Linda Evans

Linda Evans Speaker Biography

Golden Globe Winning Actress

Linda Evans became one of the most celebrated female television stars of the 1980s. A Golden Globe Award-winning and Emmy nominated actress, millions of Americans recognize Linda as the character “Krystle Carrington” whom she portrayed on the hugely popular primetime television show Dynasty. For that role, she won a Golden Globe award in 1982 for Best Actress in a Drama Series. She also won five People’s Choice Awards as Favorite Actress in a Drama Series in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986.

First Break

Linda was born on November 18, 1942, as Linda Evenstad in Hartford, Connecticut, the second of three daughters to parents who were professional dancers. When Linda was six months old, her family moved to Hollywood.  At age 14, Linda was encouraged to take drama classes to overcome her shyness. At 15, she joined a friend who was auditioning for a television commercial. Linda got the part.

TV Career

A short time later, Linda earned her first guest-starring role on a major television series, Bachelor Father, starring John Forsythe, whose career would become eternally tied to Linda when they portrayed the powerful Carringtons on Dynasty. She went on to guest-star on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Wagon Train, My Favorite Martian and other staples of the 1960s before landing the role of Audra, daughter of Big Valley matriarch Victoria Barkley, played by Barbara Stanwyck.

Recurring Roles

Between her Audra years and her portrayal of Krystle, Linda was rarely off the airwaves, guest starring on shows that ranged from McCloud to The Rockford Files, from the miniseries North and South to the prime time drama Hunter, co-starring Linda as secret agent Marty Shaw. Evans earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her achievements in film and television.

Self-Discovery

After Dynasty, Linda decided there was something more to life than Hollywood and moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she began an extraordinary journey of self-discovery with a teacher named Ramtha.

But she returned to performing frequently, starring in the stage play, Legends, and winning the Hell’s Kitchen competition while working under Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White.

Wisdom

Linda’s often lavish and luxurious life has rivaled Krystle Carrington’s. She has dined with queens and presidents, been romanced by the rich and famous, and today, what Linda treasures most is the wisdom she has gained along the way.