Dallas, Through Soviet Eyes

by Paula Bosse

Valentin Zorin

by Paula Bosse

A bit of a departure here: I’m recommending a very interesting article by my friend Julia Barton, a writer and broadcaster who often combines her love of various aspects of media and her love of her hometown, Dallas. I’ve mentioned Julia several times in Flashback Dallas posts. I stumbled across a taped presentation she had made at SMU about the history of the Trinity River, and I was struck by how similar we were. We’ve corresponded and have met a few times when she’s been back in Dallas for visits with her family. We’re, as they say, simpatico. She’s given me some great tips on topics I ended up writing about; one of my favorite posts — “‘Enemy Aliens'” and the WWII Internment Camp at Seagoville” — was written because of her.

Back to this article she’s written that you should really check out: it’s about a weird and fascinating television production from the late 1970s that appeared on Soviet TV as an odd bit of anti-Capitalist propaganda masquerading as travelogue. It was filmed here and is jam-packed with Dallas stereotypes and all its extravagant extravagances, its big shiny things, its “haves” and its “have nots.” Big hair, Society People at parties, and ripped-off footage of H. L. Hunt. The “journalist” tour guide was Valentin Zorin, a big name in Soviet Russia, who had legions of fans, including one V. Putin.

If you want to dip your toe into this story, head over to Julia’s newsletter, Continuous Wave, and read her article “Sound Off: How Not to Be a Propagandist.” Click a bunch of her links. It’s quite the strange journey into a lopsided version of Big D that is probably not one you’d expect.

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Sources & Notes

Top image is from Julia Barton’s newsletter — it’s a screenshot from the 1978 program “The Puzzles of Dallas” — in her article, Julia links to the full film on YouTube (it’s in Russian, but you get the idea…).

Thank you, Julia!

Flashback : Dallas