Picture this: A quiet cul-de-sac in the fictional Los Angeles suburb of Knots Landing. On the surface, it seems like any other middle-class neighborhood. But behind closed doors, the residents of this little community got up to all kinds of mischief that kept viewers glued to their screens for years. This spinoff of the legendary Dallas series not only outlasted its predecessor but also became one of the longest-running primetime dramas in television history. According to star Joan Van Ark, the show's success can be summed up in a single phrase from creator David Jacobs: "Dallas is about them. Knots Landing is about us." And boy, did we relate!
Fast forward forty years from the show's debut on December 27, 1979, and Closer Weekly had the chance to sit down with Michele Lee, Donna Mills, Ted Shackelford, Kevin Dobson, Don Murray, and more to uncover the hilarious, scandalous, and heartwarming stories from behind the scenes of this iconic series. Let’s dive in!
The Genesis of Knots Landing
Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen on Dallas, revealed the surprising origins of Knots Landing. "Here's the scoop!" she exclaimed. "David Jacobs pitched Knots Landing to CBS, but he didn't know that [CBS head] William Paley had sent a memo saying, 'We want something big, like Giant.' So David, who'd never even been to Texas, went back and pitched Dallas instead. After it became a hit, they told him, 'Anything you want, David!'"
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Joan Van Ark (Valene) shared how the show was originally envisioned as a modern take on Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes From a Marriage. "David wanted to explore the complexities of relationships," she explained. "Some couples had troubles, others were madly in love. It was supposed to be a more grounded version of Dallas, focusing on everyday people instead of oil barons." And who could forget that the original cast almost included some big names like Alec Baldwin and Halle Berry?
Patrick Duffy (Bobby from Dallas) chimed in, saying he and Larry Hagman made guest appearances for ratings boosts, but they weren't central to the storyline. "We were just passing through," he joked. Meanwhile, Linda Gray admitted she opted out entirely. "I told them, 'I don’t do cul-de-sacs!'" she quipped with a laugh.
Plot Twists That Shocked the World
Donna Mills (Abby) described Knots Landing as the This Is Us of its time. "These were real people dealing with real problems," she said. "It resonated with audiences because they could see themselves in our characters." One of the most memorable storylines involved Valene’s stolen twins. As Joan recalled, "The times Knots hit No. 1 in the ratings were when the babies were taken and when they were returned. I even met Magic Johnson at a party, and he went on and on about it!"
Another standout moment came when Michele Lee (Karen) tackled drug addiction—a topic that hit close to home for many viewers. "That was my favorite storyline," Michele admitted. "Around the same time, Betty Ford publicly acknowledged her own struggles with addiction. She actually called me to discuss a short film I made about Karen’s battle. We ended up meeting her and President Ford, and after waving goodbye from their porch, we hopped into a limo and headed straight to McDonald’s!"
Joan also fondly remembered a dramatic cliffhanger where her character was forcibly drugged by Jill (Teri Austin). "I ran straight to David’s office after reading the script," she recounted. "I was like, 'Is this your way of telling me my character is leaving?'"
And let’s not forget Michele’s historic use of the word "bitch" on television. "That was groundbreaking stuff back then!" she laughed.
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What Went Down On-Set?
Donna Mills recalled some playful antics during those steamy shower scenes with co-star Ted Shackelford. "Ted would always drop his towel," she teased. "He thought it was hilarious—and he kept doing it for years!"
Ted confirmed the story, adding, "Yeah, you couldn’t get away with that today, but back then, it added an element of surprise and fun. People loved it!"
