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Steve's first directorial assignment -- and the deaths of Patrick's parents

Snarky Oracle!

Telly Talk Supreme
As most of you know, Patrick Duffy's parents were killed in their Montana bar, shortly before they planned to retire, by two angry patrons on 18 November 1986.

What's a little eerie was that Steven Kanaly was directing his episode that week and, in it, JR had been shot (okay, for the third time), a guest character (BD Calhoun) had been shot, and Jamie died at the end of the installment --- and the very next episode was entitled, "A Death in the Family."

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southfork88

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
I believe that episode was filmed long after Patrick Duffy's parents died.

Indeed, the tabloids wrote that the murder was somehow linked to a sect of Christian fanatics. So the theft at the shop was only a pretext to cover the "punishment" that the religious sect wanted to give Duffy to be raised from the dead in that 1986-1987 season.

It may all be journalistic lies, but soon after Duffy changed religious beliefs becoming a Buddhist.
 

Snarky Oracle!

Telly Talk Supreme
I believe that episode was filmed long after Patrick Duffy's parents died.

Indeed, the tabloids wrote that the murder was somehow linked to a sect of Christian fanatics. So the theft at the shop was only a pretext to cover the "punishment" that the religious sect wanted to give Duffy to be raised from the dead in that 1986-1987 season.

It may all be journalistic lies, but soon after Duffy changed religious beliefs becoming a Buddhist.

Hmmm... Well, Steve Kanaly has said in interviews that Duffy's parent died when Steve was directing that episode.

I can't verify the time frames.

That part of the video starts at around 30:45 ...

 
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southfork88

Telly Talk TV Fanatic
Perhaps Steve Kanaly meant the outside scene with JR being injured. The outside scenes were the first of the season to be recorded.
 

Snarky Oracle!

Telly Talk Supreme
The exterior scenes were recorded first in Dallas and then in Los Angeles, but sooner than the interiors.

Yes, I get that. But only the first 13 episodes that season (okay, and the very first scene of episode 14) had exteriors filmed in Texas. Everything after that is all back in California.
 

southfork88

Telly Talk TV Fanatic

IMO the date of November 18, 1986 is incompatible with the recording date of that episode mentioned by Steve Kanaly.
 

Snarky Oracle!

Telly Talk Supreme

IMO the date of November 18, 1986 is incompatible with the recording date of that episode mentioned by Steve Kanaly.

So Steve is fibbing? (I have to join NYT's site to see the article -- they're that way).
 

Garry

Telly Talk Fan
Hmmm... Well, Steve Kanaly has said in interviews that Duffy's parent died when Steve was directing that episode.
You are correct. It was Steve's first day directing the episode 'Olio' when news of the shootings came through. They filmed two more episodes after this (A Death In The Family and Revenge Of The Nerd) before breaking for the holiday season.
 
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