Cliff is more of a lawyer than a businessman. Still, he eventually learned the business trade and became one of the most successful oil men in Texas. He can be a very persuasive and energetic speaker when dreaming of revenge, ventures and big money, and does have a very useful network of business and political contacts.

History

A full biography of Clifford “Cliff” Barnes can be found at ultimatedallas.com.

Description

Cliff Barnes gives a soft impression. Clearly he is trying to act tough, but the act is often all too transparent. While Cliff is somewhat socially inept, he seems inspiring enough to occasionally manage his way into high leadership positions, into business partnerships and score brownie points with the press.

Personality

Cliff started out as a principled attorney with great morals. He wanted to fight exploitation, corruption and greed; the Ewings were the prime target. Initially, he would not sell out to do unethical or immoral business, but he got disillusioned by bitter defeat and tried to buy his way into the senate instead. He would be one of the great, good guys if it wasn’t for J.R. Ewing and their vendetta. The Ewings simply had to be destroyed, even, unfortunately, Bobby whom he likes. Thus, his principles gave way to an unprincipled hunger for power when Cliff basically sold his soul to be able to stand up to J.R. Ewing. Still, it’s possible to manipulate his consciousness into backing away from illegal affairs just as he’s about to crush the opposition.

He is actually a sensitive man behind his tough guy facade (and is a surprisingly excellent piano player). In fact, Cliff’s emotionality is actually his great weakness; he can’t handle the pressure of big business and relationships. When in a really tough spot or seemingly losing it all, he starts drinking like his father did. During stressful times he is seen running to the liquor cabinet or then he abuses medicines. When he has gone bankrupt he has contemplated suicide, until something new comes up which gets him running again (this can be a woman, a new venture opportunity or another lucky opportunity at easy money).

Cliff is not beyond blackmailing people, including J.R.’s secretaries to get info about his deals. He is very greedy and is avert to spend money on business dinners, women, travel, his partners etc. even if it would greatly benefit him and his position.

He sometimes visits J.R. in his office to threaten or gloat about something. He has learned a few tricks from the opposition as well, and does pull the old Ewing-1-2 on opponents and rivals, namely to soften up the competition or partner with sexy company to later wine or dine them into a deal.

Although he knows the law very well but too often acts before thinking it through. He does, in fact, do the same mistakes again and again. He is extremely paranoid about the Ewings being after him even if they aren’t. Cliff feels that he has to do everything himself if it’s to be done properly.

He is quite a weird man with an odd sense of humor. He is sometimes socially clumsy and awkward, being an uncertain and overly sensitive man. He is not good at showing his emotions. Being emotionally unstable he often follows feelings instead of logic. He is a nervous wreck at times. He is good at burning bridges, not only with women, but with business and political contacts as well.

His relationships with women are troublesome to say the least. Cliff has been single for most of his life. Although he is pretty eager to get married he eventually always finds a way to ruin the relationship with his emotional outbursts. He doesn’t actually treat his girlfriends very well (as for example Afton Cooper), He has stooped as low as sending his girlfriends to spy on J.R. In general he does try to order women around. He ruthlessly married Jamie Ewing to get her expected one third of Ewing Oil (and then couldn’t even pretend to be sorry when she died in an accident). And yes, he’s himself the type to be fooled by women going after him just for his wealth.

As to family relationships he is somewhat warmer. However, he had a warm and rather healthy relationship with his sister, Pam. He liked to tease her about different things and would always support her unless it conflicted with his vendetta against the Ewings. April Stevens was a good friend and he was a good uncle to Bobby’s son, Christopher Ewing. His half-sister Katherine was secretly working against him. He was interested in Sue Ellen-Ewing and had a secret relationship with her (however, Sue Ellen was with him only because that would hurt JR the most) and she would sometimes act as a spy for him in the Ewing camp. He often thinks about Digger and how he could redeem their name. He wants to take over Ewing Oil, not destroy it, and eventually got closer to Bobby due to their common link to Pamela.

Cliff believes that he can’t have children, which, sort of, fuels his insecurities. Perhaps he is this way because he was raised without a mother by a drunk father. His fate often seems to be to be a loser, to be weak and so to miss the will for victory. People have often said that he’s addicted to losing. His hatred and vendetta against the Ewings really put a break to his potential - in an alternate reality sequence it was shown that he would eventually have ended up as Vice President and later President without J.R. Ewing.

Cliff is often suspicious and bitter. He is a poor loser and a poor winner, and loves all the trappings of luxury. Still, he is no snob and can be found in the sleaziest of bars as well as the finer ones. He usually celebrates at the Cattlemen’s Club or at the Oil Baron’s. He loves Chinese takeout and also often eats at home. He has an appreciation for the arts.‘

Eventually, as an old man, he grew and learned that revenge is not the most important thing.

Writeup completed on the 28th of March, 2011.