Southfork Ranch

A longhorn looks up from grazing near the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour at the ranch in Parker on Saturday, June 21, 2008. Thirty years after "Dallas" debuted, Southfork Ranch remains an international tourist attraction.


photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News


Neon lights and photos of "Dallas" stars welcome tourists before a tour at Southfork Ranch in Parker.


The pistol used to shoot J.R. is displayed in the ranch's museum before a tour at Southfork Ranch.



Friendly horses greet guests during a tour at Southfork Ranch. The ranch itself was a working ranch while the show was in production. Only exterior scenes were filmed at the ranch. The interior scenes were filmed in a studio.


Olle Bagling of Stockholm, Sweden rides a tram to the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour.


Passengers learn the Southfork Ranch history as they ride a tractor-pulled tram to the mansion during a tour at the ranch.


The extended Royal family from Augusta, Ga. and Rainsville, Ala. walk around the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour at the ranch.


Cyan Loonan (left) of Littleton, Mass. makes photos inside the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour at the ranch. Now, the ranch has no residents and the interior was converted for the benefit of tourists.


Visitors make photos and move around the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour at the ranch.


Margaret and Clifford Royal of Augusta, Ga. make photos of their family in front of the Southfork Ranch mansion during a tour at the ranch in Parker, Texas.

Please read, "Television History" by Jake Batsell
and Trivia questions about Dallas

I've also got some trivia you're not likely to find anywhere else about "Dallas."

My brother-in-law was the manager of Coco's restaurant many years ago. One day, some guys had a working lunch at the restaurant and were talking about something important.

One of the men asked my brother-in-law, "What are some Texan names?"

My brother-in-law explained he was from Chicago, but said the other restaurant employees were all Texans. He said, "Your waitress is Pam, the busboy is Bobby, J.R. is on the grill, Ellie is the cashier and the hostess is Suellen" (my sister).

A few months later, "Dallas" became a phenomenon. Interestingly, the writers decided to make my sister's name into two words "Sue Ellen." However, my mom named her after Scarlett O'Hara's younger sister in "Gone With The Wind." So, the character's name should be one word, "Suellen."

Enough for now,