Archive for the ‘Hometown Talent’ Category

From WFAA.com:

Larry Hagman was reluctant to be on a new TV show called “Dallas” when he first read the script in the late 1970s, figuring there wouldn’t be any money in it.

But his wife persuaded him to give the role of conniving oil baron and cattle rancher J.R. Ewing a shot, saying they could “renegotiate” and that the job might pay off.

It did, eventually earning Hagman a reported $100,000 or more per episode. And now fans from across the world are paying as much as $1,000 apiece to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the debut of what became one of the most popular prime-time soap operas in TV history.

“People are crazy,” Hagman said Thursday. “I guess it’s a TV show people identify with.”

On Nov. 8, J.R., Bobby, Sue Ellen and other Ewing kin will mark the anniversary with a reunion and barbecue at Southfork Ranch. Viewed panoramically in the show’s introduction, the ranch is in the Dallas suburb of Parker, about 25 miles north of the flashy downtown skyscrapers also featured in the opening scenes.

Fans from Japan, Australia, Europe and across the United States have plunked down anywhere from $100 to $1,000 for the tickets. The more one pays, the greater one gains access to cast members including Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy.

“This thing is going to be a lot of fun,” said the 77-year-old Hagman, seated in the formal living room of the Southfork mansion, a trademark cowboy hat on his head. “It’s the first one we’ve ever done with fans. They’re coming from everywhere.”

Along with the barbecue, there will be country music, dancing, fireworks and a laser light show.

“This is a chance to live like and be a Ewing for a day,” said Jason Hardison, the event’s executive producer. “We’re going to celebrate the excess and success of the 1980s, at least the oil boom, and the money that surrounded Dallas.”

Given the various story lines and characters in each hourlong episode, Hagman said he saw Dallas as more of a cartoon and “had fun with it.”

Hagman, who grew up in Weatherford, west of Fort Worth, said he patterned J.R.’s twang, persona and family views after a businessman he worked for in high school who supplied oil drilling equipment.

But those close to Hagman say he’s the antithesis of the scheming, arrogant head of the wealthy but dysfunctional Ewing clan.

Hagman, a former vegetarian and outspoken nonsmoker who gave up alcohol after his 1995 liver transplant, is now an avocado farmer. He and Maj (pronounced MY), his wife of nearly 54 years, rise with the sun and are often asleep by 7:30 p.m.

Their 44-acre spread in Ojai, Calif., is all-organic. Their home runs on solar power, which Hagman said knocked their electric bill from $40,000 a year to $13.

He remains close to a few “Dallas” cast members, hunting and fishing with Duffy, aka brother Bobby, each month. And he and Maj often dine with Gray, who played his trophy wife on the show.

Maj Hagman recalled that when her husband first got the “Dallas” script, he was out of work. The couple were in New York, where Hagman’s mom, actress Mary Martin, was doing a show with Ethel Merman.

He was busy reading a script for a half-hour comedy while Maj reviewed the “Dallas” proposal.

“Woo! Larry, this is it!” she shouted. “There’s not one redeeming character in the whole show.”

She said it was right down his alley.

“But Maj,” he replied. “The money is terrible.”

She said: “We’ll renegotiate.”

After the “Who shot J.R.?” cliffhanger that concluded the 1980 season, when it was unclear whether J.R. would live, Hagman bargained hard with producers and landed a huge raise.

“That’s chutzpah,” Hagman said, explaining that the writers could have easily killed off his character. “But I made millions and they made billions. Everybody did well.”

Today, Hagman said the question people most often ask him as a conversation opener is, “Who shot you, J.R.?”

When he tells them it was Bing Crosby’s daughter, Mary, who played his sister-in-law and pregnant mistress on the show, they say, who is Bing Crosby?

“It’s a different generation,” Hagman said.

Dallas-based Neiman Marcus revealed the 82nd edition of its annual Christmas catalog Tuesday and it includes a Texas-sized offering for any Dallas Cowboys fan.

For only $500,000, one lucky Cowboys fan can take ownership of an end-zone from Texas Stadium. For that price, the buyer also receives the full VIP treatment for the last game in Texas Stadium, including a post-game party with the world-famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Team owner Jerry Jones is donating the entire $500,000 purchase price to the Salvation Army.

Dallas-area resident, Michael Wilkes was crowned king off the corny dog eaters when he consumed 12 Fletcher’s Corny Dogs in 10 minutes at the State Fair of Texas over the weekend.

In 2007, Wilkes tied with Brent Ricord, of Keller, for the honor.

This year Ricord managed to stuff down 11 corny dogs — but that was only good enough for second place.

Third place was a three-way tie between dog gobblers John Bradford, Carlos Gomez and Jacob Freeby.

Two Dallas area mothers have taken their passion for cooking and created an international sensation… and they’re making money too.

A Frisco home is the kitchen studio for www.ShowMeTheCurry.com. Friends Hetal Jinni and Anuja Bal Subramanian were looking for something to keep them busy after their kids started school last year.

But it didn’t take long before their small idea became a much bigger project: An internet based cooking show. They bought cameras, lights and practiced their delivery.

Now, about once a week, Anuja and Hetal tape podcasts, each with a new Indian recipe for their viewers to try at home.

Each segment details the ingredients you’ll need, and viewers get step by step instructions on how to prepare the dish.

They edit everything into a ten minute podcast and post it on the internet. In one year, they’ve produced dozens of segments and through the reach of YouTube, they have cultivated an international following.

Anuja and Hetal say they’re having a blast, and they’re also making money through advertising on their Web site. The more people log on, the more their revenue goes up.

Anuja and Hetal say they’re working on other money making additions to the show, including product placements and product endorsements.

Let’s hope the weather stays nice for this!

The All About Uptown Fest will be this Saturday, 13 Sept 08 from 11a - 11p.

There will be historic tours of Uptown and sponsors include: City Vets, Pets R Uptown, Dean Foods, Kids Korner, Renowned Restaurants

Located on Fairmont Street between McKinney Avenue and Cedar Springs

CHEF SHOWCASE TENT
11AM: Juan Rosado - The Crescent Club at Rosewood Crescent Hotel
12PM: Vu Le - The Fish Restaurant & Sushi Bar
1PM: John Coleman - Fearings at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
2PM: Chris Meier - The Capital Grille
3PM: Paula Lambert - Mozzarella Company
4PM: David Bull - Bolla at the Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa
5PM: Brian Wubbena - Trulucks
6PM: Gianni Santin - The Conservatory at Rosewood Crescent Hotel

MAIN STAGE
11AM: Scott Whitaker - Country
1PM: A Hard Days Night - Beatles Tribute Band
3PM: Mount Righteous - Progressive Big Band
4:30PM: Jonnie Blanco - Pop Alternative Rock
7PM: Brave Combo - Alternative Polka Party Rock
9PM: The Killdares - Irish Rock

For more information, contact the Uptown Association at:
469.341.0613
www.AllAboutUptown.com

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Scott Horner for emailing us with the following details on Leslie Porterfield’s amazing times at Bonneville.

As reported on landracing.com…(early Sept 5)
NEW FASTEST WOMAN ON A MOTORCYCLE……..231mph
Leslie Porterfield of High Five Cycles working with tuner Scott Horner ran a 231mph one mile speed at the Bub event today. That makes her the fastest woman running a motorcycle! This surpasses the exactly 30 year old (Sept ‘78) 229mph record held by Marcia Holley in the Don Vesco streamlined motorcycle.

She also accomplished a 209mph “naked” record during Speed Week to earn her entry into the Bonneville 200mph Club.
With both of these runs she is now the fastest woman on two wheels faired & unfaired.

Outstanding job Leslie & Scott. Great comeback from last year!

Late Sept 5-
She backed up her 231mph mile run with a 233.184 which will net her a 232 FIM/AMA World record in MPS BF 2000!!!
She ran a 234.197 in the Kilo and in fine racer fashion, pushing every last bit out of the engine, sent a
rod through the cases! She shut down and got off the course without incident. Outstanding job!
Congratulations to Leslie for surpassing the exactly 30 year old (Sept ‘78) 229mph record held by
Marcia Holley in the Don Vesco streamlined motorcycle. She is now, as Bill said,
the Fastest Woman on a Motorcycle and she accomplished this by not only running faster but by also
setting a record!

Leslie will be riding a Honda CBR 1000 on 9/6 in the production class. Thus far she has run as fast as 191.9 on a 191.2 MPH record.

This hasn’t been confirmed from a second source yet, but as of Friday evening (5 Sep 08), we were contacted and informed that Dallas girl Leslie Porterfield just cracked 231mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

AMAZING!