Morgan Fairchild is a way better actress than Priscilla Presley and just as beautiful so it would have been nice to have her stay the whole run.. Way more depth to her and sparks definitely flew when she played against Bobby and Pam in Season 1.. Francine Tacker (Jenna #2)? Oh boy, don't get me started.. as if Bobby would give Pam up for her?? Sorry but in no way was she even close to as hot as Victoria Principal, not even close!!
Morgan would have been a great Jenna. I think, I could be wrong, but during season 3, she was unavailable to reprise the role because she was filming the Flamingo Road pilot, which aired later that season so they recast. I believe she said after Flamingo Road ended in 1982, she wanted to move to comedy, so she may have passed on reprising Jenna (I'm not 100% she was asked, but I have to assume she was). If she did reprise Jenna though, I have a feeling, her portrayal would be more similar to her portrayal of Constance on Flamingo Road. Interestingly enough, the following season after Priscilla Presley joined the cast as Jenna, Fairchild joined the cast of another primetime soap, Paper Dolls (playing Racine, a role played by Joan Collins in the 1982 TV-movie). A year later, she joined the cast of Falcon Crest.
The reason Priscilla works so well in this role, for me, is that she seems kind of earthy-- like someone who grew up on a ranch. And to me, Bobby's childhood sweetheart would have been that kind of girl.
Also, Priscilla (like Larry Hagman) spent part of her childhood in Texas, and I think that's a point in her favor. And I love how fragile and vulnerable she is during the Renaldo Marchetta storyline, which is my favorite story on Dallas.
How would Morgan Fairchild have been as April Stevens...?
Morgan Fairchild was born and bred in Texas. She wasn't some Army brat like Priscilla "Duck Lips" Presley. She had the vixen look and was already from Texas. It was the perfect match but Katzman and everybody else thought otherwise.
Yes, I am a member of the message board and grammar police. Since 1998.
Agree Morgan was much better. Pricilla was insufferable as Jenna, with the monotone voice and awful acting. I blame PP for me hating the character of Jenna.
I agree that Priscilla Presley was a horrible actress while on Dallas. While she was having her "nervous breakdown" I cringed every time she said "don't you see". Her hysterics were just horrible. Really the only thing she had going for her was that she was absolutely gorgeous.
The writing of Jenna changed with each actress too - spoilt bankrupt princess -> successful news editor (I think) -> broke and working as a waitress. Such a natural progression right there...