TV's 'Dallas' Icon Linda Grey is 84: Her Emmy-winning Role as Alcoholic Sue Ellen Ewing was Pivotal

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Linda Gray, best known as Sue Ellen Ewing on TV's legendary Dallas prime-time soap, is now 84 years old. Here's a brief look back at her life and career.

The Big Picture

Linda Gray was born September 12, 1940, in Santa Monica, CA, and was raised in Culver City, CA, where her watch-maker father owned a shop.

In the 1960s, Gray began her career in modeling, which was followed by nearly 400 TV commercials.

She also had minor roles in big-screen movies like Under the Yum Yum Tree and Palm Springs Weekend.

A '70s Sensation

In the 1970s, Gray ventured into television acting with guest spots on shows like Marcus Welby, M.D., McCloud, and Switch. Also during this period, Gray returned to the big screen in movies like The Big Rip-Off (1975) and Dogs (1976).

In 1977, the actress was cast as fashion model Linda Murkland, the first transgender series regular on American TV, in the series All That Glitters. That same year, Gray played Carla Cord in the TV-movie Murder in Peyton Place.

Soon following was her benchmark casting as Sue Ellen in Dallas, for which she received two Golden Globe Best Actress nominations, an Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and several International awards. [She later reprised the role in 2012 for a Dallas reboot that ran seasons.]

Beyond Sue Ellen

In 2015, Linda Gray published her best-selling memoir, The Road to Happiness is Always Under Construction.

In 2016, she appeared in movies like Wally’s Will, which earned her a Best Actress Award in the comedy short category at the NoHo Film Festival, and an Outstanding Performance Award at the USA Film Festival.

Gray has performed on the London stage in the original stage production of Terms of Endearment, and the West End production of The Graduate.

She has also acted in live theatre productions of The Vagina Monologues, Agnes of God, and more. Gray, who directed several episodes of Dallas, made her theatre directing debut with Murder in the First.

Gray's most recent TV appearances have been in the Lifetime TV-movie, Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas, the Hallmark TV movie, Perfect Match, and a guest-starring role in the CW sit-com, and Amazon’s TV's Hand of God.

Behind the Scenes Activity

Behind the Hollywood TV and movie scenes and stage appearances, Linda Gray is actively involved with community and charity work.