Dallas, the most successful primetime soap in TV history, holds a special place in the hearts of millions. Among the many reasons fans tuned in each week was the captivating presence of Victoria Principal, who played Pamela Barnes Ewing, one of the most beloved characters on the show. Alongside Larry Hagman’s portrayal of the ruthless oil tycoon J.R. Ewing, Victoria’s performance became a cornerstone of the series’ success.
Now, at 74 years old, Victoria Principal continues to dazzle, maintaining her status as a timeless beauty and a versatile talent. This article delves into her journey, exploring her illustrious career, personal challenges, and enduring impact on the entertainment industry and beyond.
Victoria Principal: A Versatile Talent
Victoria Principal has always embodied versatility. Throughout her career, she has excelled as an actress, author, producer, and skincare entrepreneur. Her adaptability might be rooted in her early years, marked by a nomadic lifestyle due to her father’s military career. Born on January 3, 1950, in Fukuoka, Japan, Victoria Ree Principal’s life began on foreign soil as her father, a U.S. Air Force Sergeant, was stationed there.
As a child, Victoria frequently moved between U.S. Air Force bases, living in various locations, including England, Puerto Rico, Massachusetts, and Florida. Her upbringing exposed her to diverse cultures and experiences, which likely contributed to her resilience and adaptability. During her primary school years, Victoria attended 17 different schools, including the prestigious Royal Ballet School in England, showcasing her early exposure to the arts.
Early Struggles and the Path to Stardom
Victoria’s childhood, however, was not without its challenges. Her relationship with her mother, Ree Principal, was complex, and Victoria has described her childhood as difficult. In a 2012 interview with the Huffington Post, she reflected on her early years, stating, “I wish I had known my childhood would end.” Despite these challenges, Victoria also acknowledged that her parents instilled in her a sense of equality and resilience, which would serve her well in her future endeavors.
Victoria’s career began at a remarkably young age when she landed her first job in a television commercial at just five years old. Initially, it seemed that she might pursue a completely different path—medicine. After enrolling at Miami-Dade Community College in 1968, Victoria had aspirations of becoming a doctor. However, fate had other plans. A severe car accident during her first year of college left her with serious injuries, requiring months of rest and rehabilitation. This pivotal moment led Victoria to reassess her life’s direction, ultimately deciding to pursue her dreams of acting.
Breaking into Hollywood
After recovering from the accident, Victoria moved to New York City to chase her acting dreams. She worked as an actress and model in New York and Europe before relocating to Los Angeles in 1971. In LA, she began to pursue significant film roles, and her breakthrough came with a role in John Huston’s western film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean. In the film, she played the mistress of the main character, Roy Bean, portrayed by Paul Newman. This performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Newcomer and increased her visibility in Hollywood.
Despite her early success, Victoria faced challenges in Hollywood. She quickly realized that she was often seen as just a “hot meal ticket,” which took a toll on her confidence. After her success in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, finding satisfying roles proved difficult. Her next film, The Naked Ape, was a commercial failure, further shaking her confidence. In a candid interview with People, she admitted, “I wanted to be successful simply because I didn’t want to get hurt. I began to get hard. I became very protective of myself.”
The Role of a Lifetime: Pamela Barnes Ewing
In 1974, Victoria appeared in the blockbuster disaster film Earthquake, which was a massive hit. However, she soon realized that the pressure to maintain a perfect image in Hollywood was overwhelming. By 1975, while filming Vigilante Force, she felt so unhappy that she contemplated stepping away from acting altogether. “I realized I was so unhappy I didn’t want to live,” she admitted.
Choosing to step away from feature films, Victoria pursued a career in law and worked as a talent agent between 1975 and 1977. This shift allowed her to be valued for her skills and intellect rather than her appearance. It was during her time as an agent that Victoria first encountered the television series Dallas. Though she had received offers to return to acting, it wasn’t until she read the script for Dallas that she decided to revisit her acting ambitions.
Victoria secured the role of Pamela Barnes Ewing, which became one of the defining roles of her career. She negotiated her own contract with CBS, ensuring that she retained control over her image and career. “As a result, you can only notice in hindsight, I was the only person in the cast who did commercials, who was doing movies of the week, who wrote books, and these all belong to me. I retained the control and ownership of my image. No one owns me,” she explained.
The Impact of ‘Dallas’
Premiering in 1978, Dallas became one of the greatest television dramas of all time, capturing global attention and influencing viewers worldwide. The series centered on the Ewing family, a wealthy Texan clan involved in oil and cattle ranching. At 28, Victoria Principal became a significant reason for the show’s international success. As Pamela Barnes Ewing, she captivated audiences as the beautiful wife of Bobby Ewing and sister-in-law to J.R. Ewing, earning the admiration of a generation.
During her nine-year tenure on Dallas, Victoria received a Golden Globe nomination and two Soap Opera Digest Awards. She has since shared insights about her time on the show and her relationship with Larry Hagman, who played J.R. Ewing. “Going toe to toe with J.R., a.k.a. Larry Hagman, was always a delight. Larry was a generous actor and would find a way to talk to me the morning of the scene about how we could make it even more powerful,” she noted.
Victoria Principal wasn’t particularly close with her Dallas castmates, as she revealed in an interview with People. “There were phone calls, but I didn’t really have get-togethers. We never hung out really anyway. We worked together and we had different lives,” she shared. This separation from her castmates may have contributed to her decision to leave the show in 1987.
Life After ‘Dallas’
Victoria’s departure from Dallas was influenced by several factors. She felt that staying on the show any longer would have sealed her fate in the industry, limiting her opportunities to explore other projects. Despite being offered a lucrative contract that would have made her the highest-paid actress on TV at the time, Victoria chose to leave. “The first five years on Dallas were so unbelievably wonderful—then some key writers departed, and by year seven, there was a decline in the writing, which was an enormous part of my decision to leave,” she explained to Entertainment Weekly.
After leaving Dallas, Victoria could have retired comfortably, but she chose to invest heavily in her skincare company, Principal Secret, which she launched in 1984. The company has been highly successful, generating over $1.5 billion in revenue. Victoria attributes much of her subsequent success to the platform Dallas provided. “I continue to be passionately dedicated to running my skincare company, Principal Secret. We are about to celebrate 27 years in business. And I have never forgotten that Dallas gave me the springboard to achieve so many of my dreams,” she told TV Insider in 2018.
A Shift Toward Philanthropy
In 2019, Victoria announced her decision to step down from her skincare company after 30 years to focus on philanthropy. “After 30 years in the skincare business and 28 years as the President & Founder of Principal Secret, I will be stepping down to devote myself full time to my philanthropic work through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and my rescue work with animals,” she stated.
Victoria’s philanthropic efforts have included notable donations, such as a fleet of rescue boats to the American Humane Society following Hurricane Harvey in 2018, and $25,000 for fire restoration efforts after the California Wildfires in 2018. Her commitment to giving back has become a central focus of her life in recent years.
Personal Life and Legacy
Regarding her personal life, Victoria has been married and divorced twice. Despite a reputation of being a man-hunter, she describes her romantic history as relatively modest. “No one who ever dated me has ever said an unkind thing about me,” she claimed. “I’ve probably had fewer relationships than many in my 33 years, but no one will ever believe it,” she told People in 1983.
Victoria met her first husband, Christopher Skinner, a young actor, on the set of Dallas. They married after just three dates but divorced two years later. Following her first marriage, Victoria had a high-profile but troubled relationship with English singer-songwriter Andy Gibb. Despite their strong chemistry, Gibb’s lifestyle and addiction proved too difficult for Victoria. “I did everything I could to help him, but then I told him he would have to choose between me and his problem,” Victoria said after Gibb’s passing in 1998.
In 1985, Victoria married Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Harry Glassman in Dallas, Texas. Despite speculation about her husband’s role in helping her maintain her youthful appearance, Victoria clarified in a 2007 interview that she had never undergone any cosmetic procedures with his assistance. “I’ve never had a face-lift. Or a professional peel or lasers,” she stated. The couple divorced in December 2006 after more than 20 years of marriage.
Today, Victoria Principal focuses on her philanthropic work and her foundation, continuing to make significant contributions to various causes. Her life reflects a commitment to both personal fulfillment and giving back, while her legacy remains intertwined with the success of Dallas and her achievements in the skincare industry.
A Life of Purpose and Impact
Victoria Principal remains very active on social media, offering her 400,000 followers a glimpse into her life through her Facebook page. She often shares photos and short videos from her ranch outside of Los Angeles, where she dedicates time to rehabilitating animals. Seeing her updates brings tears of joy, showcasing the amazing person she is today. Her followers get a look at her daily life on the ranch, along with occasional throwback photos and clips from her Dallas days and acting career.
Victoria Principal’s journey is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to living life with purpose. From her iconic role on Dallas to her successful skincare empire and philanthropic endeavors, Victoria’s impact continues to be felt across multiple industries. As she continues to inspire and give back, Victoria Principal’s legacy as a multifaceted talent and compassionate individual remains firmly intact.
