Dallas: Linda Gray & Patrick Duffy Talk Paying Tribute To Larry Hagman & J.R. Ewing

The cast of “Dallas” are paying tribute to the late Larry Hagman today, both in the show’s host Texas city and online.

“Larry put Dallas, really, on the map after the assassination of John F. Kennedy… and then went on to enchant the whole world, so we thought wouldn’t it be lovely to dedicate this day — where the [television] show is all about his memorial — so everyone could say ‘Goodbye,’ and ‘Thanks,’ and ‘We love you,’” Linda Gray, who plays Sue Ellen on the TNT primetime drama, told Access Hollywood on Sunday at PaleyFest 2013. “So we’re all wearing cowboy boots and cowboy hats in Texas.”

Patrick Duffy, who plays Bobby Ewing on “Dallas,” which honors Larry’s famed J.R. character on tonight’s episode, said the credit for “Larry Hagman Day” (fans can participate on Twitter by adding #rememberingJR in their Tweets), goes to Linda.

“Linda is actually responsible for that because nobody kind of got on board with that and she thought, ‘We should do this.’ And since we all have joined the 21st century and we all have our Twitter sites and our Facebook pages and all those social medias… she decided, ‘Let’s just do a Larry Hagman Day,’” Patrick told Access. “So we all changed our pictures on our things to include Larry and we mention it in all our communications.”

As for tonight’s big “Dallas” episode, which airs at 9/8c on TNT, Linda said there will be many famous faces who come back to pay tribute to the legendary character.

“Ted Shackelford will be on the show, Cathy Podewell, Charlene Tilton… [There were] lots of hugs and memories,” Linda said. “It was such a lovely time to remember Larry. Beautiful.”

“Everyone’s shares a moment that J.R. impacted their lives,” Jesse Metcalfe (Christopher Ewing) told Access at PaleyFest. “So it’s going to be a very moving episode.”

Jordana Brewster, who plays Elena Ramos, told Access that at a recent screening of the episode for the crew, “there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

Although it is a moving episode, Patrick said he didn’t have a problem shooting the goodbye to J.R.

“It really wasn’t hard for me to film it. Any time I think of Larry, it’s always a good feeling. I don’t mourn him because I’ve said before, I’m so satiated with Hagman,” Patrick said. “He’s my best friend and he has been my best friend for over 30 years, so it’s not like I even miss him because I’m so full of that relationship. That’ll last me my whole life.”

Josh Henderson, who plays J.R.’s son, John Ross Jr., said his thoughts turn to his former co-star, regularly.

“Larry — he is what made ‘Dallas’ tick, originally, and it was an absolute honor and a pleasure for me to be able to work with him [and] learn from him,” Josh said. “So we miss him dearly and I think about him every day.”

“Dallas” airs tonight at 9/8c on TNT.

Jolie Lash

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