LINDA CRISTAL

(23 February 1931 - 27 June 2020)

The Argentinian actress Linda Cristal, who has died aged 89, was born Marta Victoria Moya Peggo Burges. She studied voice and piano and was discovered by a producer holidaying in Mexico. Under her new name, she made films in Mexico until her US debut in Comanche (1951) with Dana Andrews. After decorating various films, including The Fiend Who Walked the West, Strictly for Pleasure and Cry Tough, she made The Alamo (1960) with John Wayne and John Ford’s Two Rode Together. Real fame arrived with the part of Victoria Cannon in nearly 100 episodes of The High Chaparral (below) from 1967 to 1971. After that it was more TV and the odd film until a stint in General Hospital in 1988. Meanwhile, she became very rich in real estate and import/export. Her first marriage was annulled after five days, her second ended in divorce, as did her third to the actor Yale Wexler, with whom she has two children.

MICHAEL DARVELL