Linda Evans, a name that evokes elegance, grace and a pinch of 1980’s glamour, has had a career that has seen several decades and genres. Most famous for her legendary status on television in Dynasty, Evans left a legacy in Hollywood not only because of her on-screen magnetism but also because of her strength, steadfastness, and down-to-earth character off the screen. From a shy child to a star that gained popularity in the whole world, her story is a story of hard work, passion, and transformation beyond imagination.
Born on November 18, 1942, in Hartford, Connecticut, the blessed personality Linda Evenstad (her birth name) was the second of three daughters in a Norwegian-American family. Her family later relocated to North Hollywood, California where her life changed finally. Although being a shy and introverted child, her spectacular looks and silent gracefulness attracted attention from the earliest age. In her teenage years, she studied at Hollywood high school, where fate intervened – one of her drama classmates recommended she go to acting classes, which would change her life in the end.
At the beginning of the 1960s, Evans started acting on the television screen with minor roles. Her first credited role was in a Bachelor Father episode although it was her television role as Audra Barkley in The Big Valley (1965–1969) which made her name a household one.
Without the legendary Barbara Stanwyck, Evans played the strong-willed daughter of a ranching family on this western serial. The Western drama was a success and brought Evans the first taste of fame in the mass. The role also taught her a lot about professionalism and strength, something that she took in her career throughout.
In the subsequent years, after The Big Valley, Evans participated in a number of TV shows and movies, and it is only in 1981 that she landed in the role that became the hallmark of her career – Krystle Carrington on Dynasty. The glittering world of oil money and high class – Dynasty didn’t take long to become a cultural phenomenon.
As Krystle Evans played decadent moral compass of the Carrington family and she was in constant struggles (sometimes even physical) with the wicked Alexis Carrington, portrayed by Joan Collins. Their catfights were the stuff of legend, and the dramatic turns and gorgeous costumes of the show made it one of the most-loved soap operas ever.
Evans’s representation of Krystal awarded her a golden globe award of Best actress in a drama series (1982), several people’s choice awards. She was regularly acclaimed for adding warmth and humanity to a show where drama was over the top. Evans brought the heart, whereas Collins the fire. The dichotomy served the electric television and ensconced both actresses into the TV history.
Behind the façade, there were challenges to Evans’s life. She struggled with a difficult divorce with a renowned actor and producer, John Derek, who left Cat Evans for the then teenager Bo Derek. As painful as it was, Evans managed to deal with it with dignity and grace, not going public with a lash out. Her stoic strength only furthered her fans’ admiration of her.
When Dynasty finished in 1989, Evans gradually retired from the world of acting, and gave her attention to her private life and wellness. She relocated to Pacific Northwest and took up a quieter life, and focused on health, spiritual growth, and writing.
In 2011 she published her memoir known as Recipes for Life: My Memories: A mix of personal stories and recipes from a life, which is both in front of and behind the television lens. The book exposed the inward looking Evans, the one who loved family, loved to cook, grew up, began to lose and to heal.
Apart from writing, Evans also involved himself in some of the philanthropic and wellness activities. In 2009, she shocked fans when she turned up on the British-based reality show, the Hell’s Kitchen where she showed that her grace and determination were way out of the television drama. She won the competition as she impressed Gordon Ramsay, the notoriously hard chef, and the public.
Linda Evans today, is ranked among the most endearing of television stars. With her outer beauty and inner strength that had a sense of relatable vulnerability, she was a representation of an era of television in which its characters felt larger-than-life but deeply human. Although she was never a limelight seeker like some of her contemporaries, she remains a source of inspiration for the old and new fans.
In her 80s today, Evans leads a quiet life in retirement from the glare of Hollywood life. Her legacy, though, still shines on. Either remembered as the tough Audra Barkley or the bright Krystle Carrington, Linda Evans’s marks in television are unforgettable. Her story is an example that grace under pressure combined with talent and sincerity can win hearts in a world with all the ephemeral fame.