Former 1980s TV icon Joan Van Ark looked worlds away from her glamorous soap opera days during a recent low-key outing in Los Angeles. The 82-year-old actress, once a staple of primetime television thanks to her role as Valene Ewing in Knots Landing, was spotted leaving a local store carrying a plastic shopping bag, dressed in an ultra-casual, comfortable ensemble.
Joan wore a pair of loose-fitting navy blue pajama-style trousers with a white star pattern, paired with a fitted long-sleeve white top. She completed her laid-back look with bright yellow flip-flops and wore her long blonde hair in a high ponytail, tied with a white scrunchie. Her oversized sunglasses partially obscured her face, though her distinctive features were still recognizable to long-time fans.
In a far cry from the shoulder-padded power suits and dramatic storylines that defined her Knots Landing years, this latest appearance shows Joan embracing a simple, no-fuss lifestyle. Despite the passing of time, her fans continue to admire her lasting legacy as one of the defining stars of '80s television.
Joan Van Ark rose to fame playing Valene Ewing, a role she originated on Dallas before becoming a central figure in the beloved spin-off series Knots Landing, which ran from 1979 to 1993. The show, known for its gripping drama and iconic cast, became one of the longest-running primetime soap operas in American TV history. Joan’s emotional performances and on-screen chemistry with co-star Ted Shackelford earned her critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.
© Hollywood To You / BACKGRID"The only time Knots ever went to No. 1 was when Val got her twins back," she revealed to Remind Magazine.
© NBC via Getty Images"I will never forget that. We had Michele [Lee, Karen] there. Julie [Harris, Lilimae Clements], too. She was the love of my life. It was a blessing from heaven to bring that woman into our [Knots Landing] family and be my mother. Knots will never leave me. It’s in my DNA. It’s that much of an experience. It was something so special."
© WireImageWhen asked about her return to the show, Joan reflected: "I don’t remember how that exactly came about, but I was with the William Morris Agency at the time, and they called me in the middle of whatever I was working on, and they said they want you to come back for an episode.
"I knew I had to be there at the end because Val and Gary were the core that started the whole thing when they moved from Dallas to the cul-de-sac.
© WireImage"That had to come full circle. On one hand, it was strange to be back but not entirely because I had come back to direct a couple of episodes. But that was right to have happen."
In recent years, Joan has kept a lower profile, occasionally appearing in TV guest roles or reprising Valene in reunion specials. Her last on screen appearance was in 2017 for a role in Psycho The Wedding Crasher.
