Linda Gray gained widespread recognition for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing in the popular soap opera Dallas. Although Gray had a thriving career and appeared in over 300 episodes of the show, he also had numerous personal problems. This is the story of 82-year-old Linda Gray, who is still going strong today.
Throughout the history of film and television, we have witnessed many instances of actors and actresses delivering outstanding performances. I don’t know about you, but when the really great performances happen, it seems like the actors were basically cast in their roles and that no one else could match them.
For example, can you imagine anyone other than Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls, the main character in Little House on the Prairie? Or would Mary Poppins be just as good without Dick Van Dyke playing Bert?
Sue Ellen Ewing – Linda Gray
There are countless instances of exactly these kinds of sections; however, let me discuss one more thing. I really miss Linda Gray’s portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing in the beloved TV series Dallas. I can speak for a lot of people when I say we’re glad she was cast.
One could even say that Linda Gray’s life was somewhat unique, akin to a rollercoaster ride. Gray struggled with addiction, a potentially fatal illness, and an unsatisfying marriage.
Of course, she experienced hardships, but each time she overcame them with a deeper determination to live life to the fullest and pursue a long and prosperous career.
Gray played alongside Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy in Dallas. Now, he shares his thoughts on working with Hagman as an actor and the factors that contributed to their amazing on-set chemistry.
Linda Gray was born on September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, California.
Linda Gray’s early years
Gray’s diagnosis of polio as a young child presented a significant obstacle.
Her parents were shocked to learn that her grandfather had already been diagnosed with the virus. But it didn’t seem particularly significant to Linda.
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“They didn’t know what it was when he was 17 and he was always in a wheelchair,” she said. “Everyone in my family went crazy when I got the diagnosis, but I didn’t. I believed I could use a wheelchair like my grandfather.”
Gray grew up in Culver City, California, home to her father’s watch business. She was always an artist, even as a young child.
She performed a street performance in her neighborhood. Linda played the lead role of Cinderella in the Notre Dame Academy production in Los Angeles.
She and her sister Betty needed the stability her father gave them.
However, Linda Gray stated in her 2015 book The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction: “He offered no emotional support.”
“It was a different time, but he was kind of like a piece of furniture there.
You didn’t bring your boyfriend’s problems to your father. Please excuse me. However, he encouraged me in my career.”
Marge, their mother, and a former ballerina and performer were the opposite.
hard upbringing
Due to Marge’s constant drinking, the two younger sisters ended up having to take care of the house.
“She didn’t seem drunk, there was never any yelling,” Linda wrote. She wasn’t cruel; rather, she was lost in her own world and sometimes forgot to buy food, so I got down to cooking. Neither my sister nor I liked her.”
Marge eventually quit drinking and later joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Linda thinks her mother’s drinking was the result of repressed creativity and disillusionment.
She decided not to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
Linda Gray said, “I felt the same thing could happen to me if I didn’t continue my career.”
However, she encountered a number of difficulties along the way. And she was already 20 when the trouble started.
A terrible marriage
Living in Culver City means being in close proximity to Hollywood, the global center of the entertainment industry. After school, Linda Gray went to several studios with her friends and got autographs from celebrities like Spencer Tracy and Tyrone Powers.
Gray always wanted to be a doctor. However, she shifted her focus and realized she wanted to be an actress because she grew up near film studios. During her teenage years, Gray modeled for a number of airlines and beauty businesses.
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Linda Gray was just 21 when she married photographer Edward Lee Thrasher. But for Linda, the bond was somewhat of a nightmare.
She decided to postpone her career and desire to work in show business. She became more of a wife and later a mother. Their first child, Jeff Thrasher, was born in 1960, and their second child, Kelly, was born six years later.
Linda claims that Ed didn’t really say much. Although the family moved to Santa Clarita, where she currently resides, Linda was steadfast in pursuing her own profession.
Linda said their marriage was emotionally distant. She experienced abandonment.
“It tore me up, but I just thought, ‘Well, I’m going to do it,'” she said. “It took me 21 years to leave my marriage,”
However, her husband Ed preferred a posh lifestyle at home and did not want her to work part-time. Linda saw this as an opportunity to break into the entertainment industry and soon appeared in TV commercials.
Many of them.
Linda Gray’s career
In 1963, she had two brief, uncredited cameos in Under the Yum Yum Tree and Palm Springs Weekend.
After a few years, Linda Gray got a job that is practically famous today. She was paid $25 at age 27 to be Anne Bancroft’s body double in the 1967 movie poster for The Graduate, starring a young Dustin Hoffman. Funnily enough, Gray ended up playing Mrs Robinson in the 2001 West End State production of The Graduate, which features her legs in the iconic image.
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However, not everyone adored her. Gray included a rejection letter from Glamor Magazine from the early 1960s in her memoir, published in 2015. However, this did not demoralize her in the least.
“It was so funny that I kept the letter,” Gray said. “When I was twenty years old, I realized that everyone gets rejected, so I kept the letter as a reminder. It could have completely ruined my life. However, I didn’t.
This furious side came out – “Oh, yes? I’ll show you! I cherished the letter with love and humor. It gave me a backhand and inspired me to action.”
Although Linda was happy to become a mother, she was also annoyed that she could not keep up with her work. Her husband was not pleased when she finally decided to enroll in acting school.
Linda Gray from Dallas
“He said, ‘Why don’t you become an actress while the kids are in college,'” she added.
But Linda Gray (37) decided on her own and applied to an acting school with many younger actors. After spotting Gray’s potential, actor Dennis Weaver helped her land her first starring role as a guest on the television series Marcus Welby M.D. in 1974.
After that, things would soon take a turn for the better.
Gray was cast in the new television series Dallas in 1978 as Sue Ellen Ewing. She was originally scheduled to appear in five episodes of the first season as a regular guest but quickly established herself as a regular cast member. Her performances really catapulted her into the limelight.
The Southfork Ranch served as the setting for many of the scandals, betrayals, lies, and corruption that characterized Dallas. Television critics praised Gray’s performance, and the series helped catapult her to huge fame alongside co-stars Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy.
On Dallas, Gray became something of a s*x icon and had real chemistry with Larry Hagman.
ties to Larry Hagman Everything was in front of CBS executives and it was like magic. Meanwhile, Gray claims that there was actually no s*xual chemistry.
“He was the bad big brother I never had,” Gray stated. “He was into something that drove me crazy, and he was always doing something wrong in my mind – like drinking too much – and I would chastise him for it. Stop drinking, you don’t need that much sugar.
She continued: “It hurt my throat and he loved it.” He would purposely do things that would irritate me. The directors were simply amazed. They thought we were crazy teenagers, but when they said do whatever, we turned into Sue Ellen and J.R. Everything went smoothly. We are not sure what happened. It was pure magic. We were lucky and we felt that way.”
Not only did business executives and television critics praise Dallas, but the show’s ratings were also very high.
The show became one of the hottest things on television and broke several ratings records. It remains one of the longest-running programs in American prime-time television history.
TV footage from Dallas
The mystery surrounding who shot JR Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was finally solved on November 21, 1980, and audiences clamored to see it.
According to BT, the episode attracted over 80 million viewers, the highest audience for a single TV show in America at the time.
By the time the final episode of the sitcom M*A*S*H* was watched by 121 million people, it was number one.
For her work on Dallas, Gray received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Television Series Drama and one Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
In 1983, Gray’s successful run on the show culminated in her eventual divorce from Ed Thrasher. Her son Jeff became a director by following in his mother’s footsteps.
For Furze World Wonders, Jeff was nominated for a 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Multi-Camera Lifestyle, Culinary or Educational and Information Program. He was also awarded a Canadian Screen Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series for his Mission Asteroid 2015.
Jeff Thrasher’s son suffered a tragedy, but tragedy struck in 2020 when Jeff passed away after reportedly battling leukemia.
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Linda Gray paid tribute to her late son on Instagram.
“A memorial service for my son Jeff. He was the sweetest, funniest, most compassionate person on the planet and adored by all! I hope he has a fantastic adventure,” she wrote.
Aged 82 Linda Gray
On Dallas, Linda Gray starred in an incredible 308 episodes. But what did she do after the show?
She then went on to star in a number of TV shows and in 2012, Dallas was revived for two more seasons, reprising her role as Sue Ellen Ewing.
In addition, Gray received a special award from the 2014 USA Film Festival.
Today she is eighty-two years old. yet she has that breathtaking look!
Linda Gray’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and victory over adversity. Her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing in Dallas earned her widespread acclaim and a permanent place in television history. Still, she faced significant personal challenges behind the scenes, from her struggles with addiction and a troubled marriage to the grief of losing her son Jeff.
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Despite these obstacles, Gray continues to demonstrate a remarkable ability to overcome adversity and pursue his passion for acting. Her career, spanning over six decades, is a testament to her talent, dedication, and indomitable spirit. Even at the age of 82, he remains a lively and active presence on screen and in his personal life.
Linda Gray’s journey reminds us that success is often accompanied by hardship and the true measure of a person is found in their response to life’s challenges. Not only has she left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, but she also serves as an inspiration to anyone facing their own battles. Gray’s story of tenacity and determination continues to live life to the fullest and is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to follow your dreams and make a difference.