This should be an interesting tidbit of information for those of you who are fans of the timeless classic THE GRADUATE and remember watching cheesy '80's drama series on television. As you may have guessed, the iconic sexy leg featured on the nostalgic GRADUATE poster wasn't owned by Anne Bancroft, who so devilishly portrayed the seductive Mrs. Robinson in the film. The leg in that poster actually belongs to (drum roll..) Linda Gray, who later became known to the world as Sue Ellen Ewing on the CBS program "Dallas". This information had been rumored, but was officially confirmed by Gray herself during an interview on "Anderson Live". Here's what she looked like in the 70's (in case you forgot) next to a picture of her today.
In 1967, Linda was a 27-year-old starving commercial actress, doing modeling gigs for $50 a pop before picking up a more steady career in the 70's. She says she was paid $25 for the gig ("for just one leg"), which has since become one of the most nostalgic promotional posters in cinema history. It may in fact be the most iconic "movie leg" of all time, right above Darren McGaven's prized desk lamp from A CHRISTMAS STORY. You'd think she deserved a bit more than $25, but at least she made a lot of money in the commercial industry, appearing in over 100 ads. Not to mention the success she gained as an actress later. In fact, in the most ironic of all ironies, Gray actually wound up PORTRAYING Mrs. Robinson once and for all in the theatrical production of Charles Webb's The Graduate in 2001. And we're just hearing about this now? Yeesh! Lately, the 72-year-old Linda Gray has been reprising her role as Sue Ellen Ewing on the TNT revamp of "Dallas". Talk about coming around full-ciircle.. twice in a row. It just goes to show you, the littlest things you do in the industry can have the greatest impact, even when especially when you're not looking.
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