John Ross "J.R." Ewing Jr. is a fictional character in the American
television series Dallas (1978â€"1991) and its spin-offs, including
the revived Dallas series (2012â€"2014). The character was portrayed
by Larry Hagman from the series premiere in 1978 until his death in
late 2012, and Hagman was the only actor who appeared in all 357
episodes of the original series. As the show's most famous character,
J.R. has been central to many of the series' biggest storylines. He is
depicted as a covetous, egocentric, manipulative and amoral oil baron
with psychopathic tendencies, who is constantly plotting subterfuges
to plunder his foes' wealth. In the PBS series Pioneers of Television,
Hagman claimed the character of J.R. began its development when he
played a similar character in the film Stardust, and that he was also
inspired by a mean boss he once had.The original series' concept was a
blend of Bonanza (a rich Western patriarch and his three dissimilar
sons), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (rival brothers, and their scheming
wives), and Romeo and Juliet (two star-crossed lovers whose families
are sworn enemies).[citation needed] The focus of the series was
initially the feuding families, with J.R. just a supporting character,
but his popularity grew and the producers acknowledged he became the
breakout character. Two highly rated 1980 episodes became part of a
cultural phenomenon that year known as "Who shot J.R.?". In "A House
Divided", the audience witnessed J.R. being shot by an unknown
assailant.After the cliffhanger was broadcast in March, the audience
had to wait until the November conclusion, "Who Done It". With his
new-found popularity, Larry Hagman threatened to leave the series
unless his contractual demands were met. CBS leaked rumors of
recasting, but the actor eventually prevailed. He also appeared in
five episodes of spin-off series Knots Landing between 1980 and 1982.
The character is featured in the first two seasons of the 2012
reincarnation series as well. Hagman died on November 23, 2012, and
Dallas producers subsequently announced that J.R. would be killed off
in the second season. The episode "The Furious and Fast" dealt with
J.R.'s death.J.R. Ewing is considered one of television's most popular
characters, with TV Guide naming him #1 in their 2013 list of The 60
Nastiest Villains of All Time. In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked him #11
of their "40 Greatest TV Villains of All Time". In a 2001 Channel 4
poll in the U.K. he was ranked 38th on their list of the 100 Greatest
TV Characters. J. R. Ewing Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter