Joan Van Ark

Joan Van Ark, born Joan Martha Van Ark on June 16, 1943, in New York City, is an American actress best known for her role as Valene Ewing on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing. She grew up in Boulder, Colorado, with three siblings, and her parents were both writers. Her father was also an advertiser and public relations consultant. 

Herinterest in acting began during her high school years, and she attended the Yale School of Drama on a scholarship, becoming the second youngest student to ever attend the school. She made her Broadway debut in 1966 in Barefoot in the Park and went on to earn a Theatre World Award and a Tony nomination for her performance in the revival of The School for Wives.

Her career took off when she landed the role of Valene Ewing on the CBS series Dallas in 1978, which later led to her starring role on Knots Landing from 1979 to 1992. For her performance on Knots Landing, she won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Actress in 1986 and 1989.

She also appeared in several off-Broadway productions and starred in TV comedies like The New Temperatures Rising Show and We've Got Each Other.

Joan Van Ark reprised her role of Valene in an episode of the new Dallas series in 2013 and starred in the soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2004 to 2005. In her personal life, Joan Van Ark has been married to John Marshall since 1966, and they have one daughter, Vanessa Marshall.