| Season Number: | 4 |
| Bgcolour: |
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| Num Episodes: | 23 |
| Network: | CBS |
| Episode List: | List of Dallas (1978 TV series) episodes |
The fourth season of the television series Dallas aired on CBS during the 1980–81 TV season.
In alphabetical order:
Jared Martin returns as Steven "Dusty" Farlow, and long-running supporting actors Morgan Woodward (Punk Anderson), Tyler Banks (John Ross Ewing III), Audrey Landers (Afton Cooper), Deborah Tranelli (Phyllis Wapner) and Laurence Haddon (Franklin Horner) all appear for the first time. Additionally, William Windom appears in two episodes as Amos Krebbs who knows the truth about Ray's real father. Joel Fabiani (Alex Ward) appears in several episodes, but won't return for subsequent seasons, and Christopher Stone (Dave Stratton) appear in four episodes and will later return for season 8. Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark (Gary and Valene Ewing) cross over from Dallas spinoff Knots Landing for three and two episodes, respectively.
The season's episode writers include showrunner Leonard Katzman, the returning Arthur Bernard Lewis, Linda B. Elstad, Loraine Despres, and Rena Down, and as well as new additions Robert J. Shaw, Leah Markus, Howard Lakin, Louis Elias, and David Paulsen. Philip Capice continues to serve as sole executive producer, as Lee Rich, left the show after the previous season. Katzman serves as producer, and Cliff Fenneman as associate producer. Arthur Bernard Lewis continues as executive story editor, with Camille Marchetta, Rena Down, and Robert J. Shaw serving as story editors.
Like many other shows on air in 1980, production of Dallas was impacted by the 1980 actors strike, which delayed the show returning to screens until November 1980. However, this only slightly lessened the length of the season with 23 episodes being broadcast up to May 1981.
Additionally, the American Federation of Musicians was concurrently part of the strike action (which affected film and television productions between July and October 1980) and so the first 14 episodes of the fourth season of Dallas did not feature music from any of its regular composers, save for a new rendition of Jerrold Immel's main theme. In lieu of this, Lorimar utilised composers and musicians from overseas (such as the English composer John Scott, who went uncredited) or used stock music recordings, some of which was not in keeping with the show's tone and style.
Dallas season four was released by Warner Bros. Home Video, on a Region 1 DVD box set of four double-sided DVDs, on January 24, 2006. In addition to the 23 episodes, it also includes the cast reunion special which originally aired on CBS on November 7, 2004.[1]
See main article: article. The Dallas cast continued to make occasional appearance in spinoff series Knots Landing, which was on its second year: J.R. (Larry Hagman) appeared in A Family Matter (airing on January 22, 1981) and Designs (March 26, 1981); Bobby (Patrick Duffy) in The Loudest Word (February 19, 1981); and Kristin (Mary Crosby) in Kristin (December 18, 1980, her only Knots Landing appearance).
See also: List of Dallas (1978 TV series) episodes.