Linda Purl is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for
portraying Ben Matlock's daughter Charlene Matlock in season one of
Matlock. Early life
Purl was born in Greenwich, Connecticut into a theatrical family, her mother
being a Broadway actress, her father an actor, and her grandmother the founder
of the Actors' Equity Association. At age five, she moved to Japan, where she
spent her childhood, becoming the only foreigner to train at the Toho Geino
Academy. While at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, Purl performed in several
plays, gaining the role of Louis in The King and I, Bet in Oliver!, and the role
of Helen in The Miracle Worker. Furthermore, she was discovered by Toho
and appeared in several films. At age 15, Purl returned to the United
States. She attended high school at Wykeham Rise School, a private boarding
school for girls, specializing in creative and performing arts, in
Washington, Connecticut. While still in High School at Wykeham Rise, she had a
role on the soap opera The Guiding Light. After attending Finch College,
Ms. Purl went to England to study under Marguerite Beale, before returning to
the United States to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute,
and later with Robert Lewis. Acting career
= Film= After playing a small role in Jory,
Purl's first major movie role was in Jonathan Demme's 1975 comedy, Crazy
Mama. Subsequent movie appearances have included W.C. Fields and Me, Leo and
Loree, Visiting Hours, The High Country, Viper, Natural Causes, Mighty Joe Young,
The Perfect Tenant, and Fear of the Dark.
= Television= Linda Purl has played several roles on
television series, starting with The Secret Storm—a daytime drama. In 1978,
she appeared as newlywed Molly Beaton in the ABC western drama series, The Young
Pioneers, set in the Dakota Territory of the 1870s and based on the novels of
Rose Wilder Lane. She also acted alongside Shaun Cassidy in the 1979 TV
movie Like Normal People. On Happy Days she played two different roles: Richie's
occasional girlfriend Gloria in season two of the show, and Fonzie's steady
girlfriend Ashley eight seasons later. She also played secret agent Kate
Del'Amico in the short-lived series Under Cover, and played Brett Robin in
the 1994-95 series Robin's Hoods. She has also featured in many movies
made for television, including Testimony of Two Men, The Night the City Screamed,
Little Ladies of the Night, and Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs. She voiced Delilah
in a 1985 direct-to-video episode of The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the
Bible. As a guest star, Purl has appeared in a
1974 episode of Hawaii Five-O called "The Hostage", as teenage babysitter
"Ruthie" held captive by a deranged veteran. She played two different roles
on The Waltons; in 1974 where she played sophisticate Alica in the season three
episode, "The Spoilers", and in the season five episode, "The Heartbreaker",
where she played Mary Ellen's sister-in-law Vanessa, and sang a couple
songs in this episode. In 1981 she starred in Manions of America. In 1985,
she appeared in Murder, She Wrote - episode entitled "Murder at the Oasis".
In the first season of Matlock, she played Charlene, Ben Matlock's lawyer
daughter. More recently Purl appeared in the role
of Pam Beesly's mother on NBC's The Office, starting with the season six
episode "Niagara." In May 2010, Purl made a guest appearance on Desperate
Housewives. In 2011, Purl made guest appearances on Showtime's Homeland,
playing Elizabeth Gaines. She played Barbara Pelt, mother of Debbie Pelt, in
two episodes of HBO's True Blood in 2012.
= Theatre= Purl has been a regular performer of the
international touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners. In November
2007, she appeared at the Théâtre Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, directed
by Marc Sinden, as part of his British Theatre Season, Monaco.
In 2008, Linda Purl opened at the Cleveland Play House in Cleveland, Ohio
in the production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, playing Amanda.
Music Purl launched a jazz music career after
leaving Matlock and has released several albums of music, most recently Out of
This World – LIVE. Personal life
Purl has been married four times: in 1980 to Desi Arnaz, Jr.; in 1988 to
William Broyles Jr.; in 1993 to Alexander Cary and to James Vinson Adams
in 2006. Partial filmography
1974: Hawaii Five O; episode: "The Hostage" as Ruthie
1975: Happy Days; a recurring role as Gloria, Richie's girlfriend
1977: The Waltons; season 5 episode: "Heartbreaker"
1982: Happy Days; season 10 as Ashley Pfister
1985: Murder, She Wrote; episode: "Murder At The Oasis" as Terry Shannon
1986–87: Matlock; season 1 episodes as Charlene Matlock
1986: The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible; "Samson And Delilah" as
Delilah 1988: Murder, She Wrote; episode:
"Mourning the Wisterias" as Crystal Wendle
1993: Murder, She Wrote; episode: "Dead Eye" as Laura Callan
1998: Walker Texas Ranger; episode: "Crusader" as Barbara Conway
1998: Mighty Joe Young as Dr. Ruth Young 2002: Fear of the Dark
See also List of Matlock characters
References External links
Official website Linda Purl at the Internet Movie
Database