Southfork Or Southern Cross

[Billy Wall]

Southfork was more of a traditional ranch house. I particularly liked the pool area with the perfect cut hedges and the white exterior blending in with the green landscaping with the brown fences in the background.

The Southern Cross was a Spanish designed house that looks like it sits on a hill. You can literally see over the surrounding trees and in a few scenes, you can even see the Dallas skyline in the distance. The house looked smaller, but I liked the big glass doors and windows throughout.

Which did you prefer?

 

[LMLDallas78]

Southfork was beautiful and iconic, but I had a soft spot for the Southern Cross. It seemed to have more of an open expanse outside and I loved the pool area, small hexagon shaped gazebo and the stepping stones.

It probably helped that all the exterior scenes were filmed there as I don't recall any evidence of a tiny shallow pool and cardboard patio with studio lighting so it always appeared bright and colourful.

Both ranches are grand, but my preference would be the Southern Cross (especially how Miss Ellie pronounced it)

Not so keen on how they had the interior which would have been in a studio I guess.

 

[Chris2]

The problem with Southfork was the dead bodies in the pool. The Southern Cross only had attempted kidnappings.

 

[LMLDallas78]

Talking of Southfork pool I don't recall Jock or Miss Ellie ever taking a dip or even paddling their toes, nor Donna.

The Southern Cross only had attempted kidnappings

Don't be too sure, Clayton lived at the Southern Cross so don't rule out any dead bodies there or in the pool!
And Jessica surely visited from London?

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I like the house at Southfork because it's cute, but it looks like it sits in a gully -- the surrounding terrain can be a little depressing. (Not so, the 1978 mini-series Southfork).

The Southern Cross is much more appealing, if yer gonna live there.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I love both ranches but prefer Southfork. It’s just too iconic to not put it at #1, but I do wish we had seen more of the Southern Cross than we did. One of my favorite things about that fourth season (5 DVD) is the storylines going back and forth between the two ranches.

For example, JR’s unsuccessful attempt to take John Ross away from Sue Ellen ends one episode at one ranch while Miss Ellie’s stern tongue lashing of her son begins the next episode back at the other one. The storylines intertwined both ranches for a good part of that season, and it did it successfully. When I watch that season the ranches almost seem like dueling characters themselves.

 

[Billy Wall]

It would have been a good if instead of moving to Switzerland, Ray would have bought the Southern Cross and he, Jenna and Charlie could have been re-occurring characters.

 

[LMLDallas78]

It would have been a good if instead of moving to Switzerland, Ray would have bought the Southern Cross and he, Jenna and Charlie could have been re-occurring characters.

Ray can if he reverts back to original Ray with someone normal, but please not Jenna and Charlie.
Those two in a recurring role would be like having the worst dose of tummy bug keep coming back.

 

[Billy Wall]

OK, just Ray as a re-occurring character, which makes more sense. Lol

 

[LMLDallas78]

I can see Ray at the Southern Cross, moreso than that newer house of his. Not sure who I'd pair him off with, Maybe Sue Ellen would've wanted to go back for more........
just to remind herself of that lovely ranch!

 

[LoganRhinewood]

I've always loved the Southern Cross ranch... but really only the exterior. Can I have Southern Cross on the outside and Southfork on the inside? That would be perfect.

 

[LMLDallas78]

But who actually owned the Southern Cross Ranch?
In Rodeo Sue Ellen said the Wayne family owned it and Dusty said his mother's name was Farlow, so he's Dusty Farlow. So who was called Wayne? Why was that even a thing? What was Clayton's real name, Farlow or Wayne?

I don't get it.

 

[Billy Wall]

But who actually owned the Southern Cross Ranch?
In Rodeo Sue Ellen said the Wayne family owned it and Dusty said his mother's name was Farlow, so he's Dusty Farlow. So who was called Wayne? Why was that even a thing? What was Clayton's real name, Farlow or Wayne?

I don't get it.

To be honest, the character of Clayton Farlow probably didn't exist at that time.

 

[LMLDallas78]

To be honest, the character of Clayton Farlow probably didn't exist at that time.

Oh I see, yes of course. That has puzzled me all these years!

But they could have addressed the name thing.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

But who actually owned the Southern Cross Ranch?
In Rodeo Sue Ellen said the Wayne family owned it and Dusty said his mother's name was Farlow, so he's Dusty Farlow. So who was called Wayne? Why was that even a thing? What was Clayton's real name, Farlow or Wayne?

I don't get it.

I always took that bit of mixup as a hint that young Eric Farlow inexplicably owned the Southern Cross (and at one point was maneuvering to gain control of Southfork as well).

seen above: the powerful young tycoon points out to adopted mommy Pam the locations of of some of his offshore holdings..

 

[LoganRhinewood]

But who actually owned the Southern Cross Ranch?
In Rodeo Sue Ellen said the Wayne family owned it and Dusty said his mother's name was Farlow, so he's Dusty Farlow. So who was called Wayne? Why was that even a thing? What was Clayton's real name, Farlow or Wayne?

I don't get it.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who's always been bothered by this inconsistency! Add to that the fact that Clayton isn't Dusty's real father and... aaah? Confusion.

 

[DallasFanForever]

But who actually owned the Southern Cross Ranch?
In Rodeo Sue Ellen said the Wayne family owned it and Dusty said his mother's name was Farlow, so he's Dusty Farlow. So who was called Wayne? Why was that even a thing? What was Clayton's real name, Farlow or Wayne?

I don't get it.

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t this have something to do with Wayne A. Farlow? He’s in the closing credits. Wasn’t he a producer or something? I’m too lazy to go look now but perhaps they weren’t sure which name they were going to use yet for the Clayton character and that’s why we heard both.

Then again we already knew Dusty was a Farlow at this point so I’m really not sure what they were going for.

 

[Toni]

One thing is sure: when in "Rodeo" Dusty tells Swellin his mother´s last name is Farlow, he´s absolutely right...

"Poor Amy...She died all roasted...and then I served her to Clayton and Dusty
with an apple in her mouth..."​

 

[Seaviewer]

Maybe Wayne was Clayton's mother's maiden name, so that the Southern Cross was originally the Wayne ranch in the same way that Southfork belonged to the Southworths before becoming a Ewing property.

 

[DallasFanForever]

Maybe Wayne was Clayton's mother's maiden name, so that the Southern Cross was originally the Wayne ranch in the same way that Southfork belonged to the Southworths before becoming a Ewing property.

This is another possibility I’m thinking. Or perhaps the actor who played the original Digger secretly owned the Southern Cross at one point unbeknownst to us.