Audrey Landers Interview

DallasTVshow.com Hi Audrey, we have some questions here for you from the fans at DallasTVshow.com. We have had so many questions for you — hundreds — you are very popular.

Audrey (laughs) I'm glad to hear that.

DallasTVshow.com Russ D'Angelo from NY asks: Hi Audrey, my question to you is, when you first started Dallas in the 3rd season, did you think you would be a regular or did you think that maybe you would only be on for a few episodes? My wife and I are big fans of yours and the show.

Audrey When they were originally casting for the part of Afton it was only supposed to be for two episodes, and so I went in and actually got the part over hundreds and hundreds of girls. For me it was amazing because I wasn't that familiar with the show, I had seen it a few times and I actually borrowed a dress off my sister for good luck and I went in and did my best reading. It was finally narrowed down to two different girls and I found out on my birthday that I had gotten the part. Great birthday present. It was after I did the first episode they asked if I would consider a contract role.

DallasTVshow.com Gary2Ewing2001 from the UK and Luis from Peru ask: Which do you consider your favourite episode/storyline?

Audrey I always enjoyed the parts where I sang, where they would write that the character would sing at a club. I really didn't love the character much as the years went on, after she became a nice girl. It was a lot more fun playing Afton as the bad girl character.

DallasTVshow.com Laura Wales from Washington asks: When you returned to play Afton in JR Returns was it like the old times again?

Audrey Well there was a lot of sentimentality and I was anxious to play it. But there were so many changes and so few original characters in the reunion movie I had mixed feelings about it. Being on the set was like being home again but there was a feeling that certain elements were missing.

DallasTVshow.com Scott from Australia asks: Hi Audrey... I'm a HUGE fan of Dallas, and fell in love with the city Dallas when visiting several years back. Just wondering, if in JR Returns the storyline between Afton and Cliff could have been extended?

Audrey I was disappointed that it didn't take off more than it did as a spin-off with the younger generation. I had a daughter on the show who was a teenager and JR's son was a teenager and I thought it would be an interesting story to continue the Dallas group but with the teens following in their parents' footsteps, but it never did take off.

DallasTVshow.com Many people ask: Larry Hagman said he has been approached for a Dallas: The New Generation. There is also a soap on the net written by fans called Dallas: The Legacy with Afton — would you be interested in reprising the role of Afton?

Audrey Oh I would love it in fact. I remember it was so funny when I met the girl who played my daughter, she was a lovely lovely girl but very very tall. Ken Kercheval, who played her father, and I aren't particularly tall. There is one scene in the reunion that is particularly humorous, it made me laugh so much. At the end of the reunion movie where I come out of the mental hospital, my daughter has rescued me and I run to her, “Oh my baby,” and I'm staring up at my “baby.” Eventually what they had to do, as it did look really silly, was to make a ramp so I was taller.

DallasTVshow.com James from London asks: I wonder if you ever got frustrated with your role on the show — would you have liked a bigger slice of the action?

Audrey It wasn't so much a bigger slice but there were times when I did get frustrated as many of my fans did because the writers wanted this evolution of the character, starting out as the bad girl and finally maturing, realizing Cliff was not the right man for her. They never really carried that part through and Afton was really very wimpy, you know? She didn't stand up for herself. It was really against the type of character that had been developed for all those years to stay with a man that was not good to her and then not have a strong storyline as to why she's with him. Some of my fans, especially female fans, could not grasp why Afton stayed with him so as an actor I had to try and rationalise it in my own brain and I had to say, “You know unfortunately there are many women who get stuck in bad relationships.” So that was how I coped with her staying with a man that was so mean to her.

DallasTVshow.com Cheryle from the Great South asks: Were you happy with your wardrobe on Dallas?

Audrey (laughs) Someone else chose them. They were great but not my choice.

DallasTVshow.com ILUVDDALLAS from Long Island asks: If Afton was a real person would you get on with her?

Audrey Oh yeah I would. I would appreciate the fact that she made a life for herself and her daughter and I can respect the fact that she had her faults but was able to overcome them and make a better life for herself.

DallasTVshow.com Curtis from Canada asks: You had a chance to work on two of the biggest phenomenons on television, Dallas and Charlie's Angels. Both characters were the ultimate bad girls. What were the differences behind the scenes on the two shows? Was the working atmosphere very different between the two?

Audrey On Charlie's Angels she was truly an evil character. I have to think hard as that was quite a while ago, I was 16 years old when I did that. I could not find one redeeming thing about her. But it was so long ago.

DallasTVshow.com Gray Thomas from the UK asks: Do you keep in contact with any of the cast from Dallas?

Audrey I do a little bit but everyone has their own life and we all go our own separate ways. I keep in contact with Ken Kercheval and Larry Hagman.

DallasTVshow.com Pauline from Scotland asks: What was it like to work with Larry Hagman? Thanks.

Audrey It was a blast, it was a lot of fun. Very boisterous and he really enjoyed his character. He was a lot of fun and always very professional to work with.

DallasTVshow.com Mrs Chambers asks: Who was the better kisser, Larry Hagman or Ken Kercheval?

Audrey (laughs) That's a tough one, they are both very good kissers. That's like asking what do you like better, Italian or Chinese food. Variety is the spice of life (laughs).

DallasTVshow.com Peter from Germany asks: I would like to ask Audrey Landers, if leaving the show during the 7th season (1984/1985) was her own decision or had she been written out? I would like to know the reason for her departure in both cases. Thank you.

Audrey The first time I left was when I got the opportunity to be in A Chorus Line and I was fortunate that I was able to talk it over with the producers and they were amenable to let me take a leave of absence. That movie took over a year to make and it was at a time when Afton was at a turning point so we were able to take advantage of that.

DallasTVshow.com Do you prefer working in movies, Dallas or singing?

Audrey I think it depends where you are in your life at that moment. I have always loved doing a series. Right now I would probably enjoy a movie and I still keep up with some of my singing but I have a wonderful family life and that kind of takes priority.

DallasTVshow.com Robin from the Netherlands asks: I'd like to know if any song you have sung on Dallas has ever been released on CD. I bought your CD The Best of Audrey Landers and I think you are a wonderful singer!

Audrey That is interesting, I have never recorded any of the songs I wrote for Dallas, but I would be curious to ask Robin where they got The Best of Audrey Landers because I would like to see what's on that (laughs). I don't recall making that, it could be retitled but I would be curious to find out who chose my best (laughs).

DallasTVshow.com Gerard from Spain asks: Have you been recording a new album?

Audrey I am working now on another album. I spend a lot of time working on my children's show that I have been writing and producing. It's a television series that has been on here in the US for over 5 years.

DallasTVshow.com Pamela from London asks: Can you tell us something no one else would know about Dallas or a personal highlight from the series?

Audrey A deep dark secret? Gee, if they were that deep and dark I don't know if I would tell anyone. OK, something I haven't really talked about. You know every regular character had their own dressing room and my dressing room actually belonged to Jim Davis who played Jock Ewing. When he passed away I had just become a regular on the show and they gave me his dressing room. He had it decorated in the old Western style, very heavy wood, like an old hunting lodge, and it really wasn't my personality and they gave me the choice of redecorating and I thought to myself he was kind of a legend and I didn't feel like doing that. So even though it was very far from my personality I left it the same way.

DallasTVshow.com Terry Chubaty from Winnipeg asks: What were your impressions of Jim Davis? Did he dominate the Dallas set like his character did?

Audrey When I joined the series he was already ill and I didn't have the opportunity to really get to know him well. Though I had spent some time with his wife who was a lovely woman and I didn't really know him well but certainly his presence dominated the set.

DallasTVshow.com Fergus from Ireland asks: HOW DID YOU AND KEN (CLIFF) GET ON?

Audrey Oh we got along really well, as an actor he was interesting to work with because he was always quite spontaneous. He was very talented.

DallasTVshow.com Kay asks: It seemed that the character you portrayed and the one that Victoria Principal portrayed were very close on Dallas almost like sisters, was that true when you two were out of character?

Audrey Victoria and I were certainly friendly as were all the relationships between the women were very nice on the show, contrary to what the press said. They were all very nice but I was a very private person and focused on my work and not the type of person who socialises a lot.

DallasTVshow.com Graeme from New Zealand asks: What do you think of the dream/shower season?

Audrey (laughs) I thought it was kind of a stretch and amazing the audience went for it.

DallasTVshow.com Jackie from the UK asks: Larry and Patrick are famous for the pranks they played. Were you involved in any of these?

Audrey On my first day of shooting I had this scene where I had to crawl into bed with J.R and I was nervous and to make me a little more uncomfortable he put ice packs all over the bed (laughs). So when I got in and they said roll it, it was icy cold and filled with ice cubes.

DallasTVshow.com Michael Bowen from Jacksonville asks: Do people still notice you from playing on Dallas?

Audrey People do because the show was so popular and I think that is wonderful and it's rerun so there is another generation watching it. But people do recognise me for the character and I love it.

DallasTVshow.com OlJR from Perth asks: How did Dallas impact your life?

Audrey It was a big changing point in my career. I had been acting since I was 5 and I had done many many years on soap operas so I was well known for that. I did things like Charlie's Angels and The Love Boat but when I got the role in Dallas it was like I had never done anything before because the fame was so widespread people said “wow she's brand new where did she come from.” It was an amazing time.

DallasTVshow.com Mark Arbouine from London asks: The public closely associate you with being Afton Cooper, has this been a help or hindrance to your career?

Audrey I think as opposed to some of the other characters on the show, there are good points and bad points to be overexposed. One of the earlier questions was would I have liked a bigger role and I think because my character was like a special icing on the cake, I don't think people ever got tired of the character and that I left several times gave me the opportunity not to be typecast.

DallasTVshow.com Mary Jankowski from NJ asks: My husband misses you on Howard Stern and wants to know when you'll be back?

Audrey I was on that show one time when it first started and he wasn't quite as nasty as he's become now. He's a little bit too raunchy for my taste so I don't think I will be back on the show but he was always very nice to me.

DallasTVshow.com Frankie from Baltimore asks: The name Afton is one I've NEVER heard used anywhere before or after Dallas. Did they create this name? What does it mean?

Audrey I had asked the writers this as well. The only answers I had were that Afton, one, was named after a city and a river.

DallasTVshow.com Longhorn1 from The Emerald City asks: Can you tell us about the children's show you produce?

Audrey It's a really wonderful show, we have won many many awards. It's a musical educational series for children. My sister and I both write it and my mum produces it. My sister and I are also in the show along with children and some larger than life characters and our own children have been in it as well. So it's been a really wonderful rewarding time in our lives. It's called The Huggabug Club. It was a website at https://www.Huggabugclub.com

DallasTVshow.com As you work closely with your sister and your mother is it one big happy family? Any sibling rivalry?

Audrey It is one big happy family but there are arguments and disagreements as there would be with any kind of business partners. But we have worked together for so many years, my mum has been our manager from when we were very young. So we are used to working together and we know each of our strengths and we go to the person who has that area of expertise. By the way the BBC are interviewing for a show “When Shoulder Pads Ruled the World” — it sounds great.

DallasTVshow.com Yes, DallasTVshow.com was approached for that too (laughs).

DallasTVshow.com Danny James from the UK asks: What do you do in your spare time?

Audrey Well I don't have a whole lot of spare time but I have a husband and two little boys and I am very much involved in being a mummy. I have also written a couple of screenplays and with my mother and sister we are working on a new family adventure movie which we hope becomes a series.

DallasTVshow.com Zoe Randel from CA asks: What was the working day like on Dallas?

Audrey It was a long day, the women were usually called in around 5:15 in the morning and begin shooting about 7:00am and we would finish at 7 in the evening.

DallasTVshow.com Lindy in Finland asks: Did you get on with Morgan Brittany in real life as your characters despised each other?

Audrey I wasn't really friendly or unfriendly with her, we never socialised off the set. I don't really know her too well.

DallasTVshow.com Well thank you very much Audrey.

Audrey You're welcome and I enjoyed talking to you. Please say hi to all my fans for me and hopefully we will do a reunion and I will be back on your screens again.

DallasTVshow.com Just one more question quickly, many people have asked how they can get Dallas back for the Get Dallas Back campaign which is about to launch at https://www.getdallasback.com. What can fans do?

Audrey Well the last time Larry was executive producer on it might be a good time to ask him. But don't forget to tell him how important Afton was (laughs) ok? Sometimes the older generation on the show forget, and that did happen for the second reunion — they forgot (laughs).

DallasTVshow.com Yes I have a question here from Danny James in the UK asking the same thing, where were you?

Audrey That is a very good question. I got many letters asking the same thing (laughs).

DallasTVshow.com Well hopefully for the third you will be there.

Audrey I hope so. So if all these wonderful fans out there want it, talk to Larry and tell him how much they loved Afton too (laughs).

Special thanks to Audrey Landers. It was an absolute pleasure to speak to you.

In this interview, Audrey Landers explains that Afton Cooper was initially intended for a limited run, before becoming a contracted role after the character connected with viewers. She describes why Afton’s nightclub performances were among her favourite sequences, offers a thoughtful perspective on storylines that softened the character, and reflects on returning for JR Returns with mixed emotions due to how many original elements had changed. Audrey also recalls the intensity of the shooting schedule, the playful atmosphere created by Larry Hagman, and a personal behind-the-scenes detail: her dressing room had previously belonged to Jim Davis, and she chose to keep its Western décor unchanged out of respect.