Patrick Duffy Suffered Unimaginable Loss In Life Before Finding Love Again With Linda Purl In His 70s

Nov 28, 2024

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Patrick Duffy is an actor best known for his work on television. He found widespread fame and success portraying Bobby Ewing on the primetime soap opera “Dallas.” Duffy held the role near and dear to his heart from 1978 to 1985 and then from 1986 to 1991. He even reprised the role later in a continuation of the series from 2012 to 2014.

Duffy dreamed of pursuing acting as a child. He was born on March 17, 1949, in Townsend, Montana. In high school, he participated in the drama club and obtained a degree in drama from the University of Washington. Duffy was later hired as an actor-in-residence.

Shortly after, Duffy landed his starring role on “Dallas.” He found more fame on the sitcom “Step by Step,” which co-starred Suzanne Somers. Duffy portrayed the character of Frank Lambert from 1991 to 1998, successfully staying busy all the way from the late 1970s to the late 1990s. The actor later went on to be cast as Stephen Logan on the daytime soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which he was on from 2006 to 2011.

Duffy’s life has had its fair share of hardships and struggles. From grieving the loss of his parents at an early age to the untimely passing of his wife, the actor has remained strong and endured all of it. Thankfully, his partner, Linda Purl, has been a steady companion since. 

It is safe to say that despite what happened in his life, Duffy has found the light at the end of the tunnel – his fairytale ending with Purl. Read on to learn more about Duffy and how he fared after the death of his first wife.

Duffy has had many reasons to celebrate in his life. He has been on several successful television shows and has grown a great fan base. He has also stayed very busy, appearing in many TV movies over the years. In more recent years, Duffy has continued to act and has appeared in an episode of “NCIS” as well as the films “The Green Knight” and “Lady of the Manor.”

However, Duffy has suffered through various tragedies over the years. 

Both of his parents were killed on Nov. 18, 1986, during an armed robbery. It was reported in 1986 by The Los Angeles Times that Terence and Marie Duffy were shot by two 19-year-old boys from Helena, Montana. 

In 2019, Duffy recalled the horrible experience to Closer Weekly. 

“My father kicked these two young men out of the bar at some point in the evening. So they went and drank elsewhere… and came back to the bar to kick his a**. They stepped into the bar with their guns, they shot him. There was nobody else in the bar, so they shot both my mother and my father,” he recalled. 

Since their death, Duffy experienced a range of emotions because of the tragic event – “shock and anger and everything.” However, he noted that he “never felt disconnected from (my parents). I never felt that immediate loss.” He credited this to being a Buddhist. 

Duffy faced another horrible tragedy on Jan. 23, 2017, when his wife, Carlyn Rosser, died of cancer. She was a professional ballerina who had danced with the First Chamber Dance Company of New York. They were together for 43 years and had two children together.

Duffy struggled to overcome the Rosser’s death. Speaking with Closer Weekly in 2019, he shared how much he missed certain aspects of his life alongside her.

“I still consider myself a married man,” he said. The actor also explained how he was in denial about Caryln’s impending death, and despite her illness, it still came as a surprise to him.

Thankfully, Duffy had many friends and family members to help support him during such a tough time. The following year, he found a new reason to be happy and showed that he had left his heart open for love. According to People, Duffy found happiness again in a new relationship with actress Purl of “Happy Days.”

Purl is best known for her work as an actress and singer. She played Fonzie’s girlfriend Ashley on “Happy Days” and portrayed Pam Beesly’s mother, Helene, in “The Office.” Her music can be heard on her website, including her 2020 album “Taking a Chance on Love.”

Purl has also dealt with heartbreak over the years, as she has been married and divorced four times. One of her marriages was to Desi Arnaz Jr., the son of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Purl also has one son.

Speaking with People, Duffy talked about how excited he was about his new relationship.

“I’m in an incredibly happy relationship,” he said. “I never thought for a minute this would happen again. I never thought I’d feel this way again.”

Duffy explained that he had gotten used to being a widower but enjoyed his life as a father and a grandfather to his four grandchildren. However, when quarantined during the pandemic, he unexpectedly found love again. 

Duffy believed that because his late wife always had his best interests at heart, moving on and finding love again honors her memory.

“I feel quite honestly, that it is keeping with the desires of my wife, the fact that we are intended to be happy,” he said. “So when it’s offered, think about it, do whatever you do, but don’t let it pass you up if it’s the right thing.”

The actor wasn’t ready to date for years after his wife passed away, instead grieving her loss and doing his best to live his life in a way that she would approve of. Later, however, this meant letting himself move on and find happiness again with someone else. People reported that Duffy and Purl had been casual acquaintances in the past but lost touch. Years later, when they found themselves in the same group chat with other friends, they eventually began talking one-on-one and have been inseparable ever since. 

As revealed in “Tamron Hall,” Duffy lived on a ranch in Oregon while Purl was in Colorado at the time. Duffy recounted that in the initial three months, they would Zoom call for at least two to three hours every night to listen to music together, or he simply watched Purl listen to music. 

If Purl’s social media posts are anything to go by, it looks like the pair couldn’t be happier in each other’s company. One of their shared interests appears to be a fondness for baking, with sourdough, in particular, being a mutual love for both of them.

Aren’t Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl’s relationship the sweetest? Do you know someone who went through the same thing, too? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!