“Former Dallas Star, 74, Embraces Simpler Life on the Farm After Leaving Hollywood”

Many people are drawn to Hollywood’s glitz and glamour, but some, like a star from the hit show Dallas, choose to step away from it all. As her career was taking off, she decided to leave the spotlight for a simpler life, a decision that many find hard to understand. Keep reading to learn more about her choice to leave Hollywood behind.

A former television star, adored by millions worldwide, walked away from it all at the height of her fame. After experiencing a series of failed relationships, she sought a change and left Hollywood in search of a life that would fulfill her more.

The actress began her Hollywood career in the 1970s, landing a role in The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, where she starred alongside Paul Newman.

After four years in acting, Victoria Principal wasn’t happy with the direction her career was taking and decided to make a change. She transitioned to working as an agent and, in 1978, pursued a career in law. Her goal was to move into the business side of Hollywood, with aspirations of becoming a studio executive one day.

Victoria Principal enrolled in law school, but her plans took a turn when famed television producer Aaron Spelling offered to pay her tuition for a year if she accepted a role in the 1977 Fantasy Island pilot. She took the role, which ultimately led to her biggest career break.

The opportunity that followed was a role as Pamela Barnes Ewing on the hit CBS soap opera Dallas. The show became a fan favorite, attracting millions of viewers worldwide, and remains one of the longest-running television series of all time.

Victoria Principal shared that when she auditioned for the role on Dallas, she had already fallen in love with both the show and the character. She described her feelings upon reading the script as knowing it was something incredibly special, and she couldn’t imagine not playing Pam.

Victoria Principal’s role as Pam on Dallas made her a television icon in the 1980s. She later described the first five years of the show as some of the best television she had ever seen. During her time on Dallas, she met her first husband, actor Christopher Skinner. Their relationship quickly blossomed, and after just three dates, they married in a private Las Vegas ceremony.

Unfortunately, the marriage couldn’t withstand the test of time. Victoria Principal later reflected on the relationship, explaining, “After a while, Christopher realized he really did want somebody who was home more, who had more traditional hours. He wanted a more traditional marriage. Now, that wasn’t his fault, and it wasn’t my fault. Needs change.”

Victoria Principal explained the reason for her divorce, saying, “The reason we got divorced was not because we didn’t love each other, but because he couldn’t live within the way I lived, and I couldn’t live the way he wanted. There was no hate involved, just sorrow.” She later faced more heartbreak, including a relationship with financier Bernie Cornfeld, as well as notable relationships with legendary singer Frank Sinatra and pop star Andy Gibb.

After nine years of portraying Pamela on Dallas, Victoria Principal decided to leave the show. By that time, she was dissatisfied with the series. She explained, “After year seven, there was a definitive decline. At year seven, it was time for me to renegotiate my contract, and I was very candid about my concern and my disappointment.” Due to issues with the writing and script, she made the decision to leave Dallas in 1987 after her contract negotiations.

By the time Victoria Principal left Dallas, she had already achieved success with three best-selling fitness books for Simon & Schuster and a lucrative six-figure endorsement deal with Jhirmack hair-care products. She would also continue to receive residuals from the show. After Dallas, she took on the CBS-TV movie Mistress, a drama about a small-town beauty involved with a wealthy married man. However, she found the shift from ensemble television to film a bit challenging. Critics were harsh, labeling her a “lightweight” and noting it was clear she had never led a film or significant solo project. They also criticized her role as a mistress, calling it “too obvious.”

After Dallas, Victoria Principal wrote The Body Principal in 1983, marking the first of her four health and wellness books. In 1991, she founded a skincare company, which she successfully ran for over 30 years. In the early 2000s, she led several successful business ventures. She also had a role in the show Titans from 2000 to 2001, but soon after, she felt a shift in her priorities. “By the time I turned 50, I felt that I wanted to make a change in my life,” she said about why she left Hollywood.

Victoria found love again with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Harry Glassman after her breakup with Andy Gibb. Both were coming out of long-term relationships, and the couple married in 1985. Glassman later shared, “One of the things about the relationship with Victoria I’ve grown to resent is the lack of privacy.”

After Dallas, Victoria Principal wrote The Body Principal in 1983, marking the first of her four health and wellness books. In 1991, she founded a skincare company, which she successfully ran for over 30 years. In the early 2000s, she led several successful business ventures. She also had a role in the show Titans from 2000 to 2001, but soon after, she felt a shift in her priorities. “By the time I turned 50, I felt that I wanted to make a change in my life,” she said about why she left Hollywood.

Victoria found love again with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Harry Glassman after her breakup with Andy Gibb. Both were coming out of long-term relationships, and the couple married in 1985. Glassman later shared, “One of the things about the relationship with Victoria I’ve grown to resent is the lack of privacy.”

Victoria Principal and Harry Glassman went their separate ways in 2006 after more than twenty years together. She then shifted her focus to her skincare brand, Principal Street, but her heart was pulling her in a different direction. In 2019, she stepped down from leading her business to dedicate herself fully to her philanthropic efforts through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and her work rescuing animals. She shared in a statement, “I will be stepping down to devote myself full-time to my philanthropic work through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and my rescue work with animals.”

After moving to a ranch in Los Angeles in 2012, Victoria Principal focused her attention on animal rescue. Choosing a quieter life away from Hollywood, she began rescuing animals that had been neglected or abused, providing them with medical care, patience, and love. She explained, “They need medical care, patience, and love to recover physically, emotionally, and in spirit. This is not a charitable organization but rather something I have dreamed of, and they all live out the rest of their lives with me.”

Victoria Principal shared that her animal rescue work “fills me with joy every day.” As for returning to Hollywood, she stated, “I have no plans to resume acting, but I learned a long time ago to ‘never say never’ as life has a way of offering us unexpected gifts if we are paying attention.” While she has distanced herself from Hollywood’s glamour, she remains active on social media. At 74, she continues to share glimpses of her life and keeps her fans updated.