80s actress who starred in two iconic TV series is unrecognizable alongside famous husband of 58 years

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People who loved classic 80s soap operas were excited Tuesday to see one of the decade’s most beautiful actresses out and about in Los Angeles.

The actress, 82, is well-known for her roles on the TV shows Dallas and Knots Landing. She looked stylish and relaxed while out shopping with her husband, whom she’s been married to for almost 60 years.

The celebrated actress began her Broadway career in 1966 with the play *Barefoot in the Park*, and that same year, she married her high school love, John Marshall, a well-known and honored television journalist.

Looking much more casual in a white shirt and black leggings, the Colorado resident seemed a world away from her glamorous appearances with her former “Dallas” co-stars Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray, and Patrick Duffy.

As a style enthusiast, I immediately noticed her iconic platinum blonde hair – it’s the very same look she first became known for back in 1978 when she played Valene Ewing on Dallas! That’s the Valene who was Lucy Ewing’s mom and, of course, Gary Ewing’s ex-wife. It’s a classic look that really hasn’t aged a day!

Can you guess which reclusive soap star she is?

If you said Joan Van Ark, you’re right!

The popular actress has worked consistently in television and film for over fifty years. Some of her early, well-known roles were in films like Frogs (1972), The Last Dinosaur (1977), My First Love (1988), Shakedown on Sunset Strip (1988), and Tainted Blood (1993), and she’s appeared in countless other projects.

She became famous for playing Valene Ewing, a role she originated on the TV show *Dallas* in 1978 and continued when the show *Knots Landing* spun off the following year.

For over 14 years, Joan Van Ark played Valene on *Knots Landing*, appearing in 327 episodes. Her character’s dramatic life included three marriages, most notably to Gary Ewing, played by Ted Shackelford.

She stopped appearing on the show regularly in 1992, but made guest appearances in its last two episodes in 1993. She also returned for the 1997 miniseries *Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac* and even played the character again in a 2013 episode of the *Dallas* reboot.

As a longtime fan, I’ll never forget when Van Ark talked about one of her most impactful scenes on Knots Landing – the heartbreaking story of her twins being kidnapped, and then thankfully, brought home. It was such a powerful moment, and she really brought it to life.

‘The only time Knots ever went to No. 1 was when Val got her twins back,’ she told Remind Magazine. 

I’ll always cherish those memories. Having Michele and Julie as part of the show was incredible. Julie was truly the love of my life, and it felt like a gift to have her join our Knots Landing family and play my mother. Knots Landing had a profound impact on me – it’s a part of who I am and an experience I’ll never forget. It was something truly special.

When asked how her character, Valene, reappeared in the series finale despite being thought to be dead, Joan explained:

I don’t quite recall the details, but while I was with the William Morris Agency, they contacted me unexpectedly and asked me to return for another episode of a show.

I felt it was important to be present at the end because Val and Gary were the original founders – they’re the ones who started everything when they first moved to the neighborhood.

It felt fitting to return, even though it was a little odd. I was back to direct a few episodes, and that felt like the right thing to do.

Van Ark started her career as an actress after graduating from Yale. She initially performed in theater, appearing in well-known plays such as *The Miser*, *Death of a Salesman*, and *Barefoot in the Park*. She was born in New York City but later moved to Boulder, Colorado.

After that, she relocated to Los Angeles and began acting in television. In 1972, she appeared alongside Bette Davis in the TV movies *The Judge* and *Jake Wyler*, and in 1973, she played a character named Erika on *MASH*.

Oh my gosh, if you grew up watching TV in the 70s and 80s, you *had* to have seen her! Seriously, she was *everywhere*! I mean, she was on *Bonanza*, *Night Gallery*, even *The Six Million Dollar Man*! And those shows… *Petrocelli*, *Quincy*, *Kojak*, *Barnaby Jones*, *Rhoda*, *Medical Center*… it’s like a list of all my childhood favorites! And she wasn’t just a one-off guest either – she was on *Cannon* and *The Rockford Files* *three times* each! It’s amazing, really. She was a total TV icon!

She also starred in the sitcoms Temperatures Rising (1972–73) and We’ve Got Each Other (1977–78).

Van Ark got together with her former Knots Landing castmates on several occasions, including the 2005 reunion show, ‘Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again’.

I was so excited to see her team up with Christopher Meloni – first on *Spin Doctors*, and then in *Boys Will Be Boys: The Ali Cooper Story* back in 1994. Both were great projects!

She first played the character Gloria Fisher Abbott on the TV show *The Young and the Restless* between 2004 and 2005. Earlier in her career, in 1978, she appeared with Shackelford in an episode of *Wonder Woman*.

After leaving Knots Landing, she appeared as a guest star on shows like The Nanny and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and later in 2001, she was on Son of the Beach.

In 2008, she reunited with Donna Mills in an episode of Nip/Tuck.

I’ve been so glad to see Van Ark still working steadily in Hollywood! I especially loved hearing her voice in shows like *Doom Patrol* from 2019 and *Curious George* more recently in 2021. It’s wonderful to see her continue to contribute her talent.

Her last on-screen appearance was in 2017, co-starring in the TV movie Psycho Wedding Crasher.

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2025-10-12 17:35