Linda Purl (born September 2, 1955) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Ashley Pfister (Fonzie's girlfriend) on the comedy series Happy Days; Sheila Munroe in the 1982 horror film Visiting Hours; Pam Beesly's mother Helene in The Office; and Ben Matlock's daughter Charlene Matlock for the first season of the television series Matlock.
Early life Purl was born on September 2, 1955, in Greenwich, Connecticut, to chemical-industry executive Raymond Charles Arthur Purl and Marshelline "Marshie" Purl.Marshelline Patton Purl Obituary She has a sister, Mara. The girls' grandmother, Beatrice Saville, was a founder of the Actors' Equity Association."Introducing Linda Purl (Doreen Post on The Secret Storm)", Daytime TV, November 1973 At age five, Purl moved with her family to Japan, where her father worked for Nippon Unicar. She spent her childhood there, and trained in acting 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 Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker. Furthermore, she was discovered by Toho and appeared in several films.
At age 15, Purl returned to the United States.
Acting career Film After playing a small role in Jory (1973), Purl's first major movie role was in Jonathan Demme's 1975 comedy, Crazy Mama. Her subsequent movie appearances have included W.C. Fields and Me (1976), Young Pioneers' Christmas (1976), Leo and Loree (1980), Visiting Hours (1982), The High Country (1984), Viper (1988), Natural Causes (1994), Mighty Joe Young (1998), The Perfect Tenant (2000), and Fear of the Dark (2003).
Television Linda Purl has played several roles in television series, starting with The Secret Storm – a daytime "soap opera" drama (1973–1974). 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. Also in 1979, she starred in Women at West Point. On Happy Days, she played two different roles: Richie's occasional girlfriend Gloria in season two of the show (1974) and Fonzie's steady girlfriend Ashley eight seasons later (1982–1983). She also played secret agent Kate Del'Amico in the short-lived series Under Cover and played Brett Robin in the 1994–1995 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.
Purl appeared in the historical-biographical TV mini-series Eleanor and Franklin, in 1976, broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network. She portrayed Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Purl guest-starred in a 1975 episode of Hawaii Five-O, "The Hostage", as teenaged babysitter Ruth held captive by a mentally ill veteran. She played two different roles on The Waltons; early in its run, in 1974, she played sophisticate Alicia in the season three-episode, "The Spoilers". In the season-five episode, "The Heartbreaker" (1977), she played Mary Ellen's sister-in-law (and Jason's love interest) Vanessa and also sang. In 1981, she starred in Manions of America. In 1984, she played Nydia, the blind flower girl in the miniseries "The Last Days of Pompeii". In 1985, she appeared in a Murder, She Wrote episode entitled "Murder at the Oasis". In 1988, she again made an appearance on Murder, She Wrote in the episode "Mourning Among the Wisterias" and in 1993, appeared for a third time on the series in "Dead Eye".
In 1986, Purl played Eve Harper, the love interest of rock star Niles Perry, played by Rick Moses, in the TV movie Pleasures.
In the first season of Matlock (1986–1987) starring Andy Griffith, Purl played Charlene, Ben Matlock's lawyer daughter. She was cast in the series First Monday (2002) as Sarah Novelli, a real estate agent and Justice Joseph Novelli's wife.
Purl appeared in the role of Pam Beesly's mother on NBC's The Office TV series, starting with the season-six episode "Niagara" in 2009–2010. Purl appeared in several more episodes throughout the series and was a romantic interest for Steve Carell's character. In May 2010, she 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. In 2017, Purl appeared in one episode of Designated Survivor, playing an old college supervisor of President Kirkman's, who assists in appointing nominees to the Supreme Court in the episode "The Ninth Seat".
She currently plays a recurring character alongside her current boyfriend Patrick Duffy on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Theatre Purl has been a regular performer (and was in the original cast) of 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 Sinden's British Theatre Season, Monaco.
In 2008, Purl opened at the Cleveland Play House in Cleveland, Ohio, in a 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, including Out of This World – Live.
She released her fourth full-length album, a collaboration with music director Tedd Firth called This Could Be the Start on Reaching Records, August 2023. Purl is a jazz vocalist, known for imbuing classic show tunes and jazz standards with a distinctive narrative expressiveness.
Personal life Purl has been married and divorced four times. Her first marriage was January 13, 1979, to Desi Arnaz Jr., son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. On January 3, 1980, Purl filed for divorce, which was finalized later that year. On November 5, 1988, she married screenwriter William Broyles Jr., whom she later divorced. On July 23, 1993, Purl married British screenwriter and producer Alexander Cary, Master of Falkland, with whom she has a son. They later divorced. On July 15, 2006, she married James Vinson Adams whom she divorced in 2011.
Since 2020, she has been in a relationship with Patrick Duffy.Laudadio, Marisa (January 30, 2022)
Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes1970Aru heishe no kakeRose Allen1973JoryAmy Barron1975Crazy MamaCheryl Stokes1980Leo and LoreeLoree1981Kathy1982Visiting HoursSheila Munroe1988ViperLaura Macalla1992Body LanguageNorma Suffield1994 Natural CausesJessie MacCarthy1996Born Free: A New AdventureEleanor Porter1998Mighty Joe YoungDr. Ruth Young2000Jessica Michaels2003Fear of the DarkSandy Billings2016BenderMrs. Thomas2020Sherry Fairfax-Rothstein2020Broken HalosBlondie
Television Year Film Role Notes1973–74Doreen PostTV series1974Lucas TannerDiane"Thirteen Going on Twenty"1974Sons and DaughtersJulie Ashley"The Pregnancy"1974Happy DaysGloriaGuest role (season 2)1974Alicia Hanover"The Spoilers"1975Hawaii Five-ORuth"The Hostage"1975Medical CenterLeslie"Street Girl"1975Beacon HillBetsy BullockMain role1975Medical StoryKim"Us Against the World"1976Deborah Randal"Pilot"1976Young PioneersMolly BeatonTV film1976State FairBobbie Jean ShawTV film1976Julie Farr, M.D.Laura GormanTV film1976Young Pioneers' ChristmasMolly BeatonTV film1976Eleanor and FranklinAlice Roosevelt (age 14-20)"1.1", "1.2"1977SerpicoMagda"Sanctuary"1977Little Ladies of the NightHailey AtkinsTV film1977Vanessa"The Heartbreaker"1977Testimony of Two MenMavis EatonTV miniseries1977Black Market BabyAnne MacarinoTV film1978Molly BeatonTV miniseries1979Sharon MuirTV film1979Women at West PointJennifer ScottTV film1979Like Normal PeopleVirginia Rae HenslerTV film1979Emmaline Nevada 'Vada' HoltzTV film1980Brenda FarrellTV film1981Nellie BlyTV film1981Deirdre O'ManionTV miniseries1982Money on the SideAnnie GilsonTV film1982–83Happy DaysAshley PfisterMain role (season 10)1984NydiaTV miniseries1985Anne Lester2 episodes1985Midas ValleySarah CoreyTV film1985Alfred Hitchcock PresentsLisa Tate"Revenge"1985The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the BibleDelilah"Samson and Delilah"1985Murder, She WroteTerry Shannon"Murder at the Oasis"1986Outrage!Arlene RobbinsTV film1986PleasuresEve HarperTV film1986Dark MansionsShellane VictorTV film1986–87MatlockCharlene MatlockMain role (season 1)1987In Self DefenseSusan AndrewsTV film1987CBS Summer PlayhouseJudith"Day to Day"1988Addicted to His LoveCassie RobbinsTV film1988Murder, She WroteCrystal Wendle"Mourning Among the Wisterias"1988Spies, Lies & Naked ThighsBeverlyTV film1989Trying TimesLaura"The Sad Professor"1990Timeless Tales from HallmarkRapunzel (voice)"Rapunzel"1990Web of DeceitLauren HaleTV film1991Under CoverKate Del'AmicoMain role1992SecretsJane AdamsTV film1992Jack's PlaceNicolette"I See Cupid, I See France"1993Murder, She WroteLaura Callan"Dead Eye"1993The Hidden RoomKate Richards"Her Life as a Dog"1994Accidental MeetingMaryanne BellmannTV film1994Burke's LawKelly Harris"Who Killed the Legal Eagle?"1994Incident at Deception RidgeHelen DavisTV film1994–95Robin's HoodsBrett RobinMain role1996Born Free: A New AdventureEleanor PorterTV film1997Crisis CenterLynn Maxfield"It's a Family Affair"1997The Absolute TruthJean DouglasTV film1998Walker, Texas RangerBarbara Conway"Crusader"1998Touched by an AngelSally"Flights of Angels"1999Holy JoeJoan WolrodTV film2000Port CharlesClaire WrightGuest role2002First MondaySarah NovelliMain role2003Frozen ImpactDr. Christy BlanchardTV film2003Crossing JordanJoan"Conspiracy"2004Stranger at the DoorKathleen NorrisTV film2005Cold CaseDiane Moore"Schadenfreude"2005Criminal IntentKirsten SorensenTV film2006Maid of HonorLaci CollinsTV film2009BonesMrs. Diana Annenberg"The Doctor in the Den"2009–2011Helene BeeslyRecurring role (seasons 6–7)2010Desperate HousewivesLillian Allen"A Little Night Music"2010Criminal MindsColleen Everson"Our Darkest Hour"2010Lie to MeMeredith Spencer"In the Red"2011HomelandElizabeth Gaines"Semper I", "Achilles Heel", "Marine One"2012True BloodBarbara Pelt"Whatever I Am, You Made Me", "We'll Meet Again"2012Stalked at 17LaurenTV film2014Major CrimesDoris"Flight Risk"2014RecklessBarbara Fortnum"Blind Sides", "Deep Waters", "51%", "And So It Begins"2017Designated SurvivorJulia Rombauer"The Ninth Seat"2018Gwenn HammondRecurring role2018Code BlackMadeline Mandel"Change of Heart"2021HacksKathy"1.69 Million"2022General HospitalPeyton Honeycuttfrom Sept.15 to Oct. 172022The Bold and the BeautifulLucy
Theatre