Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

TNT sneaked a teaser of its planned 2012 reboot of "Dallas" last week — and apparently sparked a colossal commotion among fans of that granddaddy of prime-time serials. "It's unbelievable," Patrick Duffy tells us. "All around the world, people I've had contacts with through the years are already planning how they're going to have their traditional 'Dallas' dinners and parties to watch it. On the Facebook page, they're so excited," reports the actor still remembered as the nice Ewing brother, Bobby.

Patrick reports that production is due to begin in October, and he and his wife, Carlyn, are moving to Dallas for the duration of the first 10-episode season shoot. As "Dallas" followers are already aware, this time around, much of the action will center on the young generation of the rich and rowdy Texas oil clan (played by Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster and Julie Gonzalo) — with dastardly J.R. (Larry Hagman), his ex-wife, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray), and Bobby also on the scene.

"The three of us will be integral to the storyline, but not overpoweringly so. We will be pulling our end of the wagon," Duffy informs. Brenda Strong of "Desperate Housewives" is playing Bobby's wife of 15 years, Ann. "We're already a long-established married couple," he notes. As far as his beloved Pam (Victoria Principal), Duffy reminds us, "Pam actually died on the show, so her participation was never an option. It's the same with Mama and Daddy not coming back. That's not to say that certain old cast members won't appear."

Hagman, Duffy and Gray have remained close pals since the original "Dallas" finished its run in 1991. According to Duffy, "Over the years, we've been approached about redoing 'Dallas' in some form, but I never read a script that was not laughable, and that includes the feature scripts involving film stars," none of which ever saw production. The new "Dallas" executive producers Cynthia Cidre ("The Mambo Kings") and Michael Robin ("The Closer") "wrote to all three of us simultaneously. They knew we would talk amongst ourselves first, and we did; we discussed and tore apart the script. We all knew we were going to do it. We all felt Cynthia had finally gotten it right and had come up with the perfect way to bring 'Dallas' into a new generation. We are totally committed to this project."

MEANWHILE: It's definitely a walk-down-memory-lane kind of time for Duffy, whose first series, "The Man from Atlantis," and the TV movies that preceded it have been remastered for a new DVD release Tuesday (7/26) through the Warner Archive Collection on-demand online service (www.warnerarchive.com). Though the show lasted but one season, it gained an avid cult following and proved popular internationally, including in China.

"The most discomforting thing was the lenses in my eyes; they covered the entire eyeball and were put on with suction cups," he says. Also, to get an electric green look, "they were colored with what was essentially airplane paint and another clear layer of airplane paint covered that. That was the worst part. My eyes just burned at the end of the day. They threw me out in the bay in September, October, November, and it had to look like a day in the park, but it was cold," he recalls. "I couldn't do it now, at 62, but, you know, at 28 you're bulletproof."

SOPHOMORE STRETCH: Lee Thompson Young tells us he's been getting particular enjoyment out of shooting this season of TNT's hit "Rizzoli and Isles" because "everyone's life is getting filled out, and that's really interesting to play as an actor."

He points out, "Obviously, Sasha (Alexander) and Angie (Harmon) are fabulous, and they will always be the core of the show. But there are other avenues to explore with the rest of the ensemble, and they're doing a good job of showing each person's character." He says we'll see a "deepening and strengthening of the relationships between the people inside the homicide unit" as the season unfurls.

Also, there are "definitely some partner dynamics" ahead between Harmon's Rizzoli character and her former partner in the homicide detective squad, played by Bruce McGill. "There'll be workplace shifts, too." Young, who plays Harmon's current partner, the corpse-averse Det. Barry Frost, tells us he was caught off guard by the way the show became a hit last year. "And the size of the response we had was a pretty big surprise to all of us."

The personable actor and USC grad who was once known as the title tween favorite of the Disney Channel's "The Famous Jett Jackson" has been busy elsewhere between "Rizzoli and Isles" camera calls. "I did 'The Good Guys' on Fox, then an episode of 'The Event,' then came back to 'Rizzoli and Isles,'" says Young, whose credits also include the big screen "Friday Night Lights" and "Akeelah and the Bee." "It's nice to mix it up a little bit and get a fresh perspective every time. It's like a palate cleanser. I like to fight against routine and getting stale."

SPECIAL SERVICES: Casting forces for an NBC Notre Dame promo have been looking for just the right fellow to play the Notre Dame leprechaun. The job requires being 5 feet 8 inches tall and 170 pounds to fit "a specific costume that can't be adjusted," per casting notices. But more, the ideal candidate must have a full beard he's willing to have shaved off on camera.

Over on Judd Apatow's soon-to-shoot yet untitled feature comedy, casting forces have been asking for "a buff athlete, 30-40, who is well built and can improvise a lot of curse words." Heck, any local beach should be able to provide that.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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