Kim Lankford

Kim Lankford
Lankford with Jim Houghton in Knots Landing (1979)
Born
Montebello, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, former actress
Years active1976–2000, 2015

Kim Lankford is an American businesswoman and retired actress, best known for her role as Ginger Ward on Knots Landing from 1979 to 1983.

Life and career

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Lankford was born in Montebello, California.[1] She made her screen debut in the 1976 movie Harry and Walter Go to New York, and later began her television career appearing in episodes of sitcoms such as Happy Days. In 1978, she was cast as the 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 the original lead characters, in the CBS prime time soap opera Knots Landing. She starred on the show during the first four seasons, before leaving in 1983. In 1980, she also had a role opposite Chuck Norris in the action film The Octagon, and in the following years co-starred with Don Meredith in the thriller Terror Among Us. After leaving Knots Landing, she guest-starred on Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Cheers. In 1988, she had a supporting role in the horror film Cameron's Closet, and was a regular cast member in the ABC detective drama Murphy's Law.[2]

Lankford spent the 1990s playing guest starring roles on television series such as In the Heat of the Night, Chicago Hope and Diagnosis: Murder, as well as appearing in the films Missing Pieces (1992) and Night of the Running Man (1995). In 1996, Lankford was a 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 retiring from acting in 2000, Lankford created her 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 friends with Susan Berman.[5] Lankford dated Robert Durst, who allegedly murdered Berman in 2000.[6] In 2015, Lankford appeared in the HBO documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst.[7]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1976 Harry and Walter Go to New York Young Girl
1978 Convoy Darlene Cut in post-production
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

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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 S8 E13/
1985 The Hitchhiker Rae Bridgeman Episode: "A Time for Rifles"
1987 Hunter Charlene Lindquist Episode: "The Cradle Will Rock"
1987 The Law & Harry McGraw Karen Stillman Episode: "Murder by Landslides"
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

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  1. ^ "Kim Lankford – Biography – Movies & TV". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2014. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "Kim Lankford Credits". Tvguide.com. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  3. ^ "Kim Lankford's Living Horsemanship". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  4. ^ Crystal Zevon, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. HarperCollins, 2007, pp. 170, 173–174.
  5. ^ "Who Killed the Gangster's Daughter?". NYMag.com. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  6. ^ "Robert Durst Reportedly Dated Actress Kim Lankford From 'Knots Landing' and 'Love Boat'". Inside Edition. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  7. ^ DeAnna Janes (January 15, 2015). "How The Jinx's Robert Durst Got Away with Murder Again and Again". The Lineup. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
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