David Jacobs, the creator of popular 1980s primetime soap operas Dallas and Knots Landing, has passed away at the age of 84. Jacobs died on Sunday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after battling Alzheimer’s disease and complications from a series of infections. His son Aaron confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter.
Dallas, which originally started as a five-part miniseries in April 1978, aired for 14 seasons and 357 episodes, becoming the No. 1 show in the Nielsen ratings during its fourth, fifth, and seventh seasons. Knots Landing, a spinoff of Dallas, premiered in December 1979 and ran for an impressive 14 seasons and 344 episodes.
Jacobs’ career in television began when he worked as a story editor for the ABC drama Family. His work there caught the attention of Lorimar Productions, where he formed a partnership with development executive Michael Filerman. Together, they came up with the idea of an American version of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes From a Marriage, which eventually became Dallas. Jacobs initially hesitated about setting the show in Dallas, as he felt Houston would be a more suitable location due to its oil industry. However, Filerman disagreed and convinced Jacobs that Dallas had a better ring to it.
Dallas quickly became a success and cemented Jacobs’ place in television history. The show revolved around the manipulative oil tycoon J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman. Jacobs remained a creative consultant on Dallas throughout its run, but shifted focus to creating a spinoff series called Knots Landing. The show followed the lives of Gary Ewing, played by David Ackroyd and later Ted Shackelford, and his estranged wife Valene, played by Joan Van Ark, as they moved from Texas to the fictional town of Knots Landing.
Both Dallas and Knots Landing were known for their compelling storylines filled with drama, infidelity, and political ambition. Jacobs believed that incorporating conflict into the structure of the shows made his job as a writer much easier.
Born in Baltimore in 1939, Jacobs initially pursued a career in painting before switching to writing. He wrote biographies and articles for magazines like Esquire and The New York Times Magazine, eventually transitioning into writing for television. Jacobs’ ex-wife, Lynn Oliansky, who became a writer’s agent in Los Angeles, helped him get into the TV industry.
Jacobs’ legacy will live on through the enduring popularity of shows like Dallas and Knots Landing. His contribution to the television landscape will always be remembered.