Why Did They Get A New Actor To Play Gary?

He did guest star on a KL episode though as a different character.

 

He was doing Little Women. I really liked him as Gary Ewing.

 

I preferred Ted Shackelford in the role - however I never watched Knots Landing - and that's the only time in Dallas that I didn't prefer the actor who created the role. David Ackroyd didn't have the look of a Ewing to me (maybe, that was the point?) but he also didn't have the chemistry with other actors that I think Ted did.

 

Ted Shackelford was the first Gary I saw, and he did a fine job. The first time I saw David Ackroyd as Gary, I didn’t like him that much. But when I watch it now, I think he had more potential than Shackelford. Ackroyd did the brooding/tortured thing very well, and he seemed to have a little more gravitas than Shackelford. He also had great chemistry with Joan Van Ark (but in fairness, Joan had good chemistry with pretty much everyone). I bought Ackroyd more than Shackelford as the sensitive guy who grew up on Southfork (Ted always looked like he just stepped out of the gym or off the beach).

But Ted was good too, and it worked out.

 

I saw the scenes with David Ackroyd after I had become used to Ted Shackleford as Gary. DA was very good, but TS was already established in my mind as Gary.
I agree with you on TS's look not matching Gary's backstory. However, I think it is testament to his acting skills that he could pull it off and make it believable.

 

With Ted Shackleford getting so many years with the Gary Ewing role I always wondered if David Ackroyd had regrets he missed all the work with whatever project he was tied to in 1979.

 

They wanted David Ackroyd to commit to 14 episodes (1 of Dallas, 13 of Knots Landing) in late 1979. He was unable to do it because of his involvement in Little Women, so they recast the role of Gary Ewing to Ted Shackelford. Apparently, Joan Van Ark remembered Ted from an episode of Wonder Woman and their chemistry when they appeared together on that, so suggested Ted. David later appeared in a Series 3 episode of Knots Landing, as Karen's first potential love interest after the death of her husband, Sid. David's character spoke with Val on screen, but not with Gary, even though they did appear in the same scene.

I like both men in the role of Gary, but obviously I'm more used to Ted. Ted's Gary does seem even more like Miss Ellie's son and Bobby's brother, too. He has Bobby's eyes and Miss Ellie's hair and laid back side. Ted's chemistry with Joan is so strong, too.

 

I always thought Ackroyd did look like a Ewing while Shackelford looks more like a Southworth.

 

Maybe that's why I like Ted more - to me, Gary is much more Miss Ellie's son in appearance and personality than J.R. and Bobby. With that said, David Ackroyd certainly wasn't terrible in the role but Ted is always the one I picture when I think of Gary.

 

It is probable a drunk Gary got his back side laid at some point.