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Linda Purl

Linda Purl

Highest Rated: 92% Crazy Mama (1975)

Lowest Rated: 14% Visiting Hours (1982)

Birthday: Sep 2, 1955

Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut, USA

Bringing an undeniable worldliness to many of her roles, Linda Purl's unique upbringing offered her an invaluable asset in her career as a performer. Born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1955, Purl's family moved to Japan when she was only five. Raised there until the age of fifteen, Purl performed in several plays at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo during her youth, including "The King and I," "Oliver!" and "The Miracle Worker." After returning to the U.S. to attend Wykeham Rise School, a private boarding school for the performing arts, she studied at Finch College and later at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Purl had already broken into professional acting by this time, having appeared in a number of projects such as "The Walking Major" (1970), a joint Japanese-American production also released under the title "Aru Heishi no kake." She would land her big break in American movies with a role in Jonathan Demme's "Crazy Mama" (1975), soon going on to appear in the cult hit slasher "Visiting Hours" (1982). Purl took on the role of Charlene, daughter of the title character on the legal drama "Matlock" (NBC, 1986-1995) for the show's first season, and found further success in the legal genre co-starring on "Robin's Hoods" (USA, 1994-95). Purl turned her attention to the Broadway stage in 1998, starring in the original cast of "Getting and Spending," and later in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." She would continue to appear in film and TV projects, notably guest starring on shows like "Cold Case" (CBS, 2003-2010) and "Homeland" (Showtime, 2011-). In 2018, Purl appeared on the medical drama "Code Black" (CBS, 2015-).

Highest rated movies

92% 39% Crazy Mama
67% 62% W.C. Fields and Me
67% 55% Bad Ronald
54% 41% Mighty Joe Young
14% 25% Visiting Hours

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 95% Paul's Promise Minnie Holderfield (Character) $140.4K 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Doomsday Mom: The Lori Vallow Story Unknown (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet 11% The Swing of Things Sherry Fairfax-Rothstein (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet 29% Bender Mrs. Thomas (Character) - 2016
No Score Yet 48% Stalked at 17 Lauren (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet 52% Maid of Honor Laci Collins (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Criminal Intent Kirsten Sorensen (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Stranger at the Door Kathleen Norris (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet 35% Frozen Impact Dr. Christy Blanchard (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 40% Fear of the Dark Sandy Bilings (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 11% The Perfect Tenant Jessica Michaels (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 62% Holy Joe Joan Wolrod (Character) - 1999
54% 41% Mighty Joe Young Dr. Ruth Young (Character) $50.6M 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Absolute Truth Jean Douglas (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 60% Born Free: A New Adventure Eleanor Porter (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Incident at Deception Ridge Helen Davis (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Accidental Meeting Maryanne Bellmann (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Natural Causes Jessie MacCarthy (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet 58% Secrets Jane Adams (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 33% Body Language Norma (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Under Cover Kate Del'Amico (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Before the Storm Unknown (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Spy Games Kate Del'Amico (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Web of Deceit Lauren Hale (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Addicted to His Love Cassie Robbins (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Viper Laura Macalla (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Spies, Lies and Naked Thighs Beverly (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet In Self Defense Susan Andrews (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock: The Court Martial Charlene Matlock (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet 67% Outrage! Arlene Robbins (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dark Mansions Shellane Victor (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Pleasures Eve Harper (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock: The Don Charlene Matlock (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Last Days of Pompeii Nydia (Character) - 1984
14% 25% Visiting Hours Sheila Munroe (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Money on the Side Annie Gilson (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Adventures of Nellie Bly Nellie Bly (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The High Country Kathy (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Leo and Loree Loree (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Flame Is Love Emmaline Nevada `'Vada'` Holtz (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Very Special Love Virginia Rae Hensler (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Women at West Point Jennifer Scott (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Like Normal People Virginia Rae Hensler (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Last Cry for Help Sharon Muir (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Ladies of the Night Hailey Atkins (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Black Market Baby Anne Macarino (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Dangerous Love Anne Macarino (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Us Against the World Kim (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Young Pioneers Molly Beaton (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Young Pioneers' Christmas Molly Beaton (Character) - 1976
67% 62% W.C. Fields and Me Ingenue (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet 100% Eleanor and Franklin Alice Roosevelt (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Having Babies Laura Gorman (Character) - 1976
92% 39% Crazy Mama Cheryl (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Oregon Trail Deborah Randal (Character) - 1975
67% 55% Bad Ronald Unknown (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jory Amy Barron (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Walking Major Rose Allen (Character) - 1970

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bold And The Beautiful, The Beginning Lucy (Guest Star) 2023
No Score Yet 82% Code Black Madeline (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet 100% The Oath Gwenn Hammond (Character) 2018
71% 53% Designated Survivor Julia Rombauer (Guest Star) 2017
38% 87% Reckless Unknown (Guest Star) 2014
No Score Yet 78% Major Crimes Unknown (Guest Star) 2014
81% 89% The Office Helene (Guest Star) 2009-2011 2013
85% 86% Homeland Elizabeth Gaines (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 86% Lie to Me Meredith Spencer (Guest Star) 2010
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
72% 88% Desperate Housewives Lillian Allen (Guest Star) 2010
90% 83% Bones Mrs. Diana Annenburg (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 95% Cold Case Unknown (Guest Star) 2005
21% No Score Yet First Monday Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Walker, Texas Ranger Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
20% No Score Yet Crisis Center Lynn Maxfield (Guest Star) 1997
43% No Score Yet Burke's Law Kelly Harris (Guest Star) 1994
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Terry Shannon (Guest Star) 1985 1988 1993
100% No Score Yet Under Cover Kate Del'Amica (Character) 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Matlock Charlene Matlock (Character) 1986-1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alfred Hitchcock Presents Unknown (Character) 1985
18% No Score Yet The Last Days of Pompeii Unknown (Character) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Happy Days Ashley Pfister (Guest Star) 1974 1982-1983
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Manions of America Unknown (Character) 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Waltons Unknown (Guest Star) 1974 1977