Dallas: J.R. Returns Dallas: J.R. Returns Dallas: J.R. Returns is a 1996 American made-for-television drama film and is the first of two "Dallas" reunion films, produced after the series went off the air in 1991. It originally aired on CBS on November 15, 1996, and was rerun as part of TV Land's salute to 50 years of Warner Bros. Television. The cliffhanger ending of the 1991 "Dallas" series finale is resolved. The gunshot J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) fired was at the mirror, not himself (despite there being no sound of shattered glass when he pulled the trigger). Several years later, J.R. is in
J. R. Ewing "A House Divided", the audience witnessed J.R. being shot by an unknown assailant. After the cliffhanger was broadcast in March, the audience had to wait until the October conclusion, "Who Done It". With his new-found popularity, Larry Hagman threatened to leave the series unless his contractual demands were met. CBS leaked rumors of recasting, but the actor eventually prevailed. He also appeared in five episodes of spin-off series "Knots Landing" between 1980 and 1982. The character is featured in the first two seasons of the 2012 reincarnation series as well. Hagman died on November 23, 2012, and "Dallas" producers subsequently