How Joan Van Ark almost missed out on her biggest role
Knots LandingĀ became the story of Gary Ewing and his wife Valene ā played by Van Ark ā and how they decided to start a new life in Knots Landing.
However, Van Ark almost missed out on the part of Valene Ewing. She explained that she had a āthree-way clashā where she didĀ TheĀ Love BoatĀ simultaneously, as well as a commercial in New York.
In the end, it was her husband ā John Marshall, who we will come back to in a minute ā that persuaded her into choosing Dallas. And it was a significant ā and important ā decision.
āI got the call asking me to do a guest appearance in this show called Dallas, which was attracting a lot of buzz, but I said to my husband, āJohn, why should I even read this script? I canāt be in three places at once,’ā she toldĀ Express. āThen he read it and said, āNo, youāve got to do it. It looks wonderful.’ā
āSo basically, he talked me into a schedule that had me in LA one day, then flying to Dallas for two days, followed by two days in New York and then back to Texas. But looking at this old cast photo from Knots Landing ā the spinoff from Dallas ā Iām so glad I listened to him,ā she added.
DallasĀ andĀ Knots LandingĀ became a 15-year commitment for Van Ark, who became identified by her role. As earlier mentioned, she and Julie Harris had quite a history ā and in 1980, they met again.
āI could stay forever on the show and be safeā
Harris was cast in Knots Landing as the mother of Van Arksā character, and for the actress, it was almost too good to be true.
āWhen the producers told me they had finally last someone to play my mother, I held my breath,ā she recalled in a 1984 interview with Florida Today.
