James came to Dallas to seek out the father he never knew he had. James shocked everyone when he announced that he was J.R.'s son at a public family dinner with all of the Ewings present. J.R. embraced James as his son but James proved to be as manipulative as J.R. himself. James resented his father's interference in his life from controlling James' business dealings and to attempting to break up James' relationship with
Michelle Stevens. Seeking revenge on J.R., James conspired with J.R.'s wife,
Cally and blocked J.R.'s release from a sanitarium. James eventually married Michelle, but he later learned that his first marriage to Debra Lynn was never dissolved. Further, Debra Lynn had his child, James Richard Beaumont, Jr. (nicknamed "Jimmy"). James decided to stay married to Debra Lynn and annulled his marriage to Michelle. However, he ended up moving back east with Debra Lynn and Jimmy to escape the control of J.R. ==Notes==