Linda Kaye Henning (born
September 16,
1944, in
Los Angeles) is an American actress who starred on the 1960s sitcom
Petticoat Junction. TV Producer
Paul Henning, the creator-writer-producer of such CBS TV series as
The Beverly Hillbillies and
Petticoat Junction, is her father. Her mother is
Ruth Henning. Linda shares a September 16th birthday with her father. She is generally billed today as
Linda Henning.
In her youth, Linda Kay Henning was a student of the ballet. While in her late teens, she turned her professional studies toward acting. Her earliest stage acting roles include:
Roomful of Roses,
The Reluctant Dragon,
Rebel Without a Cause,
Bus Stop and
Gidget. An early break in her career happened when she was cast as a dancer in the 1962
Columbia Pictures film
Bye Bye Birdie. A talented singer, she has also appeared in numerous musicals including
Carousel,
High Button Shoes,
Brigadoon,
Best Foot Forward and
The Sound of Music.
Linda Kaye Henning made many TV appearances during the 1960s and 1970s on a wide variety of programs. She has appeared in guest roles in many network television shows, including
The Beverly Hillbillies,
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis,
Mister Ed,
Green Acres,
Happy Days,
The Ed Sullivan Show,
Adam-12,
Mork and Mindy,
The Mike Douglas Show, and
The Tonight Show. She also made dramatic appearances in
Sliders, where she appeared in many episodes as Mrs. Mallory,
Hunter and
Capitol. She was also very popular in game show appearances including
Password,
Tattletales,
Hollywood Squares,
The Perfect Match,
Showoffs,
Password Plus,
Family Feud, and
The Match Game, as well as becoming a substitute hostess on the 1974~1976 daytime edition of
High Rollers. She also played the part of a shocked woman in
Reservoir Dogs.