David Jacobs, ‘Dallas’ and ‘Knots Landing’ Creator, Dies at 84

David Jacobs, the creator of CBS primetime series Knots Landing, Dallas and Paradise, has died. He was 84.

Jacobs, who battled Alzheimers for several years, died Sunday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. His son Aaron confirmed to Variety the news of his death.

Jacobs created the original soap opera Dallas, which aired for 14 seasons from 1978 to 1991, and its reboot series of the same name that aired between 2012 and 2014. He was also the creator of the Dallas spinoff series Knots Landing, which debuted in 1979 and ran for 14 seasons until 1993.

Along with Dallas and Knots Landing, Jacobs co-created the Western series Paradise (1988-1991) with Robert Porter. His other writing credits include Four Corners, Family, Dallas: The Early Years, Kingston: Confidential and Bodies of Evidence.

Jacobs executive produced ABCs Lois Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Homefront, for which he scored two Emmy nominations.

Born on Aug. 12, 1939, in Baltimore, Md, Jacobs received a BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and earned his masters in art history at Hunter College in New York. He wrote several books, including 1968s Master Painters of the Renaissance and 1975s Chaplin, the Movies Charlie, and wrote for such publications as Esquire, Newsweek, Holiday and New York Times Magazine. He also worked as a story editor for American Heritage.

Jacobs is survived by his children Aaron and Molly; his wife Diana; Albyn Hall, his daughter from a previous marriage to Lynne Oliansky; and grandchildren Riley and Georgia.