the Mary Frann story – wasn’t Mary Frann
already well known before DALLAS?

Michael: I think this came, if I’m not mistaken, before THE BOB NEWHART
SHOW.

Jason: Oh, really?

James: Right, right. Oh, so that explains why she would be cast in what was
originally quite a small role.

Michael: Yeah.

James: Right.

Michael: And, you know, Linda Gray got the part because her husband and she
were friends with Merv Adelson and his wife.

James: And who was Merv Adelson?

Michael: One of the Elders of Lorimar.

James: Oh right, right.

Jason: Oh, I see. I see, I see, I see. And yet it’s incredible, isn’t it,
because the role went on to be phenomenal in it’s – I mean, it’s quite
ironic, isn’t it, that it, you know – sometimes the best laid plans …

Michael: I guess.

...From the man who wanted to do trash when "Knots Landing" was greenlit. Who also (probably) cast Oscar-worthy actresses like Kim Lankford, Lisa Hartman and Felicity Waterman. Who also turned "Falcon Crest" into a boring pile of garbage (and got rid of Ana-Alicia) in its 8th Season.

Ugh. At least he did like Victoria... To me he sounded like a mean old b*tch...

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

I personally would never have picked Larry Hagman to play JR based on his turn as Major Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie. Honestly does anyone here think Larry could play such a character?

One of my few fixed beliefs lies in versatility. Even my first cousin once removed says I look different in every photo.

Michael Filerman always seems like great value. I recall reading an interview many years ago on the subject of Falcon CrestI never believed that guff about JR and Sue Ellen bickering in the background leading to the producers wanting to increase their screen time as I couldn't recall a single scene

My first thoughts are of their delightful marital trouble scenes in Spy in the House and Barbecue. Neither of which were in the background. But it does leave one wanting more.

Filerman also thought David Paulsen, the most brilliant constructionist DALLAS ever had (and that includes Katzman) was a wash-out.

Although that year when David Paulsen was doing Knots Landing, it did seem to me from that very first episode that the characters were behaving out of character. Like they were speaking with different voices and different minds.

Michael: It was, (mimicking Sue Ellen) “Yes, JR.

Why do you suppose David Jacobs collaborated with him on Knots Landing if his ideas were odd?

They could work well together, spark each other and compromise too. Like when David Jacobs didn’t want to do the Val’s babies storyline and the late Michael Filerman saw the story potential in it and David Jacobs said in another interview that James and Jason did that that was the best story.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Why do you suppose David Jacobs collaborated with him on Knots Landing if his ideas were odd?

You can't collaborate with someone who's odd??

Filerman got along well with Jacobs, by most reports. He did not get along well with Earl Hamner with whom he co-produced FALCON CREST. Sometimes personalities blend, sometimes they don't.

But when Ana-Alicia was written out of FC, and then re-hired by CBS and Lorimar due to viewer complaint, Filmerman (who didn't like his decisions being countermanded) made her deliberately feel uncomfortable on the set once she returned, since she was the only one he could take his ire out on.

Although that year when David Paulsen was doing Knots Landing, it did seem to me from that very first episode that the characters were behaving out of character. Like they were speaking with different voices and different minds.

I'm not the biggest defender of Paulsen's work in S7 of KNOTS (although it certainly beat Peter Dunne's work on DALLAS that same season). But Paulsen had to deal with on-set politics that year he hadn't expected on KNOTS.... So I dunno.