Linda Gray became a star thanks to her unforgettable role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the hit TV show Dallas. Over more than 300 episodes, she captivated audiences, but her life off-screen was anything but smooth. Despite her professional success, Linda faced many challenges in her personal life. Now, at 82 years old, she’s still going strong, and her journey is one of resilience and determination.
Throughout TV and film history, some actors seem born to play certain roles. Can you picture anyone other than Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie? Or imagine anyone else but Dick Van Dyke as Bert in Mary Poppins? For many, Linda Gray is one of those actors—no one could play Sue Ellen quite like her.
But life hasn’t always been easy for Linda Gray. She’s overcome illness, addiction, and a difficult marriage, yet she’s always bounced back stronger. Now, she’s sharing what it was like to work alongside her Dallas co-stars, especially Larry Hagman, and what made their on-screen chemistry so unforgettable.
Linda Gray’s Early Life
Linda Gray was born on September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, California. As a child, she faced a major hurdle: polio. Her grandfather had also contracted the virus, so her parents were devastated by her diagnosis. But young Linda wasn’t as worried.
“When I was diagnosed, everyone went crazy in my family, but I wasn’t,” she recalled. “I thought I could have a wheelchair like Grandpa.”
She grew up in Culver City, California, where her father ran a watch repair shop. Her love for performing started young, and by the time she attended Notre Dame Academy in Los Angeles, she was already starring in school plays like Cinderella.
Despite her father’s quiet demeanor, he supported her career. “He didn’t offer emotional support,” Linda wrote in her 2015 book The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction. “But he was supportive of my career.”
Her mother, Marge, however, was a different story. Marge had been an artist and ballerina, but over time, she turned to alcohol. Linda and her sister, Betty, were forced to take on more responsibility at home. “She wasn’t mean – she was just blurred, in her own world. She would forget to buy food, so I started doing the cooking,” Linda shared.
Eventually, Marge went to Alcoholics Anonymous and stopped drinking, but Linda realized her mother’s unhappiness came from unfulfilled dreams. Determined to avoid the same fate, Linda pursued her ambitions fiercely.
A Rough Start to Marriage
Growing up near Hollywood, Linda often hung around the studios, collecting autographs from stars like Tyrone Powers and Spencer Tracy. Though she originally wanted to study medicine, the pull of show business was too strong. By her teenage years, she was working as a model for beauty companies and airlines.
At 21, Linda married photographer Edward Lee Thrasher. But her dreams of acting were put on hold. Instead, she focused on being a wife and mother. She and Ed had two children, Jeff in 1960 and Kehly in 1966.
Yet, Linda’s marriage was far from perfect. “It tore me apart,” she admitted. “But I thought, ‘Well, I can make this work somehow.’” It took her 21 years to finally leave Ed, feeling emotionally abandoned for most of their time together.
During their marriage, Ed discouraged her from working. He wanted a luxurious lifestyle, but Linda saw it as her chance to break into acting. She started with TV commercials, and before long, she was appearing in small movie roles.
Linda Gray’s Acting Breakthrough
One of her first big moments came when she was 27. She was paid $25 to be Anne Bancroft’s body double for the famous Graduate movie poster, where her legs appear alongside a young Dustin Hoffman. Fun fact: years later, she ended up playing Mrs. Robinson herself on the West End stage in The Graduate.
Despite facing rejection in the early days, Linda didn’t let it get her down. In her memoir, she included a rejection letter from Glamour magazine, which had criticized her modeling potential. Instead of being crushed, Linda kept it as a reminder of her determination. “I could have let it devastate me, but I didn’t. That feisty streak came out – ‘Oh, yeah? I’m gonna show you!’”
At 37, Linda finally decided to take acting classes, despite her husband’s protests. “He said, ‘Why don’t you become an actress when the children are in college,’” Linda remembered. But she followed her gut and joined the class anyway.
Her first big break came in 1974 when she guest-starred in Marcus Welby, M.D.. Soon after, her life changed forever.
Becoming Sue Ellen Ewing
In 1978, Linda was cast as Sue Ellen Ewing in Dallas, a role that was supposed to last only five episodes. However, her performance wowed everyone, and she quickly became a series regular.
Dallas was a show filled with betrayal, lies, and scandals, and Linda’s portrayal of Sue Ellen, JR Ewing’s troubled wife, became one of its highlights. Her chemistry with co-star Larry Hagman, who played JR, was electric.
“He was the bad big brother I never had,” Linda said. “He loved to do things just to make me crazy. I’d say, ‘Don’t eat that much sugar, stop drinking.’” Despite their playful teasing off-set, the moment the cameras rolled, they transformed into their characters effortlessly. “It was absolute magic. We felt blessed.”
Dallas became one of the most-watched shows in TV history, with the famous “Who shot JR?” episode drawing over 80 million viewers in 1980. Linda’s performance earned her two Golden Globe nominations and an Emmy nomination.
During this time, she also made a big personal change, divorcing her husband Ed in 1983. She continued to act while raising her children, and her son Jeff even followed in her footsteps, becoming a director and earning his own Emmy nomination in 2018.
Tragedy Strikes
In 2020, Linda faced a heartbreaking tragedy when her son Jeff passed away after battling leukemia. She posted a touching tribute on Instagram: “He was the kindest, funniest, sweetest human being… He brought the world such love and was loved by everyone!”
Despite this immense loss, Linda remains strong. Today, at 82, she continues to shine, both in her career and in life.
Still Going Strong
After Dallas, Linda starred in various TV shows and returned as Sue Ellen in the 2012 reboot of Dallas. She’s received numerous awards, including a Special Award at the 2014 USA Film Festival.
Through all her challenges—her childhood struggles, difficult marriage, and the tragic loss of her son—Linda Gray has remained resilient. She’s learned to turn life’s obstacles into fuel to keep going, and her story is one of perseverance, strength, and grace.
