Patrick Duffy: 6 fun facts to know about Dallas' unforgettable Bobby Ewing

24/07/2023

Famous all over the world for his roles as Bobby Ewing in Dallas, Frank Lambert in Step by Step and Mark Harris in Man from Atlantis, Patrick Duffy is a prominent figure in TV series. Here are six things you may not have known about the actor.

Patrick Duffy didn't have to audition for Dallas
Patrick Duffy didn't have to audition for Dallas

Patrick Duffy wasn't playing his first major TV role when he was cast as Bobby Ewing in Dallas, as he previously starred in the series Man from Atlantis. As a result, he didn't even need to audition for David Jacobs' soap opera. "I remember Dallas was offered to me. I didn’t have to audition for it. It was offered to me by Leonard Katzman, an executive producer of the show. While I was doing Man From Atlantis, he was doing a sci-fi show called Logan’s Run with Gregory Harrison and Heather Menzies, which was filming on the stage next to mine. Leonard was prepping Dallas while he was at MGM, and he thought of me for the role of Bobby Ewing," the actor told The A.V. Club website.

Patrick Duffy's wife suggested the idea of the "Dream Season" in Dallas
Patrick Duffy's wife suggested the idea of the 'Dream Season' in Dallas

At the end of Dallas season 9, Pamela wakes up to find her husband Bobby, supposedly dead, in the shower. It turns out that all the events of that season were just a dream, a plot device used to bring Patrick Duffy’s character back to life. In fact, it was the actor's wife at the time, Carlyn Rosser, who was the first to mention this idea when Duffy informed her that he was being asked to reprise his role in Dallas. “[My wife] instantly said, 'There’s no way you can return to Dallas unless all of last year was a dream.'” said Bobby’s actor to People Magazine. And the rest is history.

His son Conor Duffy starred in Dallas finale
His son Conor Duffy starred in Dallas finale

Dallas is a family business. Conor Duffy, Patrick Duffy's second son, also took part in the classic TV show. In 1991, he played little J.R. Ewing in the 22nd episode of season 14, the grand finale of Dallas. At the age of 11 years old at the time, Conor Duffy has since come a long way as an actor, appearing in numerous series.

Patrick Duffy is also a director
Patrick Duffy is also a director

Like many actors, Patrick Duffy is also a director. He has directed a total of 30 episodes of Dallas, and 49 episodes of Step by Step. When asked about this by The A.V. Club, he said: “I have a brain that works on two separate levels. It’s always been so. Even back to Man From Atlantis. The two sides of my brain are working at the same time whenever I’m on a set. On one side, I’m acting and I’m trying my very best to do that as well as I can. But simultaneously, I’m looking at camera angles, I’m aware of marks on the floor, I’m aware of other actors’ lines. I tend to be able to memorize a whole scene and not just my own part. I’m doubly occupied all the time.”

He did two duets with Mireille Mathieu
He did two duets with Mireille Mathieu

Actor, director and also a singer. In 1983, Patrick Duffy recorded two duets with singer Mireille Mathieu, "Together We're Strong" and "Something's Going On". These collaborations, released as 45 rpm records, were a great success in France and the rest of Europe.

Patrick Duffy starred with his girlfriend in The Bold and the Beautiful
Patrick Duffy starred with his girlfriend in The Bold and the Beautiful

In a relationship with actress Linda Purl (Happy Days) since 2020, Patrick Duffy had the opportunity to star with his other half in a few episodes of the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from 2022. The actor reprised his role as Stephen Logan after several years of absence from the soap opera. For the occasion, his character came alongside his new girlfriend Lucy (played by Linda Purl) and introduced her to his daughters Brooke, Donna and Katie.

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