A Career of Reinvention and Personal Resilience

After Dallas concluded its original run, Linda Gray continued to build a diverse and enduring career across television, film, and theater. Rather than distancing herself from her signature role, she embraced opportunities that allowed her to evolve creatively while remaining a recognizable presence to audiences. She appeared in popular series including Melrose Place, Models Inc., and The Bold and the Beautiful, demonstrating her ability to adapt to changing television landscapes.

Gray also found critical success on stage. One of her most notable theatrical roles came when she portrayed Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate on London’s West End. The performance carried personal significance, marking a full-circle moment given her early, behind-the-scenes connection to the original film decades earlier. Her stage work was widely praised for its confidence and emotional range.

In addition to acting, Gray took on responsibilities behind the camera. She directed episodes of Dallas, becoming one of the relatively few women at the time to direct in primetime television. Her work contributed to a broader shift toward greater female representation in television production roles during that era.

Gray’s personal life reflected both long-term stability and profound loss. She was married to art director Ed Thrasher for more than 20 years, and together they had two children. Their marriage ended in the 1980s, but Gray remained closely connected to her family. Her son, Jeff Thrasher, built a successful career as a director and producer before his death in 2020. Gray later described his passing as “the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.”

In 2015, she shared her life story in a memoir titled The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction. The book offered reflections on aging, reinvention, career setbacks, and personal growth, reinforcing her public image as a woman shaped by resilience rather than circumstance.

Today, Linda Gray is remembered not only for Sue Ellen Ewing but for a career defined by reinvention, grace, and enduring strength across decades in entertainment.