“He would drink three or four bottles of champagne during the day and finish with a small glass of tequila,” Patrick Duffy (Bobby) says Larry Hagman (JR)

Almost fifty years after the broadcast of the first episode of Dallas, Patrick Duffy (Bobby) went behind the scenes of their friendship and the filming of the series. And the least we can say is that they were watered…

If, in France, Patrick Duffy is particularly known for his role as Frank Lambert, in Our beautiful familyit is especially for the emblematic character of Bobby Ewing in the equally emblematic series, dallasthat he became a real star. If the series lasted no less than fourteen seasons – including season 9 during which it was believed that the youngest of the oil exploitation family was dead – it was nevertheless not destined for such a great destiny, as it seems. ‘explained in the podcast of Staci Keanan and Christine Lakin, two of his former playing partners in Our beautiful family. Thus, the one who began his career in a science fiction series, The Man from Atlantisin the late 70s, explained that after having had a multitude of offers, he was finally offered the role of Bobby “It was a pilot for a five-episode miniseries.” Figures far from the 357 episodes when it was stopped in 1991. In any case, the actor had no hesitation in accepting this role. “It was obvious”he recalled.

dallas : Patrick Duffy (Bobby) recounts his memories with Larry Hagman (JR)

Besides success, for Patrick DuffyDallas was also the opportunity to meet Larry Hagman – died on November 24, 2021, who, upon reading his colleague’s words, quickly showed that he was a bon vivant. And this from the first meeting of the actors to read the episodes. “He arrived in a leather and fringed cowboy outfit, a big hat, leather bags on his shoulders, inside which were bottles of champagne. So we sat down and started drinking some champagne, before starting to read the episodes.” A first meeting which directly allowed the actor to Our beautiful family to express certainty. “That day when I came home, I told my wife “I think I met my best friend“.

dallas : Larry Hagman (JR) drank a lot of alcohol on the set of the series

But this drunken conviviality quickly became a habit. “Every morning that we worked together, we would go to Hagman’s dressing room. We would have a glass of champagne to start the day.” A ritual which did not have the same effects for the two actors, as smiles Patrick Duffywho spent the rest of his morning lying in his dressing room, while the interpreter of JR “drank three or four bottles of champagne during the day”and the day ended with “a small glass of tequila” reveals the interpreter of Bobby about his epic work days for thirteen years with Larry Hagman…