Linda Evans: The Glamorous Star Who Ruled TV’s Golden Age In Dynasty
Explore the life and legacy of Linda Evans, best known for her iconic role as Krystle Carrington in the hit series Dynasty. From classic television fame to lasting Hollywood elegance, discover how she became a household name.
Jul 29, 2025474 Shares47.4K Views
Linda Evansbecame a TV star many people remember for decades. She gained attention in the 1960s with her role as Audra Barkley on The Big Valley. Her fame rose even more when she played Krystle Carrington on the hit series Dynasty, a part that earned her awards and strong praise. On Dynasty, her role reflected elegance and strength, making her a symbol of classic television. She later won a cooking show in Britain and wrote a book that combined memoir and recipes, showing that she enjoyed life beyond acting.
Early Life
Linda Evans was born Linda Evenstad on November 18, 1942, in Hartford, Connecticut. She was the second of three daughters born to Arlene (née Dart) and Alba Evenstad, both of whom worked as professional dancers. When she was six months old, her family moved from Hartford to North Hollywood, California.
She attended Hollywood High School and joined a sorority, becoming friends with future actress Carole Wells. Linda began taking drama classes to help overcome her shyness. When she started her professional acting career, she chose the last name “Evans” as her stage name.
Career
Linda Evans first appeared on TV in a 1960 episode of Bachelor Father, where she shared the screen with actor John Forsythe. In the early 1960s, she guest-starred on shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Lieutenant, and Wagon Train.
Her first major role came in 1965 as Audra Barkley on the western series The Big Valley, appearing until 1969. This role brought her wide recognition. Throughout the 1970s, Linda made many guest appearances in detective and drama shows like The Rockford Files, Mannix, Harry O, Banacek, McCloud, and McMillan & Wife. She also starred in the espionage series Hunter in 1977, though it lasted only one season.
In film, she appeared in Avalanche Express (1979) and in Steve McQueen’s final movie, Tom Horn (1980).
Linda’s most famous role began in 1981 when she joined the hit series Dynasty as Krystle Carrington, the elegant wife of a wealthy oil tycoon. The show grew into America’s top-rated series by the mid-1980s.
For her work on Dynasty, she won a Golden Globe in 1982 and was nominated again every year through 1985. She also won five People’s Choice Awards (1982–1986), a Soap Opera Digest Award (1984–1985), and was nominated for an Emmy Award in 1983. She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987 for her contributions to television.
Linda left Dynasty in 1989, just before the final season ended, and she mostly retired from acting. After that, she opened fitness centers, hosted infomercials, and wrote a beauty and exercise book in 1983. She briefly returned to TV in 1991 for Dynasty: The Reunion and appeared in a few TV movies before retiring fully in 1997.
In later years, she reunited with Dynasty co-stars for specials, starred in a stage show called Legends, and won the British cooking show Hell’s Kitchen in 2009 under chef Marco Pierre White. In 2021 she returned to acting with a minor role in the acclaimed film Swan Song.
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