Larry Hagman

“Major success feels a bit like a coronation. Like I'd become a king. I was one of the most famous people in the world, loved and hated in equal measure. I couldn't see anything bad with it. It made me a happy person.”

“At that time I was making the largest salary known on television and I didn't want to see it die because those were the years paying off when I wasn't making anything.”

“I was shot when I think it was number one. That was the catalyst for the interest in the show. Certainly it went on for a long time after that but that's what really kicked it off. Of course a lot of people watched it just because of the novelty of the situation.”

“I have thousands and thousands of hats. Some are the most outrageous hats in the world. They are my disguise. I hide beneath them.”

“If you do your research on hot springs all over the world, they're usually places of peace. People, even in warring nations and so forth, they'll go and live in peace together around the hot springs, which were always considered medicinal. I firmly believe in water therapy.”

“Barbara Eden is the most beautiful girl in the world.”

“I never travel without my Stetson, but the more I wear it the more I realise that no one wears hats any more. When I was a kid everybody wore hats, especially in Texas, but I get off the plane in Dallas now and I'm the only guy with a hat. It's amazing.”

“I'm not well versed on the verbiage of the internet.”

“I went to a military school between the ages of six and 12 and later into the air force. You learn discipline and strength of character.”

“I don't watch a lot of television. Sports and news, that's it.”

“Well, I motorcycle, I hunt, fish, I do all that. I keep busy. I'm never bored. I've never been bored.”

“As J.R. I could get away with anything - bribery, blackmail and adultery. But I got caught by cancer. I do want everyone to know that it is a very common and treatable form of cancer. I will be receiving treatment while working on the new 'Dallas' series.”

“I was sad to see anybody leave, we had a very nice family on that show. I was very sad to see momma go, Victoria and especially Linda. My god that was my wife on the show, in fact my wife calls her wife.”

“Comedy is not funny. Comedy is hard work and timing and lots and lots of rehearsals.”

“It always annoys me when stars grumble about fans coming up to them in the street. I love it. These young stars today with all their airs and graces, they need to remember it is an honour and a privilege to make money from acting. How hard is it?”

“I think that everybody in the world, whatever colour or creed, has a jerk like JR in his or her family somewhere. Whether it is a father, uncle, cousin or brother, everybody can identify with JR and that certainly had something to do with the success of 'Dallas.'”

“But there is no withdrawal, but with tobacco there is terrible withdrawal, it is almost impossible for a lot of people. I did, I went cold turkey, they never had any patches in those days but grass was not difficult, alcohol not difficult, but tobacco - oh my god.”

“I was born with success. Lucky for me I am able to handle it. Also, I damn well deserve it!”

“I barely watch TV apart from the news. Most of it is rubbish. There's all this reality nonsense and dross. I think there's a market for a well-produced, well-written melodrama like 'Dallas.' It's pure entertainment.”

“We did 356 'Dallas' episodes between 1978 and 1991. The most memorable moment for me happened in 1980 when I got shot at the end of the third series. The rest is a blur.”