David Jacobs

In his over two-and-a-half-hour interview, David Jacobs (1939-2023) discusses his long career as a writer of non-fiction books, including a biography of Charlie Chaplin, and of magazine articles for such publications as The New York Times Magazine. He talks about his transition to television writing, which began on the series The Blue Knight and on Family when he was well into his thirties. Jacobs describes in great detail his creation of two popular and long-running nighttime serials: Dallas and Knots Landing. He notes the fact that Knots Landing was created before Dallas, but pitched and produced afterward. He recounts how Dallas was created around actress Linda Evans (who would be a regular on Dynasty), how the show came to be titled and set in Dallas (a city he had never been to), and how the show reflected its era. Jacobs also explains the premise of Knots Landing, gives his impressions of the actors who appeared on the show and discusses some of the storylines on the popular series. He then comments on a number of series, miniseries, and television movies he produced in the 1980s and '90s, including the western series Paradise and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Shelley Jenkins conducted the interview on February 29, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

David Jacobs on the "Who Shot J.R.?" storyline on Dallas

03:48

David Jacobs on the Bobby out of the shower/last season was all a dream storyline on Dallas

02:43

On how Dallas reflected its era

02:09

On how Dallas was Romeo and Juliet and Cain and Abel

00:28

On the importance of music on Knots Landing

03:58

On the role of a story editor (on Family )

David Jacobs on his first television job - a rewrite on The Blue Knight

00:38

David Jacobs on how Bob Schlitt gave him a much needed job on The Blue Knight

02:03

David Jacobs on the genesis and production of Dallas and Knots Landing

25:42

Creator/Producer David Jacobs on Dallas (continued)

37:00

David Jacobs on the fifth episode of Dallas, "Barbeque"

02:23

David Jacobs on the Dallas prequel, Dallas: The Early Years

03:03

David Jacobs on the "Who Shot J.R.?" storyline on Dallas

04:18

David Jacobs on the Bobby out of the shower/last season was all a dream storyline on Dallas

02:41

David Jacobs on the Dallas prequel Dallas: The Early Years

01:05

David Jacobs on the writing of Dallas

01:08

David Jacobs on the Dallas prequel, Dallas: The Early Years

03:03

David Jacobs on the Dalla s prequel Dallas: The Early Years

01:05

David Jacobs on becoming a staff writer on Family

01:02

Writer David Jacobs on the role of a story editor (on Family)

04:16

David Jacobs on the genesis and production of Dallas and Knots Landing

25:42

Creator/Producer David Jacobs on Knots Landing

17:49

Creator/Producer David Jacobs on Knots Landing (continued)

26:56

David Jacobs on the writing of Knots Landing

01:08

Dallas creator David Jacobs on the character of J.R. Ewing

05:12

Dallas creator David Jacobs on the characters of Dallas

00:44

David Jacobs on the "Who Shot J.R.?" storyline on Dallas

03:48

David Jacobs on the Bobby out of the shower/last season was all a dream storyline on Dallas

02:43

Writer/show creator David Jacobs on writing

00:07

David Jacobs on writing when he has something to write

00:54

David Jacobs on advice to young writers

00:30

David Jacobs on Leonard Katzman, Producer on Dallas

00:52

David Jacobs on the Bobby out of the shower/last season was all a dream storyline on Dallas

02:43

David Jacobs on advice on writing from writer Nigel McKeand

01:17

David Jacobs on advice on writing from writer Nigel McKeand

00:26

David Jacobs on working with actor Peter Strauss

00:27

David Jacobs on his role on CBS' Moloney with Peter Strauss

01:39

David Jacobs on his first television job - a rewrite on The Blue Knight, and on his admiration for development executive Bob Schlitt

00:38

David Jacobs on how Bob Schlitt gave him a much needed job on The Blue Knight

02:03

David Jacobs on the difficulties of casting the character of Pamela on Dallas

03:06

David Jacobs on actress Victoria Principal and her Dallas character Pamela

01:41