Linda Gray Bio
Linda Ann Gray (born September 12, 1940) is an American actress, director, and former model whose career on television has spanned more than five decades. She is best known for her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing, the long-suffering wife of J.R. Ewing, on the CBS drama series Dallas (1978–1989, 1991, 2012–2014). Her performance made Sue Ellen one of the most recognizable characters in American prime-time television and earned Gray international recognition.
Beyond Dallas, Gray has appeared in film, television movies, prime-time drama, daytime soap operas, and stage productions on both sides of the Atlantic. She has also stepped behind the camera as a director and producer, and she remains active in Hollywood projects well into her eighties. She resides in Los Angeles, California.
Early Life and Background
Linda Ann Gray was born on September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, California, and grew up in nearby Culver City. Her father, Leslie, was a watchmaker who operated a local shop, and the family remained part of the close-knit Southern California community throughout her childhood. The sunny coastal setting of her upbringing helped shape her early interest in performance and presentation.
Before entering acting, Gray worked as a model in the 1960s, a path that introduced her to the world of cameras, styling, and on-camera work. She began her professional entertainment career through television commercials, appearing in nearly four hundred advertisements during the decade. These early commercial assignments also led to brief feature-film appearances, including roles in Under the Yum Yum Tree and Palm Springs Weekend in 1963.
Path to Acting
Gray moved into scripted television in the early 1970s with guest roles on popular series such as Marcus Welby, M.D., McCloud, and Switch. Her growing list of credits helped her secure a contract with Universal Studios in 1974, which opened the door to larger television projects. She also appeared in films including The Big Rip-Off (1975) and Dogs (1976) during this period.
In 1977, Gray was cast as fashion model Linda Murkland in the television series All That Glitters, a satirical take on the soap-opera format. Although the program was cancelled after only thirteen weeks, the role demonstrated her range and brought her to the attention of casting directors. That same year, she played suspicious wife Carla Cord in the television movie Murder in Peyton Place, further establishing her as a reliable dramatic performer.
Linda Gray Career
Early Career (1963–1977)
Gray’s earliest professional work centered on television commercials in the 1960s, where she quickly built a steady résumé. Her transition to scripted television in the 1970s began with guest spots on well-known drama series of the era. These appearances, combined with her Universal Studios contract, gave her the foundation she needed to compete for higher-profile roles.
Her first significant dramatic recognition came with the short-lived satire All That Glitters and the 1977 television movie Murder in Peyton Place. Although neither project produced a long run, both roles sharpened her craft and positioned her for the audition that would change her career.
Breakthrough (1978–1989)
In 1978, Gray was cast as Sue Ellen Ewing on CBS’s Dallas, a sprawling prime-time drama about the Ewing family of Southfork Ranch in Texas. Initially a recurring guest in the first season, she became a series regular the following year and remained with the show until her departure in 1989. Sue Ellen, the troubled wife of Larry Hagman’s J.R. Ewing, became one of television’s most discussed characters, and Gray’s performance drew widespread critical praise.
The role earned Gray a 1981 Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, along with two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama. She also received international honors, including Germany’s Bambi Award, Italy’s Il Gato, and the Hollywood Radio and Television Society’s Woman of the Year distinction in 1982. After leaving Dallas in 1989, she briefly returned to the role in 1991 for the show’s closing chapter.
Notable Works and Milestones
Beyond Dallas, Gray starred opposite Sylvester Stallone in the 1991 comedy film Oscar and led the Fox prime-time drama Models Inc. (1994–1995), a spin-off of Melrose Place where she reprised her role as Hillary Michaels. She also appeared in made-for-television movies including The Entertainers, Bonanza: The Return, Moment of Truth: Why My Daughter?, and Accidental Meeting, and returned to the Ewing universe in Dallas: J.R. Returns (1996) and Dallas: War of the Ewings (1998). She later rejoined the Dallas cast again on the TNT continuation series from 2012 to 2014.
Linda Gray Award Nominations
Linda Gray has received several major award nominations across her career, with her most prominent recognition tied directly to her Dallas work. She earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1981 for her portrayal of Sue Ellen Ewing. She was also nominated twice for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Drama for the same role.
Linda Gray Awards Won
While her most visible awards remain her nominations, Gray has been honored with several international distinctions and industry tributes. She received Germany’s Bambi Award and Italy’s Il Gato for her work on Dallas, and in 1982 she was named Woman of the Year by the Hollywood Radio and Television Society.
Linda Gray Family
Gray was married to art director and photographer Ed Thrasher from 1962 until their divorce in 1983. The couple had two children: a son, Jeff Thrasher, and a daughter, Kehly Sloane, an actress who appeared in the original Dallas series as Sue Ellen Ewing’s secretary at Valentine Lingerie. Jeff Thrasher passed away from leukemia in November 2020. Gray also has two grandsons.
Her younger sister, Betty, died from breast cancer in 1989. The loss was a significant personal moment for Gray, and she later used her platform to support causes connected to the disease.
Personal Life
Gray resides in Los Angeles, California, where she continues to balance on-screen acting with stage and directorial projects. She has maintained an active presence in British theatre as well, including West End and Broadway engagements, and she regularly returns to the stage for pantomime and dramatic productions.
Throughout her career, Gray has remained closely associated with her signature role of Sue Ellen Ewing while continually exploring new characters across film, television, and live performance. Her longevity in the entertainment industry has made her a respected figure among peers and a familiar presence to multiple generations of television viewers.