Linda Evans

Linda Evans is an American actress best known for her television roles, especially Audra Barkley on *The Big Valley* and Krystle Carrington on *Dynasty*.

Linda Evans is an American actress best known for her television roles, especially Audra Barkley on *The Big Valley* and Krystle Carrington on *Dynasty*. Born Linda Evenstad in Hartford, Connecticut, she became one of U.S. television’s best-known performers during the 1960s through the 1980s. Her career spanned several decades, with a notable return to acting in 2020.

Early life and background

Linda Evans was born Linda Evenstad in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1942. She later pursued acting and began appearing in television work in the 1960s.

Breakthrough on television

Evans gained wide recognition as Audra Barkley on *The Big Valley*, a Western series that aired from 1965 to 1969. The role helped establish her as a familiar television star.

Dynasty

Her best-known role was Krystle Carrington on the ABC prime-time soap opera *Dynasty*, which she played from 1981 to 1989. The series made her one of the most recognizable television actresses of the decade.

Later career

After *Dynasty*, Evans appeared less frequently in acting roles, though she remained active in public life and returned for selected projects. Sources also note later activity extending beyond her main television career.