Patrick Duffy biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Actor Patrick Duffy was born on March 17, 1949, in Townsend, Montana. Although he has played many other roles, Patrick Duffy will always be remembered for his portrayal of Bobby Ewing on the hit primetime drama Dallas.

Duffy grew up in a small town where his parents ran a tavern and struggled to make ends meet. After high school, Duffy enrolled in the drama program at University of Washington, graduating in 1971.

He eventually moved to Los Angeles and spent several years trying to make it as an actor. His big break came in 1976 when he landed the lead in the science fiction series, Man From Atlantis. At the time, Duffy was cash strapped. "I didn't have enough money to buy a swimming suit, so I had to do it in my underwear," he explained to People magazine, describing his audition for the series.

On the show, Duffy played Mark Harris, a being from the lost continent of Atlantis who was discovered unconscious on a beach by a research scientist. While he looked human, Harris had webbed hands and feet. He could only spend a certain amount of time out of the water before returning to breathe. The show only lasted a season, airing from the fall of 1977 to the following spring.

Bobby Ewing in 'Dallas'

Right after Man From Atlantis, Duffy quickly assumed his most famous role of good guy Bobby Ewing on Dallas, a drama centered around a wealthy Texas family. Jim Davis and Barbara Bel Geddes played the Ewing family patriarch and matriarch Jock and Miss Ellie. Larry Hagman played his ruthless older brother J. R. and Linda Gray played J. R.’s long suffering wife Sue Ellen. In addition to the sibling rivalry, the show also featured the ups and downs of Bobby Ewing's relationship with his wife Pamela played by Victoria Principal.

While not an immediate hit, Dallas eventually became one of primetime's top shows and a pop culture sensation. At the end of the 1979-1980 season,  audiences across America wondered "Who Shot J. R.?" when the show's villain was attacked by an unknown assailant. By 1985, despite the popularity of the show, Duffy had tired of always playing the nice guy and even publicly described his character as "boring." He left the series, wanting more adventurous lead parts.