Kathleen Turner, Linda Purl, Richard Thomas

 

Tom Wopat, Linda Purl (Feinstein’s at the Regency)

 

Linda Purl recorded this video on her cell phone and has oodles of Purls of wisdom for her fans. You’ll get a chuckle – much needed right now.

You’ve had the great pleasure of seeing this artist in New York City clubs (Feinstein’s/54 Below & Feinstein’s at the Regency. Born to into a theatrical family, she spent her childhood in Japan, becoming the only foreigner to train at the Toho Geino Academy, returning to NY in her teens to land a role on TV’s The Secret Storm. She’s had many roles in theater and in film.

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 (1974) and Fonzie’s steady girlfriend Ashley eight seasons later (1982–1983).

After an absence from television for almost three decades, 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 who assists in appointing nominees to the Supreme Court in the episode “The Ninth Seat”.

New CD with Music Director Tedd Firth, Taking a Chance on Love, due out mid May.

Photos: Magda Katz