Real Cousins: John Ross and Christopher

John Ross Ewing and Christopher Ewing really are cousins, even though Christopher is adopted.

Yes, cousins just like most people – one parent is related to one of the other’s parents. But it’s not the parent you might think. They’d be double cousins if J.R. was Christopher’s father, but he’s not! No, Christopher’s real momma was Sue Ellen’s devious sister, Kristin Shepard. So Christopher isn’t a blood Ewing, but he and John Ross have that Shepard blood in common.

Christopher Mark Ewing was born on August 18, 1981. (By this time, John Ross is hitting the Terrible Twos). A pregnant Kristin left Dallas after having an affair with J.R. and shooting him in the shot heard ’round the world and the famous “Who Shot J.R.” cliffhanger. Kristin miscarries the baby, but gets pregnant by Jeff Faraday. She returns to Dallas to try to blackmail J.R., only to wind up floating faced down in the Southfork pool.

TNT RENEWS DALLAS FOR A THIRD SEASON

Bobby brings Christopher back to Southfork,  thinking he is bringing back J.R.’s son, but his wife, Pam, thinks he brought the baby from the adoption agency for her. Eventually, they legally adopt the boy, although at one point Bobby must fight a custody challenge from Lisa Alden the sister of Christopher’s real father, Jeff Faraday.

Since then, Christopher has seen his adoptive parents divorce in 1983 but remarry in 1986 and divorce again. Bobby later marries April Stevens but she is murdered on their honeymoon. But before that, Bobby had a child named Lucas with Jenna Wade, who was born in 1987. Jenna married Bobby’s half-brother, Ray Krebbs, and Ray adopted Lucas.

Dallas Season 2 Episodes: 1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 : 10

John Ross in not an only child either. J.R. had an older son named James Richard Beaumont with Vanessa Beaumont, although James didn’t show up Season 11. He also had a child with his second wife Cally. That child’s name is unknown so far. After leaving J.R., Cally remarried in Florida and J.R. chose not to disrupt her life.

Bring Back Mandy Winger, or Afton, or …

Here is a list of actors who have portrayed these characters over the years:

J.R. Ewing: Larry Hagman
Bobby Ewing: Patrick Duffy
Sue Ellen Ewing: Linda Gray
Pamela Ewing: Victoria Principal, Margaret Michaels
Ray Krebbs: Steve Kanaly
Jenna Wade: Morgan Fairchild, Francine Tacker, Priscilla Presley
John Ross Ewing: unknown as infant, Omri Katz, Josh Henderson

Christopher Ewing: Eric Farlow, Joshua Harris, Chris Demetral, Jesse Metcalfe
Lucas Krebbs: unknown as infant, (born on 3/15/1987 episode of Dallas, S. 9,
Fall of the House of Ewing)
James Beaumont: Sasha Mitchell
Kristin Shepard: Mary Crosby
Jeff Faraday: Art Hindle
Vanessa Beaumont: Gayle Hunnicutt
April Stevens: Sheree J. Wilson
Cally: Cathy Podewell