Linda Gray Is Selling Pieces of Dallas, But the Larry Hagman Gifts Stay Put

Linda Gray is parting with some of the objects tied to her years on Dallas, giving fans a chance to buy pieces linked to Sue Ellen Ewing. But even as she sends part of that history to auction, she has drawn a clear line around a small group of items that will not be leaving her home.

What is going into the sale

Gray, now 85, has joined Julien’s Auctions for its “Ladies of the ’80s” event, where she is offering memorabilia connected to her long run on Dallas. The selection comes from her own collection and centers on the years she spent playing Sue Ellen Ewing on one of the decade’s defining TV dramas.

The group of items includes her director’s chair, original clapperboards, production scripts and props associated with Sue Ellen. Some of the pieces reflect Gray’s work on camera, while others point to what she did behind the scenes as well. The clapperboards, in particular, tie back to episodes she pushed to direct, making them part of her broader story on the series, not just her performance in it.

For longtime viewers, the sale offers more than a shelf of souvenirs. It puts tangible objects from Dallas into circulation, with the kind of personal link that only matters more when they come directly from one of the show’s central stars.

Why selling any of it was not easy

Gray has said the decision was not simple. She admitted she hesitated at first because so many of the objects carried strong memories for her. Letting them go, she said, has a bittersweet side.

What changed her mind was the idea that fans would value these pieces in the same spirit she did. Rather than keeping everything stored away, she came to feel that the items could have a new life with people who understand what Dallas meant and what her years as Sue Ellen represented.

That mix of reluctance and generosity helps explain the shape of the auction. This is not presented as a total cleanout. It is a selective release of objects with production history attached to them, chosen from a much larger personal archive.

The keepsakes she will not sell

Gray also made clear that one category is entirely off limits: anything given to her by Larry Hagman. She said Hagman was one of her favorite scene partners, and described working with him as something that often felt like an acting class.

On screen, their characters fueled one of Dallas’s best known relationships, with Sue Ellen and J.R. Ewing locked into a love-hate dynamic that viewers still remember. Away from the cameras, Gray has recalled a bond full of laughter and affection.

Among the things she still keeps are humorous notes Hagman sent her and an old Rolex watch he gave her. She called those items “keepers” and said they remain especially dear to her. Their friendship even had its own running formality, with Hagman addressing her as “Ms. Gray” and Gray answering with “Mr. Hagman.”

The auction includes material linked to other 1980s favorites, including The Golden Girls, WKRP in Cincinnati and Dynasty. Even so, Gray’s contribution comes with a revealing boundary. Fans can buy a share of Dallas history, but not the mementos she associates most closely with the man who played J.R.