The American prime time soap opera Dallas, which aired on CBS from 1978 to 1991, centered around the wealthy Ewing family in Dallas, Texas. Throughout the show’s 14 seasons and 357 episodes, the storyline followed the family feuds, affairs, and power struggles among the Ewings, particularly between brothers J.R. Ewing and Bobby Ewing. One of the central relationships was between Bobby Ewing and Pamela Barnes, who eventually married in the third season despite the rivalry between the Ewing and Barnes families. Their tumultuous marriage and repeated breakups and reconciliations was a major plotline throughout the series. But did Bobby ever marry someone else – specifically a woman named April? Let’s take a closer look at Bobby’s romantic history on the show to find out.
Bobby’s Early Relationships
Prior to his marriage to Pam, Bobby had several love interests during Dallas’s early seasons. In the first season, he briefly dated Julie Grey before becoming engaged to Jeanene Martson. Their engagement was called off when Jeanene left Dallas. Bobby later had an affair with married politician Elaine Marshall in season two, which ended his relationship with Ray Krebbs’ niece Mickey Trotter. However, he never pursued a serious relationship with anyone named April during this time.
Bobby and Pam’s Rocky Romance
Bobby first laid eyes on Pam Barnes, daughter of Digger Barnes, during the first season when she was dating Mark Graison. After Mark’s death, Bobby and Pam grew closer and eventually married in the third season finale despite opposition from J.R. Their marriage endured many challenges, including the scheming J.R. and Pam’s ex Cliff Barnes, leading to several breakups. But they always reconciled, clearly still in love with each other. Some key events:
| Season | Event |
|---|---|
| 3 | Bobby and Pam marry |
| 4 | Separation after J.R. has Pam kidnapped to keep them apart |
| 6 | Reconciliation after time apart reunites them |
| 7 | Separate again due to constant arguing |
| 8 | Back together after Bobby’s near-death experience |
| 9 | Bobby files for divorce after finding evidence of Pam’s infidelity |
| 10 | Remarry after halting divorce proceedings |
At no point during his ongoing relationship with Pam did Bobby get involved with or marry someone named April.
Bobby’s Life after Pam
In season 10, Bobby and Pam decided to start a family after reconciling. However, their plans were cut short when Victoria Principal, the actress portraying Pam, decided to leave the show at the end of the season. Written into the plot, Pam crashes her car and is badly burned in the season finale cliffhanger. She survives but suffers extensive scarring, leading her to leave Bobby and Dallas behind out of insecurity over her damaged appearance.
Pam’s departure paved the way for new relationships for Bobby. In season 11, he began a romance with attorney Jessica Montford, but it fizzled out. He then met and pursued April Stevens, an ambitious young woman scheming to become the next Mrs. Ewing and gain power in the Ewing family enterprises. Their flirtation was short-lived, however, as Bobby soon discovered her ulterior motives.
While Bobby was briefly involved with an April, he did not pursue a serious relationship or marriage with April Stevens. The relationship lasted only a few episodes before Bobby broke it off.
Bobby Eventually Remarries
After April Stevens, Bobby was involved with several other love interests, including Kay Lloyd and fellow ranch owner Hillary Taylor. In season 12, he fell for and became engaged to Jenna Wade, an old flame he originally dated before the show began. Their happiness was tragically cut short when Jenna’s ex, Renaldo Marchetta, murdered her.
Devastated by Jenna’s death, Bobby rebounded into the arms of old friend Lisa Alden in season 13. Their relationship grew serious enough to discuss marriage. But in the end Lisa’s desire for a high-society lifestyle in New York proved incompatible with Bobby’s roots in Texas. In the next season, Bobby began a romance with divorced mother April Stevens Ewing (a different April than before). But he broke it off when April’s ex, Jerry Kenderson, threatened violence.
Finally, in the 1988 reunion movie Dallas: J.R. Returns, Bobby met and fell in love with Oklahoma native April Stevens. This April had no relation to the previous Aprils in his life. Bobby proposed by the end of the movie, and they married in Dallas: War of the Ewings later that year. So while Bobby did finally marry an April, it was not until after Pam’s departure and several intervening relationships over many seasons.
Did Bobby and April Have a Stable Marriage?
Bobby and April seemed happily married when April was introduced in the reunion movies. However, their marriage was short-lived on the show. The couple experienced marital problems when April struggled to adjust to Southfork Ranch’s chaos. She also disliked Bobby’s devotion to the Ewing family oil business.
Their tensions culminated in infidelity, with April cheating on Bobby with cowboy Tommy McKay. April confessed the affair, begging Bobby’s forgiveness. But the damage was done, and Bobby filed for divorce in season 13 of the show. So unfortunately, Bobby’s marriage to April Stevens was ultimately yet another failed relationship for him.
Bobby’s Other Marriages
Aside from Pam Barnes and April Stevens, Bobby Ewing was married two other times during Dallas’s long run:
Ann Smith
Years after his divorce from April, Bobby married his old high school girlfriend Ann Smith in season 10 of the 2012 Dallas revival series. Their marriage lasted 6 seasons until Bobby’s death.
Betsy Ewing
Bobby’s third wife Betsy only appeared in the final 1991 season of the original show. Details of their relationship were unclear other than that Betsy and Bobby wed at some point during the season. Before the couple had a chance to settle into married life, J.R. tricked Bobby into thinking he had brain damage, leading Betsy to leave him. So this marriage dissolved after just a few episodes.
Conclusion
To recap the key facts:
– Bobby Ewing’s longest relationship was his on-again/off-again marriage to Pam Barnes across the original show’s first 10 seasons.
– He was never seriously involved with or married to someone named April during his time with Pam.
– Bobby had a short-term fling with April Stevens in season 11 but did not marry her.
– Bobby later married April Stevens in the reunion movies, but they divorced after one season due to infidelity.
So in the end, while Bobby did have three wives during Dallas’s run, he only married an April (April Stevens) for one season very late in the show’s timeline. His iconic romance was always with Pam Barnes, so the answer is definitively no, Bobby did not marry April on the original Dallas series itself. Their short-lived marriage only occurred years later in the reunion movies.
