Inside the Real-Life ‘Knots Landing’ & ‘Dallas’ Romance You Never Knew About

When Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly) on Dallas thought he wasn’t good enough to be an Ewing, he began hanging out at the Longview bar and pushed away his wife, Donna Culver Krebbs (Susan Howard). He took up with Bonnie (Lindsay Bloom), an old flame. Bonnie’s remembered for throwing a drink in Donna’s face, only to get knocked down by Ray’s territorial wife! “Drinks are on Bonnie!” Donna triumphantly exclaimed after tossing some cash on the bar.

A few years later on Knots Landing, Ray’s sister-in-law Valene Ewing (Joan Van Ark) had a breakdown after being told her twins were stillborn. (They were not!) Val experienced a mental break from reality, assumed the identity of one of her novel characters – Verna Ellers – and became a waitress in Shula, Tennessee. There, Parker Winslow (Mayf Nutter) fell for Verna, but like Bonnie did with Ray, failed to keep her in his life. After Gary arrived at the church and called out Val’s name, she left Parker at the altar.