From beyond the grave we hear Donna Reed's own words. Donna was placed in an impossible situation, replacing a well established character on the hottest show on the planet, and the actor portraying that character even won an Emmy for it. Why did the producers even contemplate the idea of a recast? Sure they got away with it with the likes of Jenna and Kristin but they were minor roles to begin with. Barbara Bel Geddes portrayal as Miss Ellie was burnt into our retinas. It was the first major misstep for Dallas.

If there is something I can take from the article it's the Dallas cast treated Donna with respect.

 

Seems to me there are some rules here:

1) never kill off a major character with no option of returning (they violated this with Bobby).

and

2) never replace a major character with a new actor (they violated this with Donna Reed)

These of course are my rules, and there are exception I’m sure, but they seem to be appropriate here.

 

These decisions are made by cynical businessmen who believe the product, even Hollywood product, can be assembly-lined, and that as long as the "hook" is there -- JR Ewing -- everything else is exchangeable. So anyone other than Larry can be re-cast (which Larry himself knew wasn't true).

At least DALLAS learned its lesson about that (which DYNASTY never did) yet DALLAS continued to screw up absurdly almost annually after this in other ways.

 

'I was stunned when they said I was to replace Barbara. I thought they'd planned to have me play a new addition to the series."

It would have been better if it was another character. She might have been accepted a lot more.

 

it’s interesting that while every defense of her portrayal I’ve seen is some variation of “she’s much more elegant, like the wife of a wealthy oil baron should be,” in the article she speaks of being excited to get back to her farming roots as the earthy Miss Ellie.

 

What character would that have been? Perhaps a Southworth? I'm only curious because if Donna's other character had just dropped into Southfork unannounced it would have been just as confronting - if not more - since Miss Ellie would not have been present.

 

I always see her as Jenna's aunt, arrived in Dallas to witness her niece's wedding. She's friendly with Clayton, while Ellie recuperates in a hospice someplace after suffering a "spell" -- perhaps that psych ward committal that nuDALLAS was so enthusiastic about.

 

How friendly

Could have made for an interesting story. The widow Wade begins making regular trips to Southfork in the vain hope she bumps into Clayton Farlow. JR - as usual - spots an opportunity and influences the relationship. We all know JR doesn't care for mamma's happiness. He just wants the father of that impotent rodeo rider off Southfork. Miss Ellie hears trouble is brewing at the ranch after a visit from Mavis.

You know I think Barbara Bel and Donna Reed could have had some fun with that.

 

You mean... lesbians?

 

If handled delicately it could have bagged another Emmy for Barbara Bel. But seriously would America have handled such a menages a trois? Highly unlikely given how years later the act of indecency between John Ross, Pam and Emma created.

 

Why did TNT Dallas feel the need to get involved in Ellie's business like that. It's just rude.

 

Not really relevant but I recently discovered that Miss Ellie's sack dresses were actually designed by Hollywood fashion designer Jean Louis. Who designed for everyone from Marlene Dietrich to Lana Turner, Doris Day, Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland. The list goes on and on.

 

watching this clip not having made it that far in the show in quite a while, Jenilee Harrison and all the talk of 'Jason' is almost as jarring as the brand new Miss Ellie

 

I don’t think Donna ever criticized Barbara. I think it’s a fiction that was made up by the National Enquirer. Donna was really caught in a damned if I do or don’t situation. She was smart not to copy BBG. The role itself was largely inconsequential after Donna started playing her (BBG had two more opportunities to show off her acting chops while mourning Bobby and the entire is Jock alive storyline) but Miss Ellie’s best days were behind her.

The producers thought if you had JR and Larry Hagman no one would care who played the other roles. I didn’t loathe Donna like some of the fans. She might’ve changed the way she played her a bit if Barbara never returned and would’ve been more accepted. The way the cast and crew treated her for simply NOT being BBG was horrible imo.

 

hey, it’s not the writers’ fault that the extra walking right in front of Donna happened to be a bit taller than her but shorter than Clayton!