Priscilla Pointer

[MarkDallasAddict]

Ive just watched the episodes featuring Priscilla Pointer who did a magnificent job as Rebecca Wentworth. A shame she wasn't in the show for longer, I am still not convinced why she didn't come and see Cliff and Pam earlier - everyone else seems to be in contact with her - Clayton was one of them.

Anyway, my question is this. Has PP ever spoken about her time on the show? Did she enjoy it? Did she regret being killed off? Any gossip from her brief stint?

She was so glamorous and having checked she is still very much with us (thankfully!).

 

[Toni]

Ive just watched the episodes featuring Priscilla Pointer who did a magnificent job as Rebecca Wentworth. A shame she wasn't in the show for longer, I am still not convinced why she didn't come and see Cliff and Pam earlier - everyone else seems to be in contact with her - Clayton was one of them.

Anyway, my question is this. Has PP ever spoken about her time on the show? Did she enjoy it? Did she regret being killed off? Any gossip from her brief stint?

She was so glamorous and having checked she is still very much with us (thankfully!).

Yes, she talked about it in the Barbara Curran book. She only said positive things (unlike others from other soaps, cough cough). She did remark, a bit sad, that she was cast because the producers seemed to think she was believable as Pam´s mum, and they didn´t say they liked her work for theater or movies. She also mentioned that she would have liked to stay on, but she "guessed" (again) that her character had run out of course.

PP was a funny person too, and she (in cahoots with then director Larry Hagman) made a joke for the crew when she sit up (after dying) and said "I´m much better now"... I wish it had appeared in one of the gag reels on YouTube.

​

 

[Barbara Fan]

I have a radio interview with Priscilla Pointer from 1982 when she appeared on Radio 2 on the Gloria Hunniford show at lunchtime (skived off school for it - same with Linda Gray)

She said at first she was known as Pams Mum, but that had changed to its Cliffs mum and she also talked about appearing with her daughter in films She seemed a nice lady. I still have it on cassette tape, just dont have a tape recorder that plays very well now!

 

[Rove]

Loved Priscilla Pointer as Rebecca Wentworth and the casting director couldn't have picked a more worthy actress. She displayed a range of emotions similar to Barbara Bel Geddes. But while Barbara had a warmth to her Priscilla came across as slightly cold in her delivery. I'm not suggesting that is a bad thing but how good Priscilla was. I thoroughly enjoyed her confrontation with Miss Ellie in the Southfork living room telling her the Ewing's had it too good for too long. Another error on the writers part to dispense with Rebecca as I think there was more life in the character.

 

[darkshadows38]

i'd say one of my favorite roles is her role in Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3: The Dream Warriors (1987) it's not a big part but she's such a bitch in it

 

[Jimmy Todd]

Loved Priscilla Pointer as Rebecca Wentworth and the casting director couldn't have picked a more worthy actress. She displayed a range of emotions similar to Barbara Bel Geddes. But while Barbara had a warmth to her Priscilla came across as slightly cold in her delivery. I'm not suggesting that is a bad thing but how good Priscilla was. I thoroughly enjoyed her confrontation with Miss Ellie in the Southfork living room telling her the Ewing's had it too good for too long. Another error on the writers part to dispense with Rebecca as I think there was more life in the character.

Good call about her delivery being played with a coldness. It fit a woman who once abandoned her children.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Good call about her delivery being played with a coldness. It fit a woman who once abandoned her children.

Yes, the coldness fit the character. This woman was never going to win mother of the year but despite her mistakes we do know she loved her children.

I wish she could’ve stayed on the show longer as well. It felt like she was gone in the blink of an eye but again her quick exit fits the character. Her death may have been premature but it was important to the plot as it did help drive the drama in Pam, Cliff and Katherine’s lives for years to come.

 

[MarkDallasAddict]

Thank you for the replies, delighted to read them. Yes I think we are all in agreement she went far too soon. I am watching the season now as I mentioned and I have to say that Pam and Katherine seemed to get over her death quite quickly! I think Afton was more upset than those two!

 

[Pamela_E]

I was more interested in her relationship with Katherine. Unlike other characters we never really got to understand why Katherine was so crazy.

It made sense when Rebecca was alive for Katherine to feel jealousy towards Cliff, but I never quite understood what had damaged her to the degree she turned into a psycho killer.

I guess at that point it wasn't that type of show that delved into their motivations.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

And, like with Mickey, the battle over Jock's will needed a body count.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I always thought Priscilla Pointer had quite "cold" eyes, there wasnt a warmth there and it fitted the character - who could walk away and leave 2 children when they were young.

 

[Sarah]

She’s wonderful as Rebecca. A real tough cookie who won’t take any crap from the Ewings. She was fearless. Wouldn’t say I ever warmed to her in a Miss Ellie like way (not possible!) but it was great to see a tough female defending her son, albeit a bit too late.

(Except for any nastiness she threw at Sue Ellen - not acceptable).

 

[Rove]

Except for any nastiness she threw at Sue Ellen - not acceptable

Did that happen? Remind me of the scene. By the way. Sue Ellen could easily toss a stinging barb when required.

 

[Sarah]

Did that happen? Remind me of the scene. By the way. Sue Ellen could easily toss a stinging barb when required.

And what?

The Majesty is allowed.

 

[Mustard]

Thank you for the replies, delighted to read them. Yes I think we are all in agreement she went far too soon. I am watching the season now as I mentioned and I have to say that Pam and Katherine seemed to get over her death quite quickly! I think Afton was more upset than those two!

Afton is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, so is more obviously upset. Pam was shocked and internally angry, blaming the Battle for Ewing Oil in particular for her mother's death, and she decided to take a break from Bobby, and soon the marriage was over with Katherine's subtle interference. Rebecca's death sent Katherine into madness, or the fact that she wasn't the sole heir of the Wentworth fortune, the latter being a very believable motive for Katherine going off the rails like she did, combined with Bobby's rejection of her later on. Herbert Wentworth died without ever knowing about Cliff and Pam.

 

[Chris2]

Herbert Wentworth died without ever knowing about Cliff and Pam.

I think Rebecca either killed him before he found out, or killed him because he found out. He realized that they weren’t really married, and he was going to disinherit her and send her packing.

 

[Luke_Krebbs_Ewing]

I would've liked if they had kept Priscilla Pointer on the show for a few more seasons.

She was really good as Rebecca Barnes Wentworth.

I really enjoyed her scene with Barbara Bel Geddes at Southfork where she swears she'll break the Ewing's and she's got the money to do it!