J. R. Ewing subterfuges to plunder his foes' wealth. The original series concept was a blend of "Bonanza" with a rich, western patriarch and his three dissimilar sons, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with its rival brothers, and their scheming wives, and "Romeo and Juliet" with two star-crossed lovers whose families are sworn enemies. The focus of the series was initially the feuding families, with J.R. just a supporting character, but his popularity grew and the producers acknowledged he became the breakout character. Two highly rated 1980 episodes became part of a cultural phenomenon that year known as "Who shot J.R.?". In
Their Hearts Were Full of Spring Their Hearts Were Full of Spring "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring" is a song written by Bobby Troup. It has been recorded by many artists including Jimmie Rodgers, the Four Freshmen, the Lettermen, the Beach Boys, Sue Raney, the Cyrkle, and Tatsuro Yamashita. The song was a favorite of American rock band the Beach Boys. Throughout their career, they performed it regularly, taking the song's vocal arrangement from the Four Freshmen. In 1963, they released their own version with revised lyrics by Mike Love as "A Young Man is Gone" in tribute to actor James Dean. It can be