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Linda Evans
Evans at Heart Truth in February 2012
Born	Linda Evenstad (1942-11-18) November 18, 1942 (age 82) Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Hollywood High School
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1960–1997; 2020–present
Known for	Dynasty The Big Valley Avalanche Express Tom Horn
Spouses	John Derek ​ ​(m. 1968; div. 1974)​ Stan Herman ​ ​(m. 1975; div. 1979)​
Partner(s)	Patrick Curtis (1960–1962) George Santo Pietro (1980–1984) Yanni (1989–1998)

Linda Evans (born Linda Evenstad; November 18, 1942) is a retired American actress known primarily for her roles on television. In the 1960s she played Audra Barkley, the daughter of Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck) in the Western television series The Big Valley (1965–1969). She is best known for portraying Krystle Carrington in the 1980s ABC primetime soap opera Dynasty, a role she played from 1981 to 1989.

Early life

Evans, the second of three daughters, was born Linda Evenstad in Hartford, Connecticut, on November 18, 1942, to Arlene (née Dart) and Alba Evenstad, both of whom were professional dancers. "Evenstad" was the name of the small farm in Nes, Hedmark, in Norway from where her paternal great-grandmother emigrated to the United States in 1884 with her young son (Evans' grandfather) and other relatives. She has two sisters. When Evans was six months old, the family moved from Hartford to North Hollywood. She attended Hollywood High School, where she was a sorority sister of future actress Carole Wells. Her introduction to drama came through classes that she took "as a form of therapy, to cure her of her shyness." When she started her professional career, she changed her last name to "Evans".

Career

Evans' first guest-starring role was on a 1960 episode of Bachelor Father. The series starred John Forsythe, with whom she would costar 20 years later on Dynasty. After several guest roles in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet between 1960 and 1962, and guest appearances on television series such as The Lieutenant and Wagon Train, Evans gained her first regular role in 1965 in The Big Valley. Playing Audra Barkley, daughter of Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck), Evans was credited in the series until it ended in 1969, though she was only a semiregular cast member during the last two seasons.

On December 31, 1967, John Derek recruited his future wife to operate one of his cameras after he had been commissioned by daredevil Evel Knievel to film his motorcycle jump of the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Evans photographed Knievel's devastating crash after the jump failed.

Throughout the 1970s, Evans continued to appear on television largely in guest roles. She appeared in a slew of detective shows such as The Rockford Files with James Garner, Mannix, Harry O with David Janssen, Banacek with George Peppard, McCloud with Dennis Weaver, and McMillan & Wife with Rock Hudson. In 1977, she starred with James Franciscus and Ralph Bellamy in the espionage drama series Hunter, though the show lasted for only 13 episodes.

In films, Evans co-starred with Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw in a 1979 thriller, Avalanche Express, and in 1980, she co-starred in one of Steve McQueen's final films, the Western Tom Horn.

Evans was next cast as Krystle Carrington in Aaron Spelling's opulent new primetime soap opera, Dynasty, which premiered in January 1981. Intended as ABC's answer to the hit CBS series Dallas, Dynasty featured Evans as the former secretary and new wife of millionaire oil tycoon Blake Carrington, portrayed by her former costar John Forsythe. Although initially sluggish in the ratings, audience figures improved after the show was revamped and British actress Joan Collins was brought in to play opposite Evans and Forsythe as Blake's scheming ex-wife, Alexis Carrington. By the 1984–85 season, Dynasty was the number one show on American television, outranking Dallas.

Evans won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series for her Dynasty role in 1981, and was subsequently nominated every year from 1982 to 1985. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1983. Evans won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program in 1982, and for Favorite Female TV Performer in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986. She won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1984 and 1985.

Evans was hired as a spokesperson for the beverage Crystal Light due to her character's name.

Evans left Dynasty in 1989, four months before the series came to an end, after only appearing in six episodes of the 22-episode ninth and final season. After leaving Dynasty, Evans semiretired from acting and made only occasional television appearances. Instead, she devoted her time to fitness issues and set up a small chain of fitness centers. In the 1990s, Evans hosted infomercials for Rejuvenique, a mask for toning facial muscles. She had previously written the Linda Evans Beauty and Exercise book in 1983. She also kept in touch with Forsythe, until he died on April 1, 2010, and she was devastated by his death. Evans first met Forsythe as an unfamiliar actress aged 18, for her first speaking part: Her agent "signed me up for Bachelor Father and John Forsythe gave me my first speaking part."

In 1991, Evans returned to the role of Krystle Carrington for the television miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion. Following this, she appeared in three made-for-TV movies in the 1990s, but then retired from screen acting altogether in 1997.

In 2005, actress Melora Hardin portrayed Evans in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind-the-scenes production of Dynasty.

In 2006, Evans reunited with her Dynasty castmates for the nonfiction reunion special Dynasty: Catfights and Caviar. She then starred in the stage play Legends opposite her former Dynasty rival Collins. In 2009, Evans appeared in and won the British TV program Hell's Kitchen, working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White.

In 2021 Evans returned to acting, taking a small role in the critically acclaimed movie Swan Song.

Evans has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Personal life

In her late teens, Evans was engaged to Patrick Curtis, who later became a press agent and married Raquel Welch. Subsequently, Evans has been married and divorced twice. Her first marriage was to actor, photographer, and film director John Derek. They started dating in 1965, married in 1968, and separated on Christmas Day 1973, when Derek disclosed his affair with 17-year old Mary Cathleen Collins (30 years his junior), who become known as Bo Derek after they married. Evans' second marriage was to Stan Herman, a property executive, from 1975 to 1979. She then lived with restaurant owner George Santo Pietro, from 1980 to 1984. Evans also dated The Big Valley castmate Lee Majors for a brief period following her second divorce, as well as businessmen Richard Cohen (an ex-husband of Tina Sinatra) and Dennis Stein (a former fiancé of Elizabeth Taylor) during the mid-1980s. In 1989, Evans began a relationship with new-age musician Yanni, which lasted until 1998.

Her best friends are her ex-stepdaughter, television writer Sean Catherine Derek, and Bunky Young, Evans' former assistant and friend of over 40 years, who died in 2021. She is also close with John Derek's second wife, actress Ursula Andress, a sometime houseguest at her home in Beverly Hills. She is also friendly with Bo Derek, her former romantic rival.

After being diagnosed with idiopathic edema, Evans began investigating alternative healing, delving into Eastern philosophy and naturopathy. In 1985, she became involved with controversial metaphysical teacher J. Z. Knight and her Ramtha's School of Enlightenment and eventually moved to Rainier, Washington to be closer to Knight and her school. Evans resides on a 70-acre (28 ha) estate that she shares with her sister, nephew and ex-stepdaughter.

Evans appeared in Playboy magazine at the behest of her then-husband John Derek in 1971. As she gained fame on Dynasty, the photos were published a second time in 1982.

Evans was arrested in May 2014 for driving under the influence of a prescription drug.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

1. Capua, Michelangelo (March 20, 2020). John Derek: Actor, Director, Photographer. McFarland. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-4766-7588-6. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
2. Bale, Bernard (October 9, 2018). "US soap legend Linda Evans on how ratings hit Dynasty changed her life and career". The Sunday Post. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
3. Thunborg, Peter (March 14, 2017). "Därför lämnade Linda Evans Hollywood". Expressen (in Swedish). Retrieved March 5, 2019.
4. Linda Evans on Instagram: "My beloved sister Charlie, forever in my heart 💞" Feb 15, 2022
5. Scheuer, Steven H. (January 26, 1969). "TV Mailbag". The Bridgeport Post. Connecticut, Bridgeport. p. 57. Retrieved May 27, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "9 big things you never knew about Linda Evans". MeTV. November 18, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
7. ^ Levine, Bettijane (October 20, 1985). "Those Eyes : Six Years Ago Linda Evans Was Considered Too Old to Cast. Today, She's Made Maturity a Sexy Commodity". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
8. TNT Television Biography Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 15, 2011
9. Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2. New York: New York Zoetrope. p. 201. ISBN 0-918432-61-8.
10. Canby, Vincent (October 19, 1979). "Film: 'Avalanche Express':Snow Job". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
11. Roberts, Jeremy (March 21, 2018). "Roping the legend of 'Tom Horn,' Steve McQueen's overlooked 1980 western". Medium. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
12. ^ Schemering, Christopher (September 1985). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia. Ballantine Books. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-345-32459-5.
13. Jacobs, Alexandra (October 6, 2017). "A Dynasty for Generation Gossip Girl (Mom Can Watch, Too)". The New York Times. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
14. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (October 2007). "Top-Rated Programs by Season". The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (9th ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 1689–1692. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
15. "ClassicTVHits.com: TV Ratings > 1984–85". Retrieved April 20, 2015.
16. "Winners & Nominees: Dynasty". Golden Globe Award. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
17. "Awards & Nominations: Dynasty". Emmy Award. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
18. "1982 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
19. "1983 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on February 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
20. "1984 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
21. "1985 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
22. "1986 Nominees & Winners". People's Choice Awards. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
23. "The Soap Opera Digest Awards History". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2018 – via Celebratingthesoaps.net.
24. ^ Phillips, Jevon (June 24, 2010). "Linda Evans: Hollywood Star Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
25. "Linda Evans: It feels beautiful to get back what was taken from you". Polarity International.com. June 14, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
26. Gliatto, Tom; Sheff, Vicki (August 5, 1991). "Alexis Strikes Again!". People. Vol. 36, no. 4. pp. 66–68. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
27. Connor, Laura (January 22, 2018). "Dynasty comeback gets big-budget Netflix revamp – but what happened to the original soap's cast?". Daily Mirror. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
28. "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure: Credits". Der-denver-clan.de. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
29. "When Linda Evans won Hell's Kitchen". BBC News. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
30. Bradshaw, Peter (2022-06-08). "Swan Song review – Udo Kier gets on the pantsuit as haughty hairdresser". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-08-21.
31. Citizen News Services (October 28, 1986). Linda Evans: Sordid Details in Biography. Ottawa Citizen.
32. Video on YouTube
33. Cheryl Lavin (October 29, 1982). Derek's daughter details unhappy life with father. Ottawa Citizen.
34. Sue Reilly (June 16, 1980). John Derek Might Not Approve, but Linda Evans, His Ex-Wife, Is Cast as a 6 and Proud of It. People magazine.
35. "Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search".
36. "People in the News". Kentucky New Era. March 15, 1983.
37. "Liz Smith". Toledo Blade. January 18, 1985.
38. Dan Jewel (February 16, 1998). Out of Key. People magazine.
39. Evans, Linda (2016). Recipes for Life: My Memories. Post Hill Press. ISBN 978-1618686930.
40. Scott Haller (December 17, 1984). Bringing Up Baby: For Dynasty's Linda Evans, Playing Mom Is the Next Best Thing to Being One. People magazine.
41. People page (August 3, 1980). Tipoff. Lakeland Ledger.
42. Liz Smith (August 31, 1978). Off the Grapevine. Toledo Blade.
43. https://pagesix.com/2021/10/30/linda-evans-thanks-lovely-bo-derek-for-her-dynasty-role/
44. "Idiopathic edema".
45. "Linda Evans Bio - Linda Evans Career". MTV Artists. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016.
46. "Linda Evenstad - Genealogy". geni_family_tree. 18 November 1942.
47. "Linda Evans: Finding Peace and Happiness Growing Older in the Northwest". December 27, 2014.
48. "Celebrity Playboy cover girls". Fox News. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
49. 'Dynasty' star breaks silence on arrest footage

External links

• Official website
• Linda Evans at IMDb 
• Linda Evans at the Internet Broadway Database
• Linda Evans at the TCM Movie Database

• 1942 births
• Living people
• Actresses from Hartford, Connecticut
• Actresses from Los Angeles
• American people of Norwegian descent
• American television actresses
• American soap opera actresses
• Best Drama Actress Golden Globe (television) winners
• Reality cooking competition winners
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses