DALLAS’ Charlene Tilton: By ‘the Grace of God,’ I’m Not a Drug ‘Casualty’
By Movieguide® Staff
Former DALLAS actress Charlene Tilton credited “the grace of God” and her co-stars for protecting her from becoming a drug “casualty” in the 1980s.
Tilton started on DALLAS at 17-years-old. The TV series aired from 1978 until 1990, and Tilton recalls how she was offered drugs.
“I remember one time at Studio 54, and I was so naïve,” Tilton, 62, told Page Six. “I was asked what I would like when I walked in, and I said, ‘Oh, Coke, please,’ and I meant Coca-Cola. And they came back with coke [cocaine], and I looked down and I said, ‘No, no, Coca-Cola, please!'”
Tilton said her DALLAS co-stars advised her on what crowds to avoid.
“There was a lot of stuff going on in the ’80s if you remember,” Tilton said. “And I’m telling you, it was by the grace of God in their protection that I was not a casualty of the things that were going on in the ’80s.”
Specifically, Tilton is thankful for her co-stars Larry Hagman, Barbara Bel Geddes and Jim Davis for taking her under their wing.
“It really was about the work, and they protected me,” Tilton said. “They expected me to… show up early, to be prepared.”
“So I really learned from the best,” Tilton added. “I had these people protecting me, but at the same time expecting me to do the work, and I wanted to do the work. I loved it.”
Amid the pandemic, Tilton said she and her DALLAS co-stars keep in touch.
“We’re still very close,” Tilton told Fox News in May 2020. “We just have so many great memories that we love reliving from our time in the series. We’re still very much a family.”
Tilton recently starred in the UPtv movie, STARTING UP LOVE.
A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
STARTING UP LOVE is a romance airing on UPtv about a young finance executive, Jillian, who inherits her uncle’s mountain cabin. Jillian discovers that she only owns half the cabin, and the other half belongs to Liam, a handyman who’s worked on the building for years. After Jillian fails to secure a promotion, she leaves her venture capitalist company in the city and goes to the cabin to try to sell it. Liam is the complete opposite. He knows everyone in town and wants to turn the cabin into a bed and breakfast. As their two worlds clash, sparks begin to fly. Eventually, Jillian must choose between Liam and the town which has become like her family, or her career.
STARTING UP LOVE is a lighthearted romance that’s safe for the whole family. It has a strong moral, pro-capitalist worldview stressing honesty and sticking up for family. It also has redemptive themes of sacrificing one’s work goals for the sake of relationships. STARTING UP LOVE has no foul language or lewd content, but there is some implied alcohol use in three scenes.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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