Linda Thorson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Thorson
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Thorson with Patrick Macnee in a promotional photograph from The Avengers
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| Born |
Linda Robinson
June 18, 1947 |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Known for | Tara King in The Avengers |
| Spouse(s) |
Barry Bergthorson
(m. 1964; div. 1970)Cyril Jeffrey Smith Jr.
(m. 1979; div. 1981)Bill Boggs
(m. 1984; div. 2003)Gavin Mitchell
(m. 2005; div. 2011) |
Linda Thorson (born Linda Robinson on June 18, 1947) is a Canadian actress. She is most famous for playing the secret agent Tara King in the popular British TV show The Avengers from 1968 to 1969.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Linda was born in Toronto, Canada. As a teenager, she moved to the United Kingdom in 1965 to study acting. She attended the famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. She graduated with honors in 1967.
When she started her career, she took the professional name Thorson. This came from the last part of her first husband's last name, Bergthorson.
Acting Career
Linda Thorson has had a long career in television, movies, and on stage. She has played many different characters over the years.
The Avengers
Thorson's big break came when she was chosen to star in the final season of The Avengers. This was a very popular adventure show about secret agents in the 1960s. She played Tara King, a smart and skilled spy.
She replaced actress Diana Rigg, who had played the character Emma Peel. Thorson starred alongside Patrick Macnee, who played the main character, John Steed. As Tara King, she became a well-known face to television audiences.
Later Roles on Screen and Stage
After The Avengers, Thorson continued to act in many TV shows and movies. She appeared in the British TV series Thriller and Return of the Saint. She also had roles in movies like The Greek Tycoon and the horror film Curtains.
In the 1990s, she appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She played Gul Ocett, a commander of a Cardassian starship, in the episode "The Chase". From 1998 to 2000, she was a main character in the Canadian TV series Emily of New Moon.
More recently, she played the villain Rosemary King in the British soap opera Emmerdale from 2006 to 2007. She also had a recurring role as Gloria Estabrook in the TV series The Hardy Boys from 2020 to 2023.
Thorson is also a talented stage actress. She has performed in plays on Broadway in New York City and in London's West End. Some of her stage work includes the hit comedy ... Please, We're British and William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Personal Life
Linda Thorson was married to news anchorman and producer Bill Boggs, and they have one son together.
An interesting fact about Thorson is that she is bi-dialectal. This means she can switch between two accents. She uses her natural Canadian accent when in North America and a British accent (Received Pronunciation) when in the United Kingdom.
Selected Roles
Here are some of Linda Thorson's most well-known roles in movies and television:
- The Avengers (1968–69) as Tara King
- Valentino (1977) as Billie Streeter
- Curtains (1983) as Brooke Parsons
- One Life to Live (1989–92) as Julia Medina
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (1993) as Gul Ocett
- Emily of New Moon (1998–99) as Isabel Murray
- Half Past Dead (2002) as Judge Jane McPherson
- Emmerdale (2006–07) as Rosemary King
- Schitt's Creek (2019) as Gloria Gregson
- The Hardy Boys (2020–23) as Gloria Estabrook
