Linda Gray, who played the iconic character Sue Ellen Ewing on the hit program Dallas, had a life full of adventure and challenges.
Recalling her adolescence in Culver City, California, she describes how being given the opportunity to hang out with her pals near the movie studios ignited something in her that led her to fall in love with acting.
Her father, whom she characterizes as being somewhat frigid, was always supportive of her career. Linda’s mother was a strong drinker when Linda and her sister were growing up, so they had to care for the house for quite some time.
“She wasn’t falling down drunk, there was never any yelling,” Linda wrote in her book The Path to Happiness is Always Under Construction. “She wasn’t mean – she was just blurred, in her own world, she would forget to buy food so I started doing the cooking. My sister and I didn’t like her.”
Linda married her first and only husband, photographer Edward Lee Thrasher, when she was 21 years old and split in 1983. They had two children together, and while she adored being a mother, her husband prevented her from pursuing an acting career.
Despite having been in numerous advertisements, Linda needed a long time to collect the bravery to take acting courses.
Linda was paid $25 in 1967 to be Anne Bancroft’s body double on the poster for the film The Graduate, unaware that years later, in 2001, she would play Mrs Robinson in the West End State production of The Graduate.
During the 1960s, she received a rejection letter from Glamour Magazine, but this only strengthened her will to achieve. “It was so funny that I kept that letter,” she wrote at the time. “I preserved the letter because I recognized that everyone experiences rejection, and that was her view when I was 20 years old. It could have devastated my life. But I didn’t. This feisty streak came out: “Oh, yeah?” I’ll show you!’ I saved that letter with a lot of love and humor. It kicked me in the back and made me want to do something.”
For her legendary performance in Dallas, Linda received numerous awards, including two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – Television Series Drama, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress.
Her son, Jeff Thrasher, followed into her footsteps and worked as a director. Sadly, he was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away in 2020. Linda was devastated. She had a hard time coping with the loss. Recently, she paid tribute to Jeff writing: “A celebration of my son Jeff’s life. He was the kindest, funniest, sweetest human being….. he brought the world such love and was loved by everyone! May his journey be a magical one.”
We are very sorry for her loss. Linda is doing her best to live her life without her son. She is 82 years old and is looking as stunningly beautiful as always.
Please SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook.
