Linda Thorson
Encyclopedia
Linda Thorson is a Canadian actress, most famous for her work as Tara King in The Avengers
.
on 1 July 1967. Her professional name is based upon her first married name, Mrs Barry Bergthorson.
She was married to the American news anchorman and producer Bill Boggs
with whom she has a son; they divorced. She has been married to production designer Gavin Mitchell since 20 November 2005.
(succeeding Diana Rigg
as Emma Peel) in the last season of the British TV adventure series, The Avengers
, with the original star Patrick Macnee
and directed by Raymond Austin. She was reunited with Macnee in a commercial for Laurent-Perrier
champagne in the mid 1970s which led to the series reappearing as The New Avengers, although Thorson did not reprise her role.
Since then, she appeared in character roles in many TV series and films, including Thriller
, Return of the Saint
, The Greek Tycoon (1978), Sweet Liberty (1986), and Marblehead Manor
(1987). She appeared from 1989 to 1992 in the daytime drama One Life to Live
as Julia Medina. She also appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation
, playing a Cardassian
starship captain in the 6th season episode 'The Chase' (1993).
Thorson has performed in over fifty dramatic and musical stage productions, including five appearances on Broadway
. She appeared in the theatre in 1971, starring alongside Michael Crawford
and Anthony Valentine in the London West End hit show No Sex Please, We're British
and later appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream
as Titania at the Open Air Theatre, Regents Park, London. In 2002, she portrayed a Supreme Court Justice in the movie Half Past Dead
with Steven Seagal
and Ja Rule
.
Throughout 2006-07, Thorson played the villainous Rosemary King
in the ITV series, Emmerdale
, and most recently played Hester Salomon in a UK tour of Equus
. In the summer of 2008, she appeared at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
in the Lerner & Loewe musical, Gigi
.
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
.
Personal life
Born Linda Robinson in Toronto, Ontario, Canada she moved to the UK in 1965 to train to be a dancer. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic ArtRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is a drama school located in London, United Kingdom. It is generally regarded as one of the most renowned drama schools in the world, and is one of the oldest drama schools in the United Kingdom, having been founded in 1904.RADA is an affiliate school of the...
on 1 July 1967. Her professional name is based upon her first married name, Mrs Barry Bergthorson.
She was married to the American news anchorman and producer Bill Boggs
Bill Boggs
William "Bill" Boggs III is an Emmy Award–winning American television presenter and journalist.Boggs was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...
with whom she has a son; they divorced. She has been married to production designer Gavin Mitchell since 20 November 2005.
Acting roles
Thorson is best known for her role as Tara KingTara King
Tara King is a fictional character of British 1960s adventure television series The Avengers, played by canadian actress Linda Thorson. Sixth partner of agent John Steed , she appeared in season 6 of the series , playing 33 episodes. She is Emma Peel successor...
(succeeding Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
as Emma Peel) in the last season of the British TV adventure series, The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, with the original star Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee
Patrick Macnee is an English actor, best known for his role as the secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers.-Early life:...
and directed by Raymond Austin. She was reunited with Macnee in a commercial for Laurent-Perrier
Laurent-Perrier
Laurent-Perrier is a Champagne house founded in 1812 and is the main company of the Laurent-Perrier Group, whose other flagship brands include the houses of Salon, De Castellane and Delamotte. Laurent-Perrier Group also acquired Chateau Malakoff as of 2004...
champagne in the mid 1970s which led to the series reappearing as The New Avengers, although Thorson did not reprise her role.
Since then, she appeared in character roles in many TV series and films, including Thriller
Thriller (UK TV series)
Thriller is a British television series, originally broadcast in the UK from 1973 to 1976. It is an anthology series: each episode has a self-contained story and its own cast...
, Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint was a British action-adventure television series that aired for one season in 1978 and 1979 in Britain on ITV, and was also broadcast on CBS in the United States...
, The Greek Tycoon (1978), Sweet Liberty (1986), and Marblehead Manor
Marblehead Manor
Marblehead Manor was an American television sitcom that originally ran from 1987 to 1988 in first run syndication. It starred British comic actor Paxton Whitehead, American actor Phil Morris, Canadian actress Linda Thorson, American actor and screenwriter Bob Fraser and Michael Richards...
(1987). She appeared from 1989 to 1992 in the daytime drama One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
as Julia Medina. She also appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, playing a Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
starship captain in the 6th season episode 'The Chase' (1993).
Thorson has performed in over fifty dramatic and musical stage productions, including five appearances on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. She appeared in the theatre in 1971, starring alongside Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
and Anthony Valentine in the London West End hit show No Sex Please, We're British
No Sex Please, We're British
No Sex Please, We're British is a British comedic play written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, first staged in London's West End in 1971. It was unanimously panned by critics, but still ran for nearly a decade to packed audiences...
and later appeared in A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
as Titania at the Open Air Theatre, Regents Park, London. In 2002, she portrayed a Supreme Court Justice in the movie Half Past Dead
Half Past Dead
Half Past Dead is a 2002 action movie in which a criminal infiltrates a prison to interrogate a prisoner about the location of a fortune in gold while an undercover FBI agent has to stop him. The film stars Steven Seagal, Morris Chestnut, Ja Rule, Nia Peeples, Kurupt, and Claudia Christian...
with Steven Seagal
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
and Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
.
Throughout 2006-07, Thorson played the villainous Rosemary King
Rosemary King
Rosemary Venitia King is a fictional character in the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale. She was played by Linda Thorson. She made her last appearance on the show on 13 September 2007-Character's background:...
in the ITV series, Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
, and most recently played Hester Salomon in a UK tour of Equus
Equus (play)
Equus is a play by Peter Shaffer written in 1973, telling the story of a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a young man who has a pathological religious fascination with horses....
. In the summer of 2008, she appeared at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
Regent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
in the Lerner & Loewe musical, Gigi
Gigi
Gigi is a 1944 novella by French writer Colette. The plot focuses on a young Parisian girl being groomed for a career as a courtesan and her relationship with the wealthy cultured man named Gaston who falls in love with her and eventually marries her....
.