Examiner 180: JR Ewing shooter revealed; John Huston and Arthur Miller visit Blackrock Castle
Left, Larry Hagman as JR Ewing in Dallas; right, John Huston and Arthur Miller in Cork.
For those who weren't there, it must be difficult to imagine the fuss around the big reveal of who shot JR Ewing in the hugely popular TV series Dallas in 1980. Larry Hagman's character had been gunned down in TV's ultimate cliffhanger eight months previously, at the end of season three.
As the front-page report reveals, the possible identity of the killer had become a major topic of public concern. Bumper stickers proclaimed 'I shot JR', and Westmeath country singer TR Dallas had one of the hits of the year with a song about it.
Our second piece from the archives is a report of the visit of John Huston and playwright Arthur Miller to Cork to see the art of British sculptor Jacob Epstein. Huston would later purchase the collection, while Miller had asked the owner of Blackrock Castle if he could return to visit again with his wife, Marilyn Monroe.
Unfortunately, the visit never took place, as the couple would divorce a year later.
Des O'Driscoll (Arts/Culture Editor)
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What an extraordinary world it is! At a time of international crisis of every description, of war in the Middle East, of terrible troubles of the Third World, of the American hostage horror, of tottering economies and shaky currencies, of violence and unemployment, the only question on two hundred million lips all over the world this morning is: Who shot JR?
It is not unusual for major international news agencies to keep their lines open far into the night to cover events of shattering importance. It is very unusual to find them doing so in order to record for the waiting world the fantasy lives of plastic characters. Yet, this is what happened this morning.
It did not happen because anybody loves JR Ewing (does anybody love JR Ewing?). It happened because of the enormous grip which modern television has gained on the curiosity and the emotions. It happened because of a carefully orchestrated campaign, built up over many months, which made people want it to happen.
Of course, it is ridiculous to the point of being preposterous. Of course it shows a crazy sense of unreality, and hints at the prospect of a world finally gone mad. Of course, it shows that we have got things all out of proportion.
We may worry about world priorities, about manipulation of the human mind by the media, about the total lunacy of it. But if there is one person who has no worries today, he must surely be Larry Hagman, the world anti-hero, the international super-badman, whose fantasy world has rivalled the greatest of man's achievements in terms of publicity.
Whoever shot JR Ewing did a great day's work – for JR Ewing.
* The assailant's identity was made known early today but not wishing to spoil tonight's episode for the viewers, who are prepared to stick it out, we reveal the culprit's name on page 10, column 9.
- [For readers who did want to find out, the assailant was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (played by Mary Crosby, daughter of Bing Crosby)]
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FILM director John Huston and playwright Arthur Miller, husband of Marilyn Monroe, paid a visit to Cork yesterday to see the Epstein collection of Mr and Mrs Robert Jackson, of Blackrock Castle.
Mr Miller, who leaves by air from Dublin for the United States today, said: "John told me about the Epstein collection at Blackrock Castle and I had to see it before I returned to the United States."
Mr Miller also said that he intended to bring his wife a present and Mrs Jackson, hearing this, handed him a souvenir of the castle, which was first built in 1805.
Then with Mr Jackson, Mr Huston and Mr Miller toured the castle and studied the bronzes and collection of pencilled nudes by the famous and controversial artist.
Mr Jackson, who staged the first representative exhibition of the works of Epstein in Dublin, said that Mr Huston, who had previously visited the castle phoned him on Monday night and asked if he could bring a friend along.
Mr Huston and Mr Miller made the 120-mile journey by Rolls Royce in a rainstorm, and after a brief stop in Cork city, arrived in the afternoon.
Mr Huston, his back to a log-fire, said that his leg, which was fractured as a result of a hunting accident, was now almost completely fit and he hoped to be out hunting again before the end of the season.
