"Dallas" was originally planned to center on Bobby's "Romeo and Juliet"-style marriage to Pamela Barnes, who was from the rival Barnes family. According to "Dallas" scriptwriter and story editor Camille Marchetta, Bobby was initially going to be killed off by the end of season 1, leaving Pamela to become the central character of the series. Bobby's character was kept, but the show ended up focusing on his older brother, J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), as it became clear that he was the breakout character. Still, Bobby retained his central role as the show's primary hero, and the Abel to J.R.'s Cain.