Cliff Barnes

Clifford "Cliff" Barnes, portrayed by Ken Kercheval, is a fictional character from the American television series Dallas. Cliff is a longtime rival of the Ewing family, particularly J.R. Ewing, with whom he shares one of the most iconic feuds in television history. The animosity between Cliff and J.R. echoes the earlier conflict between their respective fathers, Digger Barnes and Jock Ewing, which began during their days as oil wildcatters in the Great Depression. Cliff is the son of Digger Barnes and Rebecca Barnes, the brother of Pamela Barnes Ewing, and the half-brother of Katherine Wentworth. Throughout the series, he holds a variety of professional roles, ranging from attorney and assistant district attorney to CEO of multiple oil companies, including Barnes-Wentworth Tool and Die and Ewing Oil. Cliff is one of only two characters, along with J.R. Ewing, to appear throughout the entire original run of the series. He also appears in the 1996 reunion film Dallas: J.R. Returns and in the 2012–14 continuation series. A running gag throughout the original series is Cliff's fondness for Chinese take-out food.