SMU in 'Dallas'?

[Cheesesteak]

I wonder if SMU scenes will be in the movie 'Dallas' like they were in the TV show.


Cast shaping up for 'Dallas' the movie
Dallas Business Journal - Tuesday

Is Catherine Zeta-Jones out as Pam Ewing and Jennifer Lopez in as Sue Ellen Ewing for the Dallas movie?

According to Variety, a movie trade publication, director Robert Luketic has asked Luke Wilson to play Bobby Ewing while Shirley MacLaine has an offer to play the family matriarch, Miss Ellie Ewing. John Travolta is widely considered the frontrunner for the role of J.R. Ewing.

Janis Burklund, director of the Dallas Film Commission, said the choices are good, and having Wilson, a Dallas native, considered for the role of Bobby Ewing is a bonus.

The Dallas-raised actor's publicist, New York City-based ID Public Relations confirmed the actor is in negotiations to star in the movie.

"Hopefully, having a cast member from Dallas will help keep the film in Dallas," said Burklund. She, along with Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and Phillip Jones of the Dallas Convention and Visitor's Bureau, launched the "Shoot J.R. in Dallas," campaign to raise incentive funds to keep the movie from filming in states with incentives.

The budget for the movie hasn't been disclosed, but the Dallas Film Commission estimates that a movie such as "Dallas" shooting its entire 14-week schedule the production company could add as much as $30 million in local revenue. That could have an estimated impact of $530 million and create around 300 direct and 650 indirect industry jobs.

[MrMustang1965]

The exposure sure wouldn't hurt. If the character of Lucy Ewing Cooper (played by Charlene Tilton in the original series) is in the movie maybe they could make her character an SMU co-ed.

[SMUPhil]

Wasn't Lucy an SMU cheerleader in the original series? That show was great, I hope they don't botch the movie. At least they're not doing the whole comedy thing like Starsky and Hutch or Dragnet.

[MrMustang1965]

Wasn't Lucy an SMU cheerleader in the original series? That show was great, I hope they don't botch the movie. At least they're not doing the whole comedy thing like Starsky and Hutch or Dragnet.

She wasn't a cheerleader but she was a student! From the web site www.ultimatedallas.com under the 'characters' link comes the following info about Lucy Ewing Cooper (Tilton's character on 'Dallas'):

Work History: Southern Methodist University student (1979-1981); Ward Publications’ Young Miss Dallas (1981-1982); freelance fashion model represented by the Blair Sullivan Agency (1982-1983); waitress at The Hot Biscuit, Fort Worth, Texas (1983); partner in a construction business (1984); Patron of the Arts (1989 onwards)

[Terry Webster]

I just hope that they don't show Lucy going into McFarlin for a class like they did in the show.

[Diamond Girl]

Lucy was a cheerleader on the show. I remember seeing her wearing a cheerleader's uniform in a number of episodes.

BTW: someone is shooting a movie on campus. I don't know who/what it is, but they were shooting in Dallas Hall today.

[EastStang]

She was a cheerleader in high school before she got to college. She followed the SMU tradition of putting on her freshman ten pounds. Judging from a number of the movie remakes of television shows, don't count on this one being any good at all. Most of them are pretty lame at best.

[Bergermeister]

How 'bout Amber Campisi to play the part of an SMU cheerleader in the movie? Good PR/marketing. Nobody would notice/care if she was going to class at McFarlin, McElvaney, or Patterson Hall.

[Pony_Fan]

BTW: someone is shooting a movie on campus. I don't know who/what it is, but they were shooting in Dallas Hall today.

An ABC pilot called "A House Divided" that stars Dylan McDermott.

[jtstang]

Suggested on Channel 5 last night it's probably gonna be filmed in Canada. Maybe Saskatchewan U can stand in for SMU.

[RGV Pony]

Early in the series, they established a memorial scholarship for Jock Ewing given to a deserving SMU student. They mentioned it every season, since every season had an "Oil Baron's Ball."

Every season, that is, until the waning years of the series...87, 88, 89...hmm, wonder why?

Oh yeah, Chris Atkin's character was a psych student at SMU.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Wasn't Lucy an SMU cheerleader in the original series? That show was great, I hope they don't botch the movie. At least they're not doing the whole comedy thing like Starsky and Hutch or Dragnet.

With the cast of characters that they have lined up for this movie(ie John Travolta as JR and Luke Wilson as Bobby) I can't see this being a "serious" movie. I see it being more along the lines of some of the other TV series made for movie like Starsky and Hutch or Dukes of Hazzard. With a movie like this, I can see them exposing the Texas Stereotype to the hilt. I do find it ironic that Laura Miller was practically begging for this movie by using lame statements like "it will help dispell stereotypes about dallas with new stereotypes." Yeah, right. She'll do anything she can to bring a movie to dallas that will make the city even more stereotypical not to mention, she'll probably try to cut them some tax breaks but she wouldn't do jack to bring the cowboys back to dallas.
I won't be surprised though if they hire either Vince Vaughn or Ben Stiller as Cliff Barnes. That seems like the logical choice.

[Cheesesteak]

Movies: Shoot J.R. in Dallas!

Newsweek

March 27, 2006 issue - Who shot J.R.?" was once a question that gripped America, but as Hollywood gears up for a big-screen version of "Dallas," the bigger question now is, "Where will they shoot J.R.?" In Texas, where the show remains a source of civic pride, word that Twentieth Century Fox is considering locations other than real-life Dallas has prompted outrage. With shooting set to begin this summer, "Dallas" filmmakers are weighing proposals from Florida, Louisiana—and even Canada. "It just makes your hair stand on end," says Janis Burkland of the Dallas Film Commission. While the TV show was filmed mainly on an L.A. soundstage, Dallas city officials argue that for the movie, there's no substitute for the real thing. Yet Texas has struggled to keep up with the financial incentives offered by other suitors. A bill that would waive $750,000 in taxes on production costs for movies filmed in the Lone Star State stalled in the Texas Legislature. To raise money and woo the filmmakers, Dallas launched a campaign, "Shoot J.R. in Dallas!" The city has also offered the filmmakers free office space. "Dallas" producers say they'll decide on locations this spring. "This is our Alamo," Burkland says. "You can't film a movie about Texas outside of Texas, not this time."

—Holly Bailey