Joan Van Ark

Joan Martha Van Ark (born June 16, 1943) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Valene Ewing on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing. A life member of The Actors Studio, she made her Broadway debut in 1966 in Barefoot in the Park. In 1971, she received a Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the revival of The School for Wives.

In 1978, Van Ark landed her most famous role of Valene Ewing. The character first appeared on the CBS series Dallas, then was a leading character for 13 seasons on its spin-off Knots Landing (1979–92). For her performance on Knots Landing, she won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Actress in 1986 and 1989. She left the show in 1992, although she returned for the series' final two episodes in 1993 as well as the 1997 miniseries Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac. In 1985, she received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination as host of the Tournament of Roses Parade on CBS. From 2004 to 2005, she starred in the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She reprised her role of Valene in an episode of the new Dallas series in 2013.

Early life and education Joan Martha Van Ark was born on June 16, 1943, in New York City to Dorothy Jean Van Ark (née Hemenway) (1917–1983) and Carroll Clement Van Ark (1897–1972). Van Ark's father was an advertiser and public relations consultant, photographer and contributor to periodicals such as Collier's and The New Yorker. Carroll Van Ark's paternal grandfather Gradus was an immigrant from The Netherlands who settled in Holland, Michigan. Both of Van Ark's parents were also writers. - Joan Van Ark

At age 15 as a student reporter, Van Ark met and interviewed actress Julie Harris, who recommended that Van Ark apply to the Yale School of Drama, which Harris had attended in her early twenties. Van Ark followed in Harris' footsteps and went to Yale Drama on a scholarship. In 1964,

After Harris died in 2013, Van Ark announced at a Broadway memorial service the creation of the Julie Harris Scholarship, which provides annual support to an actor studying at the Yale Drama School. Alec Baldwin, who played Harris' son and Van Ark's brother on Knots Landing, made the first contribution. In 2021, Yale Drama became tuition-free and was rebranded the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.

Career

Van Ark began her professional career at the Guthrie Theater in Molière's The Miser and appeared opposite Hume Cronyn and Zoe Caldwell. That was followed by Death of a Salesman at the Guthrie with both Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. After a season at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., she originated the role of Corie in the national touring company of Barefoot in the Park, directed by Mike Nichols. In 1966, she recreated the role at the Piccadilly Circus in the critically acclaimed London Company when she replaced Marlo Thomas, who had pulled out due to a ligament injury; and later that same year, Van Ark made her Broadway debut as Corie at the Biltmore Theater and became one of the successors of Elizabeth Ashley, who three years earlier had appeared in the original Broadway production.

Van Ark and her new husband moved to Los Angeles, where she started garnering television credits. In 1971, she revisited Broadway, where she earned a Theatre World Award and received a Tony nomination (Best Featured Actress in a Play) for her performance as Agnès in Molière's The School for Wives, directed by Stephen Porter.

Van Ark starred opposite Ray Milland and Sam Elliott in the horror film Frogs, which was theatrically released on March 10, 1972.

After receiving a contract with Universal Studios, Van Ark co-starred with Bette Davis in The Judge and Jake Wyler, a 1972 two-hour telefilm and series pilot that failed to be picked up by NBC. Van Ark played the role of Erika in M*A*S*H in 1973 in the episode entitled "Radar's Report,” in which she rejects the prospect of marriage to Hawkeye (Alan Alda). Van Ark was also a regular cast member of the short-lived television sitcoms Temperatures Rising (1972–73) and We've Got Each Other (1977–78).

In 1974, Van Ark, tapped as a late replacement for Mary Ure, returned to Broadway as Silia Gala in a revival of Pirandello's The Rules of the Game, which was performed by the New Phoenix Repertory Co. at the Helen Hayes Theater and also featured Glenn Close, who, in addition to playing a bit part as a neighbor, served as Van Ark's understudy in the lead role of Silia. Game reunited Van Ark with School for Wives director Stephen Porter as well as Wives co-star David Dukes. In 1975, a production of Game was also broadcast on Great Performances as one of its Theatre in America selections.

Van Ark co-starred opposite Richard Boone in the science fiction outing The Last Dinosaur, which was filmed at Tsuburaya Studios in Tokyo and on location in the Japanese Alps. The picture was intended to be released theatrically but failed to find a distributor and instead aired as a TV movie in February 1977.

In addition, Van Ark performed the voice of Spider-Woman in the short-lived 1979 animated series of the same name.

After working for several years in a variety of guest roles on television, in 1978, she gained her best-known role as Valene Ewing (originally as a one-time appearance) on Dallas. Van Ark kept a tight schedule and was flying a lot the week of her Dallas debut, as Dallas was being filmed in Texas and she was simultaneously shooting an episode of The Love Boat in L.A. and doing voiceover work for Estée Lauder in New York.

However, writers later worked the character into a couple of additional episodes; and in 1979, Van Ark then carried the Valene character over into the long-running spin-off, Knots Landing, in which she co-starred for thirteen of the show's fourteen seasons. She left in 1992, although she did return for its final two episodes in May 1993. Her character was married three times to husband Gary Ewing, played in the series by Ted Shackelford; and during the show's run, also had two other marriages: to Ben Gibson (Doug Sheehan) and Danny Waleska (Sam Behrens).

During her thirteen years on Knots Landing, Van Ark earned two Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Actress (1986, 1989) and was nominated an additional six times. Over the course of the program, Van Ark probably received her greatest recognition as an actress during the sixth year, which featured an intricate storyline involving the theft of Valene's twin babies. Their disappearance (and alleged stillborn deaths) provoked Valene to embark on a surreal spiritual journey and pilgrimage in which she left the cul-de-sac in California and morphed into the persona of a character from a novel she had written.

"The face-washing scene was an example of when I felt [a scene] couldn't have gone better. It was everything we were all after. It became a monologue where I felt Valene should change and the audience should go with her on that journey. Of all the things I've ever done, I feel that that scene where Val washed her face was the deepest one. It was so rich. There was a combination of the cameraman, the writers, the producers, the director — they all allowed me that monologue in the mirror. We saw Valene become Verna right in front of our eyes." - Joan Van Ark This dark, harrowing story earned Knots Landing its only placement ever on Nielsen's annual Top 10 programs list. In the 1984–1985 season finale, "The Long and Winding Road," Val finds out that her babies are still alive, and this episode's original broadcast on May 23, 1985, also marked the only time Knots Landing ever reached the #1 spot in the weekly Nielsen ratings. In its edition dated June 29, 1985, TV Guide assessed of her performance: "Knots Landing has the grimmest plots but the strongest cast, headed by the incomparable Joan Van Ark as Valene." Later on, she directed two of the series' episodes, one in the last season after she was no longer a regular performer on the serial.

In 1985, she also co-hosted with Bob Barker CBS' Tournament of Roses Parade, which received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Class Program.

Mirroring their characters' onscreen friendship, Van Ark and KL co-star Michele Lee became good friends while working together on the series. In May 1997, Van Ark reprised her role of Valene Ewing in the CBS mini-series Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac; while in December 2005, she appeared in the non-fiction reunion Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again, in which she reminisced with the other cast members about the long-running CBS television show.

Shortly before leaving Knots Landing, she starred opposite Christopher Meloni in an ill-fated pilot called Spin Doctors, a sitcom for NBC that was not picked up.

An ABC Afterschool Special called Boys Will Be Boys: The Ali Cooper Story (1994), which she appeared in and directed, was nominated for a Humanitas. In 1997, Van Ark also directed a documentary short on homelessness and domestic violence for the Directors Guild of America, and the piece was nominated for an Emmy Award.

She originated the role of Gloria Fisher Abbott on CBS television's The Young and the Restless from 2004 to 2005, then decided to leave the role and was replaced by Judith Chapman.

Van Ark also appeared Off-Broadway opposite John Rubinstein in Love Letters, as well as in Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize winning Three Tall Women at the Promenade Theatre and The Exonerated at the Bleecker Street Theatre. In 2000, she performed in Camino Real in Washington, D.C.

Her Los Angeles theater credits include: Cyrano de Bergerac as Roxanne (opposite Richard Chamberlain in the title role) as well as Ring Around the Moon, Chemin de Fer, Heartbreak House and As You Like It, for which she won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Award. Opposite David Birney, she appeared as Lady Macbeth in the Grove Shakespeare Festival's production of Macbeth, produced by Charles Johanson.

Van Ark has also starred in three Williamstown Theatre Festival productions: The Night of the Iguana (1987), the 40th anniversary presentation of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music (1994) and The Legend of Oedipus (1988), which is a five-hour, two-part adaptation by Kenneth Cavander of the classic Greek tragedies and was directed by WTF co-founder Nikos Psacharopoulos, who was also Van Ark's acting professor when she was attending the Yale School of Drama.

Later stage work includes: her origination of the role of Mrs. Fenway in Escape, one of the newly discovered Tennessee Williams' shorts featured as part of the Five by Tenn collection at the Kennedy Center in 2004; the 2005 La Jolla Playhouse production of Private Fittings, directed by Des McAnuff, and a presentation of A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur in 2006 at the Hartford Stage.

Personal life On February 1, 1966, Van Ark married news reporter and later award-winning KNBC-TV correspondent John Marshall. Van Ark and Marshall were high school sweethearts in Boulder, Colorado, and wed in Trier, Germany, where Marshall was stationed at the time in the Armed Forces Television Service. For their honeymoon, they took a European tour of places made famous by her namesake, Joan of Arc.

The couple's only child is voice actress, model, and singer Vanessa Marshall. In 1997, mother and daughter appeared together in the play Star Dust at the Tiffany Theater.

Van Ark is a long-distance runner who has participated in 14 marathons and made the cover of Runner's World.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1967 Run for Your Life Donna Hayward 2 episodes 1968 The Felony Squad Lynne Thackeray Episode: "A Fashion for Dying" Peyton Place Paula Dixon 2 episodes The Mod Squad April Showers Episode: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Starlet" 1969 The Guns of Will Sonnett Laurie Episode: "The Man Who Killed Jim Sonnett" Bonanza Annie Laurie Adams Episode: "Sweet Annie Laurie" Gunsmoke Sarah Jean Stryker Episode: "Stryker" 1970 Hawaii Five-O Freda Cowan Episode: "The Double Wall" Days of Our Lives Janene Whitney #3 17 episodes The F.B.I. Hanson Episode: "The Condemned" The Silent Force Louise Hanson Episode: "A Deadly Game of Love" Dan August Harrison's Secretary Episode: "The Union Forever" 1971 The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Evelyn Baker Episode: "Close Up" The F.B.I. Carla Episode: The Deadly Gift 1970–1972 Love, American Style Alice 2 episodes1972The Odd CoupleTrudy WellsA Night to Dismember1972 Frogs Karen Crockett The Judge and Jake Wyler Alicia Dodd TV movie and series pilot Night Gallery Sondra Blanco Episode: "The Ring with the Red Velvet Ropes" 1972–1973 Temperatures Rising Annie Carlisle 26 episodes 1973 Mannix Jennifer Crane Episode: "The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress"M*A*S*H Lt. Erika Johnson Episode: S2 E3 "Radar's Report" 1974 Big Rose: Double Trouble Nina TV movie Barnaby Jones Sheila Barner Episode: "The Challenge" The Rockford Files Barbara Kelbaker Susan Alexander Episode: S1:E9 "Find Me If You Can." Episode: E2:E4 "Resurrection in Black and White." Cannon Anna Meister // Nona Episode: "The Man Who Couldn't Forget" /Episode:“Duel in the Desert” 1975 Great Performances Silia Gala Rhoda Marian Gerard Episode: "Rhoda Meets the Ex-Wife" The Last of the Mohicans Cora Munro (voice) 1977 The Last Dinosaur Francesca 'Frankie' Banks TV movie Kojak Detective Jo Lang Episode: "Lady in the Squadroom"1977 McMillan (formerly McMillan and Wife) Georgie Episode: "Have You Heard About Vanessa?" 1977–1978 We've Got Each Other Dee Dee Baldwin 13 episodes 1978 Quincy M.E. Bert Phillips Episode: "Gone But Not Forgotten" Quark Princess Libido 2 episodes Wonder Woman Cassandra Episode: "Time Bomb" 1978–1980 Manta and Moray Moray (voice) 1979 Spider-Woman Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (voice) 1979–1984 The Love Boat Deborah Marshall/Kris Hayley/Mary Sue Huggins 4 episodes 1981 Red Flag: The Ultimate Game Marie TV movie 1988 Shakedown on the Sunset Strip Brenda Allen TV movie My First Love Claire Thomas TV movie 1990 Always Remember I Love You Martha "Marty" Mendham TV movie Menu for Murder Julia Alberts TV movie 1978–1981, 1991 Dallas Valene Ewing 8 episodes 1979–1993 Knots Landing Valene Ewing 327 episodesSoap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role: Prime Time (1986, 1989)TV Land Award – Anniversary Award (2009)Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role: Prime Time (1988, 1991) 1993 In the Shadows, Someone's Watching (AKA With Harmful Intent) Cinnie Merritt TV movie 1994 Moment of Truth: A Mother's Deception Nora McGill TV movie 1995 When the Dark Man Calls Julianne Kaiser TV movie 1996 Touched by an Angel Kim Carpenter Episode: "'Til We Meet Again" The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Jewel Pemberton Episode: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Part 1" Santo Bugito Amelia (voice) Episode: "My Name Is Revenge" 1997 Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac Valene Ewing TV mini-series Cybill Herself Episode: "Mother's Day" 1998 Tracey Takes On... Self Episode: "Hollywood" The Nanny Margo Lange Episode: "One False Mole and You're Dead" Loyal Opposition: Terror in the White House Vice President Elizabeth Lane TV movie 2000 Held for Ransom Nancy Donavan Direct to video film It's the Pied Piper, Charlie Brown Secretary (voice) TV special 2001 Twice in a Lifetime Camilla Bianco / Anna Episode: "Mama Mia" 2001 Son of the Beach Ima Cummings Episode: "Light My Firebush" 2001 Heavy Gear: The Animated Series Commander Crusher Von Krieg (voice) Episode: "Mercenary Gambit" 2001 UP, Michigan! Deborah Michaels 2001 The Weakest Link Herself Classic TV Stars Edition #2 2002 Tornado Warning Mayor McAnders TV movie 2003 Net Games Dr. Klein 2004 The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Wanda/Woman/Mandy #3 (voice) Episode: "Whatever Happened to Billy Whatsisname?/Just the Two of Pus" 2004–2005 The Young and the Restless Gloria Abbott 54 episodes 2005 Diamond Zero The Hemingway Diamond 2008 Channels Megan Phillips 2009 My Name Is Earl Janine Episode: "Friends with Benefits" 2008–2010 Nip/Tuck Annette Wainwright 2 episodes 2011 Archer Ruth (voice) Episode: "Placebo Effect" 2011–2012 Pretty the Series Miss Senior Someone 2012Watercolor Postcards Momma 2013 Dallas Valene Ewing 2014The 636 Rose Short 2015 Fallout 4 Bonnie Tournquist, Phyllis Daily & Roslyn Chambers Video game 2017 Psycho Wedding Crasher Aunt Daisy TV movie 2019 Doom Patrol Mrs. Franklin (voice) Episode: "Hair Patrol" 2023 Adventures in Odyssey Vera Trask (voice) Episode: S37 E13 "As Far As It Depends On Me"