Kim Lankford
| Kim Lankford | |
|---|---|
 Lankford with James Houghton in Knots Landing (1979) | |
| Born |
Kim Lankford June 14, 1955 Montebello, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1976–2000 |
Kim Lankford (born June 14, 1955) is an American actress and businesswoman. best known for her role as Ginger Ward on Knots Landing from 1979 to 1983.
Life and career
Lankford was born in Montebello, California.[1] She made her screen debut in 1976 movie Harry and Walter Go to New York, and later began television career appearing in episodes of sitcoms such as Happy Days. In 1978, she was cast as female lead opposite Joe Namath in the short-lived NBC sitcom The Waverly Wonders. Later that year, she played the leading role in the teen comedy film Malibu Beach.
In 1979, Lankford was cast as Ginger Ward, one of original lead characters, in the CBS prime time soap opera Knots Landing. She starred on show during first four season, before leaving in 1983. In 1980, she also had role opposite Chuck Norris in the action film The Octagon, and the following years co-starred with Don Meredith in thriller Terror Among Us. After leaving Knots Landing, she guest-starred on Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Cheers. In 1988, she had supporting role in the horror film Cameron's Closet, and was regular cast member in the ABC detective drama Murphy's Law.[2]
Lankford spend 1990s playing guest starring roles on television series such as In the Heat of the Night, Chicago Hope and Diagnosis: Murder, and well as appearing in films Missing Pieces (1992) and Night of the Running Man (1995). In 1996, Lankford was co-presenter on a cult public-access television cable TV series, "The Count Smokula Show". She reprised her Knots Landing character in Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac in 1997. After retirement from acting, Lankford created own horse business in Colorado called Kim Lankford's Living Horsemanship.[3]
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Lankford lived with, and was romantically involved with, Warren Zevon.[4] Lankford was close friend with Susan Berman.[5] Berman dated Robert Durst, who murdered her in 2000.[6] In 2015, Lankford has appeared in HBO documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.[7]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Harry and Walter Go to New York | Young Girl | |
| 1978 | Malibu Beach | Dina | |
| 1980 | The Octagon | Nancy | |
| 1981 | Terror Among Us | Vickie Stevens | |
| 1988 | Cameron's Closet | Dory Lansing | |
| 1992 | Missing Pieces | Sally | |
| 1995 | Night of the Running Man | Waitress | |
| 1996 | Street Corner Justice | Jenny Connor | |
| 1996 | For Goodness Sake II | Short film | |
| 1997 | Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story | Television film | |
| 1998 | Mixed Blessings | ||
| 2015 | Dead of Winter: The Donner Party | Tamsen Donner | Television film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Police Woman | Kate | Episodes: "Task Force: Cop Killer: Part 1" and "Task Force: Cop Killer: Part 2" |
| 1977 | Happy Days | Sheena | Episode: "A Shot in the Dark" |
| 1977 | Busting Loose | Sharon | Episodes: "The Decision: Part 1" and "The Decision: Part 2" |
| 1978 | The Waverly Wonders | Connie Rafkin | Series regular, 9 episodes |
| 1978 | Man from Atlantis | Episode: "The Siren" | |
| 1978 | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | Alice Smith | Episode: "Campus Terror" |
| 1979-1983 | Knots Landing | Ginger Ward | Series regular, 75 episodes |
| 1982, 84 | Fantasy Island | Fancy Summerfield / Sandy | Episodes: "Roller Derby Dolls/Thanks a Million" and "Lady's Choice/Skin Deep" |
| 1984 | Finder of Lost Loves | Jeanine Prescott | Episode: "White Lies" |
| 1984 | Cheers | Maxine | Episode: "Sam Turns the Other Cheek" |
| 1978-1984 | The Love Boat | Carol Kelsey / Deanna Ellis / Anne Parker | 3 episodes |
| 1985 | The Hitchhiker | Rae Bridgeman | Episode: "A Time for Rifles" |
| 1987 | Hunter | Charlene Lindquist | Episode: "The Cradle Will Rock" |
| 1988 | Jake and the Fatman | Cynthia Covington | Episode: "Rhapsody in Blue" |
| 1988-1989 | Murphy's Law | Marissa Danforth | Series regular, 12 episodes |
| 1990 | Dream On | Hannah Stone | Episode: "Premarital Ex" |
| 1991 | Paradise | Beckie | Episode: "A Bullet Through the Heart" |
| 1991 | In the Heat of the Night | Tamara Pollard | Episode: "Liar's Poker" |
| 1991 | Silk Stalkings | Muriel Hayes | Episode: "Hardcopy" |
| 1992 | Bodies of Evidence | Pam Charles | Episode: "The Cold Light of Day" |
| 1996 | Land's End | Jenny's Mother | Episode: "Jenny" |
| 1997 | Chicago Hope | Leslie Bowman | Episode: "Leggo My Ego" |
| 1997 | Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac | Ginger Ward | Miniseries |
| 1995, 1997 | Diagnosis: Murder | Chelsea Drew / Lois Claire | Episodes: "Death in the Daytime" and "A Mime Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" |
| 2000 | Martial Law | Dr. Geller | Episodes: "Final Conflict: Part 1" and "Final Conflict: Part 2" |
| 2015 | The Jinx | Herself | Miniseries |
References
- ↑ "Kim Lankford - Biography - Movies & TV". NYTimes.com. 1955-06-14. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
- ↑ "Kim Lankford Credits". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
- ↑ "Kim Lankford's Living Horsemanship". Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ↑ Crystal Zevon, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. HarperCollins, 2007, pp. 170, 173-174.
- ↑ "Who Killed the Gangster's Daughter?". NYMag.com. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ↑ "Robert Durst Reportedly Dated Actress Kim Lankford From 'Knots Landing' and 'Love Boat'". Inside Edition. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
- ↑ DeAnna Janes (15 January 2015). "How The Jinx's Robert Durst Got Away with Murder Again and Again". The Lineup. Retrieved 13 March 2016.