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== Synopsis ==
  
== Synopsis ==
  +
JR explains to Jock and Bobby that Ewing Oil is doing fine, leaving Bobby instantly suspicious. JR had swindled most of the other oil men that he knows to salvage Ewing Oil by convincing their cartel to buy worthless oil fields from him just prior to nationalisation. Jordan Lee barges in to the offices of Ewing Oil and accuses JR of suckering The Cartel members into a con. JR reminds him that Ewing Oil lost a lot of money on the deal as well. Jock promises Jordan that The Cartel boys will continue to be part of Ewing deals - win some, lose some. Jordan tells them that Seth Stone killed himself over his huge loss.
   
  +
Soon thereafter, Sue Ellen nurses a hangover while watching the local news and sees reports that Ewing Oil had sold off its holdings just before the nationalisation. The report ends with the story of the widowed Marilee Stone, whose husband Seth had bought shares from Ewing Oil.
  +
  +
Marilee’s calls to JR are refused. Vaughn Leyland tells the Ewings he's been wiped out and needs help to pay back the 20 million he borrowed to get in on the deal. Jock reminds him that Vaughn didn't help them get an extension on the Southfork foreclosure when they needed it, claiming that a deal was a deal. Bobby confronts JR about cheating his friends and Jock asks him for one straight answer to wit JR claims he didn't know that the nationalization would happen, further assuring his father and brother that such unethical behaviour was beneath him.
  +
  +
All of The Cartel members have lost everything they had in the deal, whilst JR managed to increase his wealth.
  +
  +
Alan visits Kristen for ideas about how JR might have swindled everyone. Kristin tells him that JR sold the Asian Oil leases prior to the revolution. She plays the taped conversation she had with Jordan Lee. Alan wants to use the tape against JR but needs proof that he knew what was going to happen. He gets Kristin to pretend she is still JR’s secretary in order to get Hank Johnson to send all of the records of his recent trip to her Dallas condo.
  +
  +
Pam tells Bobby she plans to quit her job and look for her mother. Bobby tells her to slow down and recover from her loss but Pam says she feels compelled to continue the search. Pam then goes to Corpus Christi to find anything she can about her mother. An old lady notices a resemblance and says she remembers Pam's mother from a long time ago. The whole family disappeared from the neighbourhood one Christmas. No one knew where they went. Pam fails to find a death certificate, which leads her to believe that her mother is still alive.
  +
  +
Lucy spends quality time with her professor, but after she leaves he calls his wife.
  +
  +
Sue Ellen apologised for her drunken behavior the previous night and laments that it gave JR fodder for his plans to re-institutionalize her. Bobby says he will try to keep JR from taking that action. Fortunately for JR, Hank lets him know about Kristin's request and JR tells him to destroy the records.
  +
  +
Sue Ellen has another session with Dr. Elby. She tells him that Bobby promised to protect her from JR and the sanatorium. Dr. Elby reminds her that she's still putting herself in other people's hands. JR and Sue Ellen then rehash their old arguments and as he leaves, she asks him which slut he plans to be with tonight. JR responds that anyone is better than the slut he's looking at right now. Sue Ellen angrily rummages through her drawers and finds a pistol.
  +
  +
Cliff arrives at Ewing Oil with paper work proving his and his sister Pam’s claim to a share of the Ewing 23 oil well, one of Ewing Oils most profitable fields. JR confirms it is producing five thousand barrels a month which would give Cliff $500,000 a year. However rather than see Barnes get a single dime, JR then closes down the entire drilling operation.
  +
  +
JR heads to Kristin's place and demands answers about her call to Hank. She tells him that Alan forced her to do it. JR sees through her and warns her not to mess with him. He gives her some money and tells her to get out of town. She gives it back to him, saying she won't be bought by him.
  +
  +
Police officer Harry McSween brings Alan to JR’s office to clarify that JR wants him to leave town. JR demonstrates how he could use his influence to trump up rape charges.
  +
  +
Bobby tells Jock about Cliff's document and JR reveals that he has shut down the Ewing 23 field. Jock sides with JR, saying that he doesn't want Cliff Barnes to have anything to do with Ewing Oil. Disgusted with his family's antics, Bobby tells Pam that they have to leave Southfork in the morning, despite her protestations. Bobby tells Jock and Ellie his decision in the morning, saying he can't live with JR's indecency and immorality, especially if Jock won't support his ideals. Bobby says they're going as far away as possible. Sue Ellen watches him leave and then congratulates JR on finally getting what he wanted - he's now the only Ewing son at Southfork. For embarrassing him in front of his parents, JR finally decides that its time to get rid of Sue Ellen once and for all - he calls Doctor Rogers at the sanatorium and makes arrangements to commit her.
  +
  +
McSween goes to Kristin's place and finds her with Alan. He gives her a warrant for her arrest on prostitution charges and tells her he'll hold the warrant for 24 hours - by which time they should both be long gone. Kristin and Alan both say they'll kill JR for this.
  +
  +
Vaughn Leland disappears. He calls JR from a payphone and asks him for help. When JR refuses, Vaughn says he'll stop JR from ruining any more lives.
  +
  +
Sue Ellen puts the gun in her purse as she leaves the ranch. She tells Dr. Elby that she's finally accepted his advice - she can't rely on anyone else to do what she has to do - and that's to stop JR from putting her in the sanatorium again.
  +
  +
Cliff goes to Digger's grave and vows vengeance on JR, saying that he's been cheated for the last time.
  +
  +
JR is at the office at night when Rogers arrives at Southfork to cart Sue Ellen away, however she is still out.
  +
  +
JR steps into the outer office to pour himself a drink. He hears someone outside his door, goes to investigates and two gunshots shoot him in the gut.
  +
<br />
 
== Cast ==
 
== Cast ==
 
=== Principal Cast ===
  
=== Principal Cast ===

Latest revision as of 11:39, 4 March 2021

This page is similar in name or subject to other pages.

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"A House Divided"
Series Dallas
Season 3, Episode 25
Dallas 3x25 001
Air date March 21st, 1980
Writers Rena Down
Director Irving J. Moore
Producers Philip Capice; Cliff Fenneman; Leonard Katzman; Lee Rich
Starring Barbara Bel Geddes; Jim Davis; Patrick Duffy; Linda Gray; Larry Hagman; Susan Howard; Steve Kanaly; Ken Kercheval; Victoria Principal; Charlene Tilton
Episode guide
Previous
"The Wheeler Dealer" 		Next
"No More Mister Nice Guy (Part 1)"

"A House Divided" is the twenty-fifth episode of season three of the night time soap opera series Dallas and the fifty-fourth episode of the series overall. It was directed by Irving J. Moore with a script written by Rena Down. It first aired on CBS on Friday, March 21st, 1980 at 10:00 pm.

Synopsis[]

JR explains to Jock and Bobby that Ewing Oil is doing fine, leaving Bobby instantly suspicious. JR had swindled most of the other oil men that he knows to salvage Ewing Oil by convincing their cartel to buy worthless oil fields from him just prior to nationalisation. Jordan Lee barges in to the offices of Ewing Oil and accuses JR of suckering The Cartel members into a con. JR reminds him that Ewing Oil lost a lot of money on the deal as well. Jock promises Jordan that The Cartel boys will continue to be part of Ewing deals - win some, lose some. Jordan tells them that Seth Stone killed himself over his huge loss.

Soon thereafter, Sue Ellen nurses a hangover while watching the local news and sees reports that Ewing Oil had sold off its holdings just before the nationalisation. The report ends with the story of the widowed Marilee Stone, whose husband Seth had bought shares from Ewing Oil.

Marilee’s calls to JR are refused. Vaughn Leyland tells the Ewings he's been wiped out and needs help to pay back the 20 million he borrowed to get in on the deal. Jock reminds him that Vaughn didn't help them get an extension on the Southfork foreclosure when they needed it, claiming that a deal was a deal. Bobby confronts JR about cheating his friends and Jock asks him for one straight answer to wit JR claims he didn't know that the nationalization would happen, further assuring his father and brother that such unethical behaviour was beneath him.

All of The Cartel members have lost everything they had in the deal, whilst JR managed to increase his wealth.

Alan visits Kristen for ideas about how JR might have swindled everyone. Kristin tells him that JR sold the Asian Oil leases prior to the revolution. She plays the taped conversation she had with Jordan Lee. Alan wants to use the tape against JR but needs proof that he knew what was going to happen. He gets Kristin to pretend she is still JR’s secretary in order to get Hank Johnson to send all of the records of his recent trip to her Dallas condo.

Pam tells Bobby she plans to quit her job and look for her mother. Bobby tells her to slow down and recover from her loss but Pam says she feels compelled to continue the search. Pam then goes to Corpus Christi to find anything she can about her mother. An old lady notices a resemblance and says she remembers Pam's mother from a long time ago. The whole family disappeared from the neighbourhood one Christmas. No one knew where they went. Pam fails to find a death certificate, which leads her to believe that her mother is still alive.

Lucy spends quality time with her professor, but after she leaves he calls his wife.

Sue Ellen apologised for her drunken behavior the previous night and laments that it gave JR fodder for his plans to re-institutionalize her. Bobby says he will try to keep JR from taking that action. Fortunately for JR, Hank lets him know about Kristin's request and JR tells him to destroy the records.

Sue Ellen has another session with Dr. Elby. She tells him that Bobby promised to protect her from JR and the sanatorium. Dr. Elby reminds her that she's still putting herself in other people's hands. JR and Sue Ellen then rehash their old arguments and as he leaves, she asks him which slut he plans to be with tonight. JR responds that anyone is better than the slut he's looking at right now. Sue Ellen angrily rummages through her drawers and finds a pistol.

Cliff arrives at Ewing Oil with paper work proving his and his sister Pam’s claim to a share of the Ewing 23 oil well, one of Ewing Oils most profitable fields. JR confirms it is producing five thousand barrels a month which would give Cliff $500,000 a year. However rather than see Barnes get a single dime, JR then closes down the entire drilling operation.

JR heads to Kristin's place and demands answers about her call to Hank. She tells him that Alan forced her to do it. JR sees through her and warns her not to mess with him. He gives her some money and tells her to get out of town. She gives it back to him, saying she won't be bought by him.

Police officer Harry McSween brings Alan to JR’s office to clarify that JR wants him to leave town. JR demonstrates how he could use his influence to trump up rape charges.

Bobby tells Jock about Cliff's document and JR reveals that he has shut down the Ewing 23 field. Jock sides with JR, saying that he doesn't want Cliff Barnes to have anything to do with Ewing Oil. Disgusted with his family's antics, Bobby tells Pam that they have to leave Southfork in the morning, despite her protestations. Bobby tells Jock and Ellie his decision in the morning, saying he can't live with JR's indecency and immorality, especially if Jock won't support his ideals. Bobby says they're going as far away as possible. Sue Ellen watches him leave and then congratulates JR on finally getting what he wanted - he's now the only Ewing son at Southfork. For embarrassing him in front of his parents, JR finally decides that its time to get rid of Sue Ellen once and for all - he calls Doctor Rogers at the sanatorium and makes arrangements to commit her.

McSween goes to Kristin's place and finds her with Alan. He gives her a warrant for her arrest on prostitution charges and tells her he'll hold the warrant for 24 hours - by which time they should both be long gone. Kristin and Alan both say they'll kill JR for this.

Vaughn Leland disappears. He calls JR from a payphone and asks him for help. When JR refuses, Vaughn says he'll stop JR from ruining any more lives.

Sue Ellen puts the gun in her purse as she leaves the ranch. She tells Dr. Elby that she's finally accepted his advice - she can't rely on anyone else to do what she has to do - and that's to stop JR from putting her in the sanatorium again.

Cliff goes to Digger's grave and vows vengeance on JR, saying that he's been cheated for the last time.

JR is at the office at night when Rogers arrives at Southfork to cart Sue Ellen away, however she is still out.

JR steps into the outer office to pour himself a drink. He hears someone outside his door, goes to investigates and two gunshots shoot him in the gut.

Cast[]

Principal Cast[]

Actor Role
Barbara Bel Geddes Miss Ellie Ewing
Jim Davis Jock Ewing
Patrick Duffy Bobby Ewing
Linda Gray Sue Ellen Ewing
Larry Hagman J.R. Ewing
Susan Howard Donna Culver Krebbs
Steve Kanaly Ray Krebbs [1]
Ken Kercheval Cliff Barnes
Victoria Principal Pamela Barnes Ewing
Charlene Tilton Lucy Ewing Cooper

Also Starring[]

Actor Role
Mary Crosby Kristin Shepard
Randolph Powell Alan Beam

Guest Stars[]

Actor Role
Dennis Patrick Vaughn Leland
Ron Hayes Hank Johnson
Jeff Cooper Doctor Simon Ellby
Christopher Coffey Greg Forrester
Don Starr Jordan Lee
James L. Brown Detective Harry McSween
Jeanna Michaels Connie
Meg Gallagher Louella
Ann Nelson Odette
Susan Keller News anchor
John Hart Doctor David Rogers
Kale Browne KKGB reporter
D.J. Sullivan Hall of Records archivist

Notes & Trivia[]

  • Actor Steve Kanaly is credited in this episode, but his character does not make an actual appearance.
  • Actor James Brown is credited as James L. Brown in this episode.
  • This episode stands as not only the most famous episode of Dallas, but also one of the most famous television episodes of all time. The season three cliffhanger launched into a marketing campaign wherein CBS dared to challenge viewers to answer the question of, "Who shot J.R.?".

Allusions[]

  • There are no allusions available for this episode at this time. Be the first to add some! Just click on the edit tab under the section heading and start typing. An allusion is an incidental reference made to a character, person, event or other miscellaneous piece of media that can be found somewhere in the episode itself. In most cases, this refers to characters or events from previous episodes.

Bloopers[]

  • There are no bloopers available for this episode at this time. Be the first to add some! Just click on the edit tab under the section heading and start typing. A blooper is any revealing mistake that can be found within the episode that the production crew may have missed during editing. This can range from inconsistent lines of dialogue to visible production equipment in the shot to mis-spoken lines of dialogue, or... dare we say it? A wardrobe malfunction.

Quotes[]

  • There are no quotes available for this episode at this time. Be the first to add some! Just click on the edit tab under the section heading and start typing. The preferred format for quotes is an asterisk, followed by the character's name (bold and hyper-linked), semi-colon then the quote itself (without quotation marks. Quotes should be separated by four elipses (....) unless multiple quotes are used between characters as part of a conversation.

See also[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ Credited, but does not appear in this episode.


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