Howard Keel (April 13, 1919 - November 7, 2004)

Before he was known as "Ellie Ewing's second husband", Howard Keel was one of musical film's most popular actors. Between 1948 and 1968 he appeared in 28 films including "Annie Get Your Gun", "Show Boat", "Calamity Jane", and "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." He shared the screen with leading ladies like Kathryn Grayson, Jane Powell and Cyd Charisse. Keel also made himself known on television with appearances on such shows as "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show", "The Mike Douglas Show", "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour", "Death Valley Days", "Here's Lucy", "Fantasy Island", "The Love Boat", "Murder, She Wrote", "Hart to Hart", and "Walker, Texas Ranger." In 1981, Keel stepped into the role of Clayton Farlow on the hit prime time soap opera "Dallas" and he didn't leave until it went off the air ten years later. Originally he was introduced as the father of Sue Ellen Ewing's lover Dusty Farlow. And during the early years he helped Sue Ellen escape from J.R. and finally divorce him. After Jock Ewing passed away Clayton and Jock's widow Miss Ellie became good friends and finally married in 1984. The wonderful thing about Clayton Farlow was that he was the only person that J.R. Ewing could never put something over on or "break" in anyway. Clayton wasn't afraid to punch J.R.'s lights out and did so on many occasions. I think it was absolutely ridiculous though when Clayton fell in love with Sue Ellen. I think that was a silly storyline that never should have happened. Howard Keel and Barbara Bel Geddes has wonderful chemistry as the strong willed older couple. In some ways I think their on screen relationship was better then the one between Jock and Miss Ellie. Perhaps that is because there was a lot more time for them to develop something. After all Jim Davis (Jock) died after only appearing in 75 episodes...hardly enough time to make a mark. Now don't get me wrong, he left his mark as Jock Ewing but the relationship between he and Miss Ellie was very one dimentional. Howard Keel and Donna Reed (Miss Ellie for the 1984-1985 season) also had terrific chemistry as a couple. I'm sure it was very difficult because when Donna Reed entered the scene audiences were seeing Clayton and Miss Ellie MARRIED for the first time. Barbara Bel Geddes has been around for the courtship and the engagment but not the marriage. So now these actors had to establish a marriage on screen only to have the original actress return the following season. But it didn't matter...as supporting players and sometimes as the leads they were an outstanding duo. They did have their problems though. Clayton's crazy sister Lady Jessica (Alexis Smith) tried to kill Ellie in 1984 and Clayton himself in 1990. Also Clayton was tempted to have an affair with a young model in 1988. Later that year he suffered a head injury and needed Miss Ellie and Sue Ellen's help to regain his memory. Finally in 1990 Clayton and Miss Ellie got sick of the constant fighting at Southfork and left for an extended vacation. Howard Keel was a great actor and he really earned a place in the "Dallas" history books. In 2002 he returned to the big screen in the film "My Father's House." On November 7, 2004 CBS aired the two-hour special "Dallas Reunion: The Return to Southfork." Sadly, Howard Keel passed away that morning. When the special was repeated a small rememberance of the actor was featured...a photo of him in his trusty cowboy hat floated across the screen in a moment of silence for the lost member of the classic cast.