Dallas began as a five part mini-series in April of 1978. Though the ratings at first were poor, they were enough for CBS to give the series a spot on the 79/80 program schedule. With stage actress Barbara Bel Geddes, film actor Jim Davis as well TV Actors Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy and of course Victoria Principal, Linda Gray and Charlene Tilton, the show began it's climb to success. Rating slowly increased to 1980. That season ended with the shot heard round the world...Who Shot J.R? This episode became the number one rated show at that time, and Dallas became a world wide hit. In 1985, with the departures of Barbara Bel Geddes (1984) Patrick Duffy and Charlene Tilton in 1985, the ratings began to drop. Though all three of these actors eventually returned, the show never regained it's popularity after that. The show did continue, and ended in May of 1991.

MAIN CAST:

J.R Ewing.............Larry Hagman
Bobby Ewing..........Patrick Duffy
PamelaEwing.....Victoria Principal
Ellie Ewing.....Barbara Bel Geddes
Ellie Ewing(84/85)......Donna Reed
Sue Ellen Ewing.........Linda Gray
Lucy Ewing Cooper..Charlene Tilton Ray Krebbs............Steve Kanaly Cliff Barnes.........Ken Kercheval
Donna Culver Krebbs...Susan Howard 
& Jock Ewing.............Jim Davis

Ratings Year by Year:
mini-series..43
78/79........40
79/80........6
80/81........1
81/82........1
82/83........2
83/84........1
84/85........2
85/86........6
86/87........11
87/88........22
88/89........31
89/90........57
90/91........60