Pamela from 'Dallas' Is 'Different' & 'Ageless' at 73 after Divorcing Surgeon Who Denied Abusing Her

Publish date: 2024-05-18

Victoria Principal is an actress and producer who has also worked as a model. Some of the first films she starred in include "Fantasy Island" and "The Life and the Times of Judge Roy Bean."

However, the actress became popular due to her role as Pamela Barnes Ewing in CBS' long-running soap opera, "Dallas," launched in 1978.

Victoria Principal on the set of "Dallas" in 1985 | Source: Getty Images

Principal left "Dallas" after nine years, but she revealed she had been planning her exit by year seven and had informed the producers during the renegotiations in the seventh year that she would only stay for two more years.

The producers of the show wanted Principal to stay for longer and sign an extended contract, but she remembered that she was completely transparent with them and said no, explaining:

"The first five years on the show were so unbelievably wonderful, but then some key writers departed, and by year seven, there was a decline in the writing, which was an enormous part of my decision to leave."

Patrick Duffy and Victoria Principal on the set of "Dallas" in 1982 | Source: Getty Images

Principal admitted that most writers left the show because they felt they were not given the right deals. The actress said she was also put under a lot of pressure not to leave the show and was given lots of flowers, notes, and even a new deal:

"They wanted to influence me to stay for less money. What they didn't understand was how committed I was to leaving. It was belated and somewhat insulting. So, my polite response was, I'm leaving."

When the actress left, she shot her last scene alone as all her co-stars were gone. Principal ensured she left on a good note by bringing in an enormous cake and making shirts for everyone on the crew that read, "It was all a dream, Love, Victoria."

Back row, from left: Patrick Duffy, Victoria Principal, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Larry Hagman. Front row, from left: Charlene Tilton, Jim Davis, and Linda Gray on the set of "Dallas" on January 1, 1979 | Source: Getty Images

Despite making a firm decision to leave on the show's ninth year, Principal admitted that when she joined "Dallas," she loved her character Pamela:

"I had already fallen in love with the show and with the part. So, my feeling from the moment I read it was that it was incredibly special and that I really, really wanted to be a part of it. I could not imagine not being Pam."

Principal left "Dallas" in a tragic but definitive ending as her character Pamela died while pregnant in a road accident.

The actress said she learned a lot from playing Pamela, who she described as someone with innate goodness and the courage to fight for what she believed. "It was really a privilege to play her," she added.

Victoria Principal on the set of "Dallas" on July 1984 | Source: Getty Images

How Did a Plastic Surgeon Turn Out to be the Only Man She Wanted to Marry?

The "Jack & Jill" actress was believed to have dated a lot of men. However, in an interview in 1993, Principal disclosed, "I've probably had fewer relationships than many in my 33 years, but no one will ever believe it."

Principal said she had been in three major relationships. Her first was with Chris Skinner, an aspiring actor she married after three dates but divorced only after 20 months.

The actress' second relationship was with singer Andy Gibb, but the two broke up due to his drug abuse. When Principal was going through an emotional split with Gibb, she fell in love with her second husband, plastic surgeon Harry Glassman.

Victoria Principal on the set of "Dallas" in 1980 | Source: Getty Images

Principal met Glassman when he was going through a divorce. His wife, Jane Louise Rubins, accused him of buying a ring for Principal. However, the actress swore on a bible in a deposition that Glassman never bought her a ring.

After Rubins and Glassman divorced, Principal and the plastic surgeon went ahead to form a relationship However, Glassman was worried about the lack of privacy and fame that came with being in a relationship with the actress.

The "Family Guy" actress, on the other hand, was smitten by Glassman. "With Harry. I feel completely fulfilled. I'm just wild about Harry," she declared. Principal also revealed she was not yet planning to get married. "But if I were going to get married, the only man in the world I would get married to is Harry," she concluded.

Harry Glassman and Victoria Principal at the Arthritis Foundation Tennis Benefit on October 18, 1986 | Source: Getty Images

Principal's words were fulfilled when she wed Glassman on June 22, 1985 after dating for three years. The ex-couple tied the knot at a small and private ceremony at the Mansion Hotel in Dallas, Texas, which only family and close friends attended.

The pair chose the location as the actress was still shooting upcoming scenes of "Dallas" in Texas. The wedding took place in the hotel where the cast stayed while the show was filmed.

The nighttime wedding was glamorous, as it was held under a bower of ivy and gardenia in the hotel's garden room. Principal, 35, walked down the stairs to meet Glassman, 42.

Victoria Principal in Beverly Hills, California on December 7, 1995 | Source: Getty Images

The bride was dressed in a lavish gown, with 2500 pearls sewn on it, a task that took four people three months to complete. The dress was created by fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who used white silk chiffon complemented by a matte jersey.

A flutist played during the wedding ceremony, which James K Allen, associate justice of the Dallas County Court of Appeals, officiated.

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman celebrity sighting on April 10, 1987 | Source: Getty Images

After the duo exchanged vows, they walked to the hotel's balcony and were greeted by cheers from about 100 fans outside the hotel. Approximately 50 photographers were also waiting outside the hotel and took pictures of the newlyweds on the balcony.

Mansion Hotel's spokeswoman Julia Sweeney said that the pair had no plans of having a honeymoon as they took a trip before the wedding, but a brunch was held the following day for the cast and crew of "Dallas."

The actress left Hollywood life, and in 2012, she moved to her ranch in Malibu, California, where she rescued and rehabilitated animals.

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman in Beverly Hills, California on November 29, 1989 | Source: Getty Images

Glassman and Principal were married for decades but did not have children together. Rumors circulated about why the actress never bore children, but she put an end to them when she disclosed the reason:

"I have always been reticent, and I know they have been rumors that I didn't have children because of my vanity. I didn't have children because I couldn't have children. It was the lack of a draw…it is a loss."

Principal was happy despite not having her own children as she became a stepmother to two of Glassman's kids from his first marriage to Rubins. The actress even commended Glassman and Rubins for raising such great kids. "You can't have two parents turn out two wonderful children like that unless they are very nice people," she said.

Andrew Glassman, Victoria Principal, and Harry Glassman at the Stop Arthritis Telethon on March 4, 1984 | Source: Getty Images

What Happened between Victoria and Harry After Two Decades Together?

Principal and Glassman were married for 21 years before they divorced. Three years earlier, they were ex- involved in a violent moment.

In 2002, police showed up at the couple's gated $4 million Beverly Hills home over allegations that Principal had been roughed up by the plastic surgeon. It was alleged that the actress had been injured on her neck, lip, eyes, and cheeks due to the incident.

Glassman was charged with inflicting corporal injury on Principal, who ended up hospitalized briefly. However, after being held in police custody for several hours, Glassman was freed on a $36,500 bail.

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman in Los Angeles, California on November 17, 1996 | Source: Getty Images

When the domestic violence issue arose, the producer released a statement saying they remained happily married. But the plastic surgeon later claimed that the incident was caused by Principal's drinking:

"I have never physically abused my wife. My arrest was a consequence of her abuse of alcohol that resulted in her detention in the Cedars-Sinai emergency room for psychiatric evaluation."

Another scandal enveloped the marriage when it was revealed Glassman received half a million dollars from a rich female patient just before she died. As much as no charges were filed against the plastic surgeon, the incident put further strain on their marriage.

Principal and Glassman's marriage was rocked harder allegedly due to the actress's celebrity behavior and inability to have children. Health issues also clouded the union as Principal was diagnosed with intravascular hypercoagulation, a disease that causes the blood to clot too much.

The tumultuous marriage came to an end after the duo spent two decades together. The actress unexpectedly filed for divorce from Glassman, which was finalized on December 27, 2006.

It remained unclear whether the producer filed for divorce because of the domestic violence issue or the other struggles the marriage faced.

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman in Los Angeles, California on June 27, 2000 | Source: Getty Images

The divorce process was not quick or scandal-free as Glassman demanded that Principal give him half her wealth. The pair had signed a prenuptial agreement, but it did not cover the $30 million Principal had accrued during the marriage when she launched her own range of cosmetics, Principal Secrets, in 1991.

Glassman threatened to reveal details of the cosmetic surgery he had carried out on the actress if his demands were not met. On the other hand, Principal, who claimed she had not gone under the knife, hired a team of armed bodyguards to protect her around the clock.

Glassman dismissed his ex-wife's use of bodyguards and said it was a plot to showcase him as violent and dangerous. In the end, Principal gave in to his demands, which led to the finalization of the divorce.

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman in Paris, France on December 18, 1984 | Source: Getty Images

After the divorce that cost her $25 million was finalized, the "Earthquake" star revealed her first year without Glassman by her side was tough:

"I think it is good judgment to invest effort in a relationship that is working. And to stop doing so when you know, it will never work again. However, you can't leave a relationship of that length without having to relearn being I as opposed to us."

Principal disclosed that she spent her first year after the divorce building a seven-bedroom beach house, which she shared with her dog. She added that despite the difficulty of what she had gone through, she was not lonely:

"There's a transitional period and that's going from us to being you. And it's so important to be comfortable in that discomfort and to get to know what you are now and what you want to be."

Harry Glassman and Victoria Principal in Los Angeles, California on October 28, 2000 | Source: Getty Images

How Does Principal Look and Live Her 70s in a Farm?

The "Vigilante Force" actress transitioned to a new stage in her life after her divorce. She disclosed that the transition was her deep desire: "By the time I turned 50, I felt that I wanted to make a change in my life."

The actress left Hollywood life, and in 2012, she began tending to rescued and rehabilitated animals on her ranch.

Principal lives in her 3,300 square-feet home in Malibu, consisting of six bedrooms and five bathrooms. The mansion, which was constructed in 1930, is a single-family two-story home designed in a conventional architectural style with one parking space.

The $15 million home has a beautiful kitchen with a breakfast counter and pantry. It also has attractive features such as hardwood, an open patio, and carpeted floors. It is a worthy house for people who want to enjoy their home in a waterfront location.

Meanwhile, the 73-year-old seems to be enjoying her time and a new stage in life as a rancher. She recently shared a picture on Instagram hugging one of her donkeys named Tommy.

A person complimenting Victoria Principal on Instagram on April 14, 2023 | Source: Instagram.com/Victoria Principal

People flocked to her comment section with positive comments complimenting her for how "different" she looked and her "ageless beauty." They added that the actress still looked beautiful as ever, even in her older years, and one person said, "Look like 20…beautiful."

A person complimenting Victoria Principal on Instagram on April 14, 2023 | Source: Instagram.com/Victoria Principal

Other people were stunned by the actress's beautiful hair. One person added, "Love your skin and hair, they look beautiful. Hug is a beautiful thing."

A person complimenting Victoria Principal on Instagram on April 14, 2023 | Source: Instagram.com/Victoria Principal

Principal has maintained her beauty over the years, thanks to the life she chose to lead. She no longer adheres to the diva/celebrity lifestyle in favor of a more quiet life and being useful to her animals on her ranch.

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