Bio

Evans was born Linda Evenstad in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1942, the second of three daughters to Arlene and Alba Evenstad, both accomplished dancers. "Evenstad" was the name of her paternal great-grandmother's farm in Nes, Hedmark, Norway, from which she and her young son (Evans' grandfather) came to the United States in 1884. Evans' family relocated from Hartford to North Hollywood when she was six months old. She was a sorority sister of future actress Carole Wells while attending Hollywood High School. Her first exposure to drama came in the form of classes she took "as a type of treatment, to alleviate her timidity." She changed her last name to "Evans" when she began her professional career. At the age of 15, she joined a companion who was trying out for a TV commercial. Linda won the part which sparked her career in acting.

Husband/children/marriage

Evans was engaged to Patrick Curtis, who later became a press agent and married Raquel Welch when she was in her late teens. Evans has had two marriages and two divorces. John Derek, an actor, photographer, and film director, was her first husband. They began dating in 1965, married in 1968, and divorced on Christmas Day 1973 after Derek revealed his affair with Bo Derek, a man thirty years younger than him who was seventeen at the time. Evans' second marriage, from 1975 to 1979, was to Stan Herman, a real estate executive. From 1980 to 1984, she lived with restaurant entrepreneur George Santo Pietro. Following her second divorce, Evans dated her The Big Valley co-star Lee Majors for a short time, as well as businessman Richard Cohen (an ex-husband of Tina Sinatra) and Dennis Stein (a former fiancé of Elizabeth Taylor) in the mid-1980s. Evans began a relationship with new-age artist Yanni in 1989, which lasted until 1998. Her best friends are her ex-stepdaughter, television writer Sean Catherine Derek, and Bunky Young, Evans' former assistant, whom she has known since the mid-1960s; both live in Washington state near her. Ursula Andress, John's second wife who lives in Europe, is a frequent houseguest at her Beverly Hills home.

Evans began researching alternative treatments after being diagnosed with idiopathic edema, delving into Eastern philosophy and naturopathy. In 1985, she became engaged with controversial metaphysical instructor J. Z. Knight and her Ramtha's School of Enlightenment, and eventually moved to Yelm, Washington, to be closer. In 1971, at the request of her then-husband, John Derek, Evans made an appearance in Playboy magazine. The images were reprinted in 1982 when she gained celebrity status due to her appearance on Dynasty. In May 2014, Evans was charged with driving under the influence of a prescription drug.

Career and Net Worth (2018-2024)

Linda Evans' first television role was on Bachelor Father, which starred John Forsythe. Linda Evans and John Forsythe were reunited in the 1980s when they both appeared on the popular show, Dynasty. On that show, she played the role of Krystle Carrington, the spouse of an oil multimillionaire played by John Forsythe and the great young lady counterpart to Joan Collins' insidious Alexis. Linda was nominated multiple times for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series from 1982 to 1986.

Linda's first recurring role was in 1965 in The Big Valley, where she was famous for her role as Audra Barkley. She guest-starred on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Wagon Train, My Favorite Martian, and other staples of the 1960s. She won a Golden Globe in 1982, sharing the honor with Barbara Bel Geddes of the rival prime time TV soap opera Dallas. Linda won five People's Choice Awards as Favorite Actress in a Drama Series in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1983. Linda has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Blvd to commemorate her contribution to the media business.

After "Dynasty" wrapped up, Linda concluded there was something more to life than Hollywood and moved to the Pacific Northwest. She began an unusual journey of self-discovery with a teacher named Ramtha. She returned to performing, starring in the stage play, "Legends". In 2009, Linda Evans was a winner on "Hell's Kitchen", the British reality TV cooking show hosted by Gordon Ramsay. She cooked under the mentorship of Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White.