Linda Gray, who pIayed the legendary role of Sue Ellen Ewing in the hit show Dallas, had a life filled with excitement and a number of obstacles.
Recalling her childhood in Culver City, CaIifornia, she says how being given the chance to hang out with her friends around the filming studios triggered something in her that made her fall in love with acting. Her father, whom she describes as a rather cold person was always supportive of her career. Her mother used to be a heavy alcoholic while Linda and her sister were growing up so they had to take care of the house for long.
“She wasn’t falling down drunk, there was never any yeIIing,” 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, whom she separated with in 1983, photographer Edward Lee Thrasher, when she was 21. They had two children together, and although she enjoyed being a mother, it was her husband who somehow stood in her way of making a career in acting.
Although she was part of many commercials, it took Linda quite some time to finally gather the courage to attend acting classes.
In 1967, Linda was paid $25 to be Anne Bancroft’s body double in the poster for the film The Graduate not knowing that years later, or in 2001 to be exact, she would end up playing Mrs Robinson in the West End State production of The Graduate.
During the 1960s, she got a rejection letter from the Glamour Magazine, but that only made her more determined to succeed. “It was so funny that I kept that letter,” she wrote. “I kept the letter because I realized that we all have rejections, and it was her opinion when I was 20 years old. I could have had it devastate my life. But, I didn’t. This feisty streak came out – ‘Oh, yeah? I’m gonna show you!’ With great love and a lot of humor, I kept that letter. It kicked me from behind, and made me want to go and do something.”
After playing small roles, Linda finaIIy got the one that marked her career, that of Sue Ellen Ewing. She appeared in total of 308 episodes on Dallas and played alongside Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy.
Speaking of her relationship with Hagman, Linda told CM Chat Live: “He was the bad big brother that I never had. He was always doing something in my mind wrong – he was drinking too much, or whatever, and I would reprimand him, he loved that, he loved to do something just to make me crazy. I’d say ‘Don’t eat that. You don’t need that much sugar, and stop drinking.’”
In fact, when Linda was briefly fired from the show for asking for a higher pay, it was Hagman who demanded she gets back.
For her legendary performance in Dallas, Linda received numerous awards, including two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – TeIevision 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 magicaI one.”https://www.instagram.com/p/CICmEWyrPUt/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=675&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fbengalimedia24.com&rp=%2Fheartbreaking-update-on-dallas-actress-linda-grey%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2dgWz6EFpC6RtaLAWwCBgR-BcaAhAdm0FRg147EhNfvC0WfZ9fCh18Swk#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A1751%2C%22ls%22%3A1148.4000000059605%2C%22le%22%3A1748.4000000059605%7D
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
My Husband Insisted I Get Pregnant the Day after Our Wedding — My Heart Dropped When I Discovered His Real Reason
As a child, my grandmother used to tell me that life can be full of surprises, not all of them pleasant.
“Remember the good times and don’t let the bad ones bring you down, Liz,” she’d say.
I suppose she wanted to prepare me for life’s bitter moments, but little did she know that the worst day of my life would alter my reality forever.
I’ll never forget the moment I discovered what my husband, Jake, was scheming behind my back. We met at my workplace and quickly became close friends.
We married after just six months of dating because we felt a deep connection—or so I thought.
The day after our lovely wedding, Jake brought up the idea of starting a family right away. “Liz, I think we should try for a baby immediately,” he said, sounding more urgent than I expected.
“Are you sure? We just got married,” I replied, trying to gauge his intentions.
“Yes, absolutely,” he insisted. “There’s no better time than now. It’s the perfect way to start our journey together.”
Despite his enthusiastic words, something about his tone made me uneasy.
Confused yet flattered by his eagerness, I smiled and nodded, unaware of his true motives.
One day, while tidying up the living room, I noticed Jake’s laptop chiming with a notification. He was in the shower, so I glanced at the screen.
I wasn’t snooping, but I couldn’t ignore the message preview that read, “Is she pregnant yet?”
It was from his ex-girlfriend, Claire.
My stomach churned as I read their chilling conversation.
“Remember our agreement, Jake. You need to impregnate her within a year. Otherwise, you won’t secure your inheritance,” Claire wrote.
“Don’t worry, I’m on it. Everything is going according to plan,” Jake replied.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I processed their conversation. They discussed a cold, calculated strategy where Jake would marry me to ensure an heir for a substantial inheritance from a distant relative.
To secure the inheritance, Jake needed to father a child within a year of our wedding. Moreover, he was using me because his ex-girlfriend was infertile.
After securing his share, Jake planned to divorce me and be with Claire.
“How could you?” I whispered.
Shaken by the revelation, I knew I couldn’t confront Jake without solid evidence. So, over the next few days, I acted normally while discreetly gathering proof.
Whenever Jake left his laptop unattended, I copied the emails onto a USB drive. I also started recording his phone conversations with Claire whenever I was out.
One evening, pretending to leave the house, I hid in the garage and recorded Jake confirming their scheme on the phone.
“I just need a bit more time, Claire. Trust me, everything’s on track,” he said urgently.
With the evidence secured, I consulted a lawyer.
“This is serious, Elizabeth. We need to handle this carefully to protect you legally and financially,” he advised.
We planned every step meticulously, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.
Jake’s family hosted an annual gathering a few weeks later, providing the perfect opportunity to reveal his truth.
It was attended by all his distant relatives, including those whose inheritance he coveted.
In the weeks leading up to the event, I pretended to be a loving wife eager to start a family with Jake. But inside, I felt anxious.
During the event, I stood up to make a toast after dinner.
“I want to thank everyone for welcoming me into this wonderful family,” I began. “And to my dear husband, who has taught me so much about trust and love, I have a special surprise!”
As all eyes turned to me, I switched on the projector. The damning emails between Jake and Claire flashed on the screen, followed by recordings of their phone conversations.
The room fell silent. Then, Jake’s grandmother stood up, her face flushed with anger.
“You are a disgrace,” she declared firmly. “You won’t receive a penny of anyone’s wealth!”
Claire, whom I had invited as a friend’s plus one, stood up, her face pale. She slapped Jake across the face.
“I never want to see you again!” she exclaimed before storming out.
As whispers filled the room, I looked at Jake, his face drained of color.
“And one last thing,” I added firmly. “I never intended to get pregnant so soon. I’ve been on birth control since learning the truth.”
That evening, Jake’s plan lay in ruins, leaving him with nothing. His deception also invalidated our prenup.
Meanwhile, I walked away with my integrity intact and a bright future ahead of me.
What would you have done?
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