Larry Hagman: 'Dallas' Responsible for Romanian Revolution or Something

Obviously Ronald Reagan had nothing to do with the downfall of Communism in Eastern Europe. Living powerless under a dictatorship in Romania, the people were consigned to a life of leftist misery until reruns of Dallas came on their televisions.

Strange, but I see no mention of this in history books.

Larry Hagman believes Dallas had a huge effect on international politics, convinced that the TV drama was responsible for revolution in Romania and the death of former leader Nicolae Ceausescu.

The actor played scheming oil baron J.R. Ewing in the series, which chronicled the glamorous life of a wealthy Texan family and the corrupt double-dealing of its business empire.

The show became a massive hit around the world, attracting global audiences of more than 100 million before ending its 13-year run in 1991.

During its peak in the mid-1980s, Romanian President Ceausescu agreed to allow the show to be broadcast in the then-Communist country in a bid to show his citizens the decadence of democratic nations but Hagman is convinced the plan backfired and led to a revolution and Ceausescu's eventual execution.

Hagman should be happy to know that I Dream of Jeannie led me to aspire not to be an astronaut, but rather to chase hot blondes.