Linda Purl is an American actress and singer, known for her roles as Ashley Pfister on Happy Days, Sheila Munroe in the 1982 horror film Visiting Hours, Pam Beesly’s mother Helene in The Office, and Ben Matlock’s daughter Charlene Matlock for the first season of the television series Matlock.
Linda Purl has played several roles in television series, starting with The Secret Storm – a daytime “soap opera” drama (1973–1974).
In 1978, she appeared as newlywed Molly Beaton in the ABC western drama series The Young Pioneers, set in the Dakota Territory of the 1870s and based on the novels of Rose Wilder Lane.
Purl has been a regular performer (and was in the original cast) of the international touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners. In November 2007, she appeared at the Théâtre Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, directed by Marc Sinden, as part of Sinden’s British Theatre Season, Monaco.
In 2008, Purl opened at the Cleveland Play House in Cleveland, Ohio in a production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, playing Amanda. Purl launched a jazz music career after leaving Matlock and has released several albums of music, including Out of This World – Live.
What is Linda Purl most famous for?
Linda Purl is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for portraying Charlene Matlock on Matlock.
Charlene is Ben’s daughter and is also a lawyer. She assists her father at his law practice in Atlanta for a short time, appearing only in the first season of the series.
Purl replaced Lori Lethin, who appeared as Charlene in the pilot “Diary of a Perfect Murder”. It’s explained later in Season 1 that Charlene moved to Philadelphia and started her own firm there.
Purl has been a regular performer (and was in the original cast) of the international touring play Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners. In November 2007, she appeared at the Théâtre Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo, directed by Marc Sinden, as part of Sinden’s British Theatre Season, Monaco.
In 2008, Purl opened at the Cleveland Play House in Cleveland, Ohio in a production of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, playing Amanda.
Purl launched a jazz music career after leaving Matlock and has released several albums of music, including Out of This World – Live.