When the actress Linda Gray, a native Californian, was cast as Sue Ellen Ewing in the late ’70s, her character was a bit part on what was supposed to be a five-episode miniseries. But Dallas exploded, becoming one of the most popular and iconic shows in the world. Gray became famous, Sue Ellen—the well-coifed, long-suffering, and perpetually drunk wife of Larry Hagman’s devilish J.R.—became notorious, and the Ewings and their home on Southfork Ranch became synonymous with the city.
Gray’s memoir, The Road to Happiness, released this month to coincide with her 75th birthday, reveals details about her first and only marriage, her sister’s death from cancer at age 43, and the sexism she faced on the Dallas set. We chatted with Gray about her lasting friendship with her co-stars, the joy of returning to Dallas in 2012, and when it’s time to put a beloved character away.
