Dallas characters in the movies...

[gerardv]

I have often wondered why so few great Dallas actors/actresses made a post-Dallas career for themselves in Hollywood (=the movies)?
The show had some first class players who could have gained further fame and fortune in great movie parts.....

Why do we see Dynasty stars, Charlies Angels, Friend's stars etc... in the cinema but no Linda Grey, VP (she had some tv movies), Susan Howard??

[gerardv]

- the players are/were too identified with Dallas their charactere?

Not always true. e.g. Some Peyton Place actors had a fine cinemae career afterwards....

- they earned enough money?

- they became too expensive?

So why do I see Heather Locklear, Jennifer Anishton popping up??

[Pamela Barnes]

Well ok, in the 80`s especially there was a stigma attached to Television stars. At the point you were established as a TV actor your movie chances were dead and buried. A good example of this would be Donna Mills who could of had a great movie career following her role in Play Misty for Me but going into TV ended all that.

Things have changed now and its acceptable to do TV and then movies and vice versa.

On the otherside of things people like Heather Locklear were fortunate to revive their career aimed at a young and street credable audience. She was able to reinvent herself through Melrose Place. The same was planned for Victoria Principal in Titans. Alas that has not worked at the moment.

You also mention people from Friends. Again these people have a huge TV following which is young and trendy so the fans follow to the Cinema from TV. On the other side of things actors these days with the correct PR get to be known for their personality and not just the character they play. Rachel from friends would be not just known as Racheal but shes also been well publicised away from Friends.

Larry Hagman will always be stimatised as JR but he was wonderful in Primary Colors. The Dallas stars missed the boat and what tends to happen is that these people either go into the Prodution side of things, or start their own business or continue to do tacky made for TV movies.

Out of all the Dallas stars I would have to say that only Larry Hagman and Barbara Bel Geddes are movie star materiel and perhaps Ken K.

[sarah]

I think some of them might not have wanted to get into the movies, or at least gave up trying pretty quickly. If you look at Linda Gray for example, she does a few TV movies but she's branched out now into directing and theatre. And Susan Howard's quite active with the NRA isn't she?

[gerardv]

What kind of organisation is it? What does she do?
Do you know in which kind of plays LG has been acting?

Thanks for your information.

[sarah]

The NRA is the National Rifle Association I believe. It's a pro-firearm lobby in the US. I've seen her doing publicity talks and so on for them on the television.

Linda's mostly directing in theatre at the moment I think. Without checking I don't know the names of any of her most recent plays. Can anyone else help me out with that?

[Milly]

I don't know that much. But what I know is that she was directing a play in California (don't know where sorry!) called Murder in the first this past spring. She didn't star in it but I know Larry Hagman had a part though.

Sorry i couldn't help more, so if there's sombody else out there out there who knows more please let us know

[JR Girl]

The Linda Gray directed, Larry Hagman starring play was being performed at the Laurel Theater in Ventura, California which is right next to Ojai which is where Larry lives. As for Linda's current projects, she is directing and starring in a film titled "Tuscanna" and there just may be a part in it for Larry.

[Mickey\'s Ghost]

The only Dallas star I recall seeing in movies after he left Dallas was Timothy Patrick Murphy. In 1984 he starred in "Sam's Son" (the story of Michael Landon) and in 1988 he appeared in "Doin' Time on Planet Earth". In 1984 he appeared in a TV movie "With Intent to Kill" (released on video as "Urge to Kill"). His films were wonderful, it's such a pity he died young.