Linda Gray was born on September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, California. Linda began her acting career with some simple photo shoots and by appearing in more that 400 commercials in the 1970s until she struck a conversation in a store with what turned out to be wife of Dennis Weaver. As a result Linda was cast in her first notable screen role in the weekly series, McCloud, which starred Teri Garr and Dennis Weaver.
Prior to pursing her acting career, at the age of nineteen, she found love with art director Ed Thrasher, whom she married two years later and with whom she had a son, Jeff, and daughter, Kehly,. Her marriage ended in 1983 under the strain of her acting commitments.
Linda’s other professional acting roles included appearances on Marcus Welby MD, and later in the comedy series All That Glitters.
From 1978, for eleven years, Linda played the role of J.R. Ewing's wife in Dallas, along with Howard Keel, Barbara Bel Geddes, Patrick Duffy, and Victoria Principal.
Her award winning portrayal of Sue Ellen, brought her international fame and critical acclaim, earning her an Emmy nomination for Best Actress. With the series being syndicated worldwide she has also been recognized in Germany with the Bambi Award, which is equivalent to the United States Academy Award, and in Italy with the IL Gato for Best Actress on television. Linda was also voted Woman of the Year from the Hollywood and Radio Television Society.
After leaving Dallas, Linda turned her hand to directing where she gained experience working on the show as opposed to in it. Among the projects that Linda executive produced, she was most proud of the two-hour community cable program, Santa Monica: A Community that Cares. This was a joint venture between the Director’s Guild of American and the City of Santa Monica cable television, City TV.
Linda’s career as a director continued and she formed her own production company, L.G. Productions. In April of 2000, Linda made her theatre-directing debut with Murder In The First, a play adapted from the film version, written by Oscar nominated Dan Gordon.
In Aaron Spelling’s hit TV series Melrose Place, Linda guest starred as Heather Locklear’s mother and has also starred in Spelling’s TV series Models Inc. Linda reprised her role as Sue Ellen in the CBS-TV movie Dallas: J.R. Returns, re-uniting her with Larry Hagman.
Following in the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn, Linda has become a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She has been quoted as saying "My role is to meet people, listen to what they have to say and see what we can do to help." Linda has already completed her first mission to Nicaragua, creating a documentary film for the United Nations on women and children’s health issues. She has also been on a project mission to India.
With her involvement as a goodwill ambassador her part in the CBS environmental special, What about me….I’m only Three, was particularly meaningful to her as she is actively involved in world conservation and environmental issues.
Linda took her talents to London where she starred in the West End production of The Graduate, playing Mrs. Robinson; and in New York she replaced Kathleen Turner on Broadway during Turner’s vacation from the play. She continued this role for a special two-month engagement in November and December of 2003, playing in key American cities to standing room only theaters.
Most recently Linda has been guest starring in CBS TV’s daytime drama, The Bold and the Beautiful, a soap that has also starred her old friend Patrick Duffy and Lesley-Anne Down. She has also starred in the award winning and controversial play The Vagina Monologues ’for a limited engagement.
Linda is the aunt of the bionic woman, actress Lindsay Wagner, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
YUDDY
