Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark Heading Back To Dallas...The New Dallas

[applecherry]

Could Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark be gearing up for a reunion at the Southfork ranch? Van Ark chatted with KSiteTV about the possibility of her and her former Knots Landing leading man reprising the roles of Valene and Gary Ewing for TNT's reboot of Dallas.
The Ewings of Dallas are returning soon (on TNT June 13). Is there any chance we might see Valene on this new show?

Well, rumor has it… I’m having lunch with Ted Shackelford tomorrow. They asked him to come down and be part of it. It was several months ago, and he’s deeply into filming The Young And The Restless, the daytime soap for CBS. But if they asked Gary, maybe they’ll ask [for Val].


In late April, a red carpet event was held for Warner Bros.’ “Television Out Of The Box” exhibit at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills, CA. This interview came from that event. To read all of KSiteTV’s “Out Of The Box” coverage and previous interviews so far, go here.

While at the event, we spoke with many icons of television from the past and the present, and one of the most gracious and interesting folks we spoke with was Joan Van Ark, who played Gary Ewing’s wife Valene on a handful of episodes of Dallas before spinning off into their own series, the long-running Knots Landing. We’re posting this interview in a Q&A style with questions in bold.

Interviewer:

The Ewings of Dallas are returning soon (on TNT June 13). Is there any chance we might see Valene on this new show?

Joan Van Ark:

Well, rumor has it… I’m having lunch with Ted Shackelford tomorrow. They asked him to come down and be part of it. It was several months ago, and he’s deeply into filming The Young And The Restless, the daytime soap for CBS. But if they asked Gary, maybe they’ll ask [for Val].

Interviewer:

What do you think Val would be up to now, 20 years later?

Joan Van Ark:

First of all, I think she’d be the most successful. She was always the put upon, goody two shoes. I’d like to have her running a movie studio out here in Hollywood. I’d love her to do a 180 from what they ever expected.

Interviewer:

Back when we first saw Val, J.R. had done whatever he could to make her life miserable and put her away.

Joan Van Ark:

They were rivals.

Interviewer:

Would you like to see her have revenge?

Joan Van Ark:

There is no doubt about it. This man I loved so much, Larry Hagman… I was just at his birthday party several months ago… I would kill, that if Val came back, if it was trouble for J.R.. Because they were always at odds. I don’t know if it’s because she stole his baby brother away, and she was ‘white trash,’ or what the whole deal was… ‘but ah wanna get mah claws into that J.R., ah swear!’

Interviewer:

Speaking of enemies of Val, how would she react to Abby if she saw her again?

Joan Van Ark:

Ahh. That’s a good question. I think she’d try to give Abby a run for her money.

Interviewer:

What would you like to see upstairs in the TV Out Of The Box exhibit?

Joan Van Ark:

I would just hope to see something from the cul-de-sac. There are still tourists who go out there; we filmed out in Granada Hills. But I’m hoping there’s something from the cul-de-sac.

Interviewer:

Have you ever gone out there yourself, just to visit?

Joan Van Ark:

Not to visit. I was there so many days and nights, and windstorms, and rainstorms, and fights, and high drama… No.

[AB]

I would really enjoy seeing Val & Gary return to Dallas.

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by AB

I would really enjoy seeing Val & Gary return to Dallas.

I wonder if Bobby & Betsy would come with them.

Gary to Bobby: This is your nephew. We named him after you after Pam told us that you died.

[AB]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

I wonder if Bobby & Betsy would come with them.

Gary to Bobby: This is your nephew. We named him after you after Pam told us that you died.

It would be interesting to see Bobby & Betsy all grown up and see how they'd get along with John Ross & Christopher.
Not sure how they'd work that out about Bobby's death, maybe the whole world shared the same dream as Pam.

[Dr. Thong]

Like I said, Bobby remained dead as far as Knots Landing was concerned.

One of the producers said they weren't going to acknowledge the "Pam's dream" scenario and declared that "The Ewings aren't welcome in Knots Landing anymore."

They didn't want to trash a year's worth of their storylines and who can blame them...?

[catlover79]

It will be interesting to see what will happen - either way!!!

[steevo]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

Like I said, Bobby remained dead as far as Knots Landing was concerned.

One of the producers said they weren't going to acknowledge the "Pam's dream" scenario and declared that "The Ewings aren't welcome in Knots Landing anymore."

They didn't want to trash a year's worth of their storylines and who can blame them...?

I'm glad they didn't throw out the season that occurred along with the Dallas "dream season". A lot of good things would have been lost, most notable Val getting the twins back.

[JamesG]

It was recently revealed that they are coming to the new "Dallas".

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by JamesG

It was recently revealed that they are coming to the new "Dallas".

Not surprised. Shackelford and Van Ark can probably use the work.

I hope they find a way to make a humorous or dry reference to Bobby's "death" in the previous series.

[adamchandler]

I can not wait to see them.

[Steve_uk]

I'm not having lunch with anyone tomorrow but Ted and Joan may as well come back and join all the other has-beens on the new Dallas show..