Scene from a mall
In “Paternity Suit,” a third-season “Dallas” episode, Miss Ellie and Lucy (Barbara Bel Geddes, Charlene Tilton) are shopping for dresses when Marilee and Linda (Fern Fitzgerald, Joan Lancaster) approach.
LUCY: [Walks toward Miss Ellie with a red boa around her neck] Grandma? Grandma, what do you think?
ELLIE: Well, I think it has a rather limited usefulness.
MARILEE: Why, what a surprise.
LINDA: We didn’t expect to see you here.
LUCY: Where did you expect to see us?
MARILEE: This must be a terrible time for you, Miss Ellie.
LINDA: We’re all gonna miss Sue Ellen tomorrow night at the DOA dinner.
ELLIE: I don’t know what you mean.
LINDA: Well, with all the goings-on in the papers, I hardly think she’d be comfortable there.
ELLIE: Why, she wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’re all going, aren’t we, Lucy?
LUCY: Of course.
ELLIE: We’re buying some new clothes for the occasion.
LUCY: [Holds up the boa] Yeah, how do you like this one? For me, of course, you know.
LINDA: Well, it’s interesting.
MARILEE: We’d love to have you at our table, Miss Ellie.
ELLIE: Thank you, Marilee, but the whole family will be there. I imagine we’ll take up a whole table by ourselves. But why don’t you stop by the ranch for cocktails first. We’ve invited a few friends.
MARILEE: You’re having a party?
ELLIE: Six-thirty, tomorrow.
MARILEE: Linda?
LINDA: Well, that sounds just fine.
MARILEE: I’m sure my husband will be delighted.
ELLIE: Good. We’ll see you then. Bye.
MARILEE: Bye.
Marilee and Linda walk away.
MARILEE: [Under her breath] Who’d have thought?
LINDA: Honey, the Ewings have nerves of steel.
LUCY: Grandma, you were terrific.
ELLIE: I thought so. But I’ve faced worse scandals than this. No one’s ever made a Ewing back down yet. I doubt if they ever will.
LUCY: Are you sure you don’t like this? [Wraps the boa around her neck]
ELLIE: No. You may not wear that horrible dress.
Lucy smiles and walks away.
