Linda Pearl is an American actress and singer who has been active in the entertainment industry since the 1970s.
She is best known for her roles in Happy Days, Matlock, and The Office. She has also appeared in films such as The Long Rider, The Great Santini, and A Man for Women.
She is also an accomplished jazz singer and has released several albums. She is currently dating actor Patrick Duffy.
contour
- Full name: Linda Purl
- Date of Birth: September 2, 1955
- Age: 68
- Gender: Female
- Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Actor, singer
- Height: 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm)
- Parents: Raymond Charles Arthur Purl and Marshelline “Marshie” Purl
- Brothers and sisters: None
- Spouses: Desi Arnaz Jr. (married 1980, divorced 1981), William Broyles Jr. (married 1988, divorced 1992), Alexander Cary (married 1993, divorced 1999), James Vinson Adams (married 2006, divorced 2011)
- Children: Lucius Cary (son, born 1995)
- Relationship Status: Dating Patrick Duffy (since 2020)
- Net worth: $10 million (estimated)
Early life and education
Linda Purl was born on September 2, 1955, in Greenwich, Connecticut, the daughter of Raymond Charles Arthur Purl, an actor and agent, and Marcheline “Marshie” Purl, a Broadway actress and singer.
She is of English, Irish and German descent. She spent her childhood in Japan, where her father was an executive at IBM.
She attended Sacred Heart International School in Tokyo and learned to speak fluent Japanese.
She also received acting training at Toho Geino College and has appeared in many dramas and films, including the Japanese version of The King and I.
At 15, she returned to the United States and enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City, where she studied with Robert Lewis, one of the founders of the Actors Studio.
She also attended Wykeham Rise School, an all-girls boarding school in Connecticut, and graduated in 1973. She then moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Personal life
Linda Pearl has been married and divorced four times. Her first husband was Desi Arnaz Jr., the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. They married in 1980 and divorced in 1981.
Her second husband was William Broyles Jr., a screenwriter and former Newsweek editor; they married in 1988 and divorced in 1992.
Her third husband was British writer and producer Alexander Cary, whom she married in 1993 and divorced in 1999.
Her fourth husband was former deputy sheriff James Vinson Adams, whom she married in 2006 and divorced in 2011.
She has a son, Lucious, with her third husband, Alexander Cary. Lucious was born in 1995 and is also an actor. She is currently dating Patrick Duffy, who is known for his roles in Dallas and Step by Step.
They met through mutual friends in 2019 and began dating in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic.
Since 2021, they have been living together in Eagle, Idaho.
Profession
Linda Pearl made her screen debut in the film Jory (1973), a western drama starring Robbie Benson. Her first major film role was in Crazy Mom (1975), a comedy directed by Jonathan Demme and co-starring Cloris Leachman and Don Most.
She also appeared in films such as The Long Rider (1980), a western about the James Younger gang, The Great Santini (1980), a drama based on the novel by Pat Conroy and starring Robert Duvall and Blythe Danner, and A Man for Women (1983), a romantic comedy directed by Blake Edwards and starring Burt Reynolds and Julie Andrews.
She is widely known for her roles in television series, especially in Happy Days, Matlock, and The Office.
She played two characters on Happy Days: Gloria, Richie’s occasional girlfriend, in the second season (1974), and Ashley, Fonzie’s regular girlfriend, in the tenth season (1982-1983).
She played Charlene Matlock, the daughter of Ben Matlock, in the first season of the television series Matlock (1986-1987). She played Helen, the mother of Pam Beesley, in The Office (2009-2010).
She has also guest-starred or had recurring roles on many other television shows such as The Waltons, Hawaii SWAT, Murder, The Writers, Robin Hood, Undercover, Reba, Homeland, True Blood, and Designated Survivor.
She is also an accomplished jazz singer and has released several albums, such as Alone Together (1985), Out of This World Live (2005), Midnight Caravan (2010), and Up Jumped Spring (2017). She has performed at venues such as Feinstein’s in the Regency, Catalina Jazz Club, and the Metropolitan Room.
Social Media
- Instagram account: @lindapurl
- Twitter: @Linda_Purl
Filmography
- Jory
- Crazy Mom
- The Waltons
- Happy Days
- Long distance rider
- Santini
- A man who loves women
- Matlock
- Robin Hood
- Reba
- office
- home
- True Blood
- Designated Survivor
Discography
- Alone
- Otherworldly live performances
- Midnight Caravan
- Spring Leaping Upward
net worth
Linda Purl’s net worth is estimated to be $10 million.
Her wealth is derived from her acting and singing career as well as endorsements and appearances.
