Linda Gray

Linda Ann Gray was born on September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, California, and grew up in Culver City. Her early career in the 1960s began with modeling, appearing in nearly 400 television commercials. Notably, her legs were featured in the iconic movie poster for the 1967 film “The Graduate.” She transitioned into acting with guest roles in various TV series throughout the 1970s, including “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “McCloud,” and “Switch.” In 1977, she had a significant role as Linda Murkland, the first transgender series regular on American television, in “All That Glitters.” This early experience laid the groundwork for her breakthrough role later that year.

Gray achieved global recognition for her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, the long-suffering alcoholic wife of J.R. Ewing, in the CBS drama series “Dallas.” Starting as a recurring role in 1978, she quickly became a series regular and remained a central figure until her departure in 1989, and returned in 1991. Her nuanced performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1981, along with two Golden Globe Award nominations. She received international accolades such as Germany’s Bambi Award and Italy’s Il Gato, and was named Woman of the Year by the Hollywood Radio & Television Society in 1982. Post-“Dallas,” Gray continued her career with roles in films such as “Oscar” (1991) alongside Sylvester Stallone and various made-for-TV movies, including “Moment of Truth: Why My Daughter?” (1993) and “Accidental Meeting” (1994).

Her career path also included a move to the stage, notably playing Mrs. Robinson in the West End theatre production of “The Graduate” in 2001 and briefly on Broadway in 2002. She also directed the play “Murder in the First.” Gray reprised her role as Sue Ellen Ewing in the TNT continuation of “Dallas” from 2012 to 2014, bringing her character to new generations of viewers. In recent years, she has appeared in “Hollyoaks” (2016-2017) and “Hand of God” (2017), and in 2023, she joined the ensemble cast of “Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas,” continuing her extensive acting career.