Joan Van Ark
PMP Network Presents
Joan Van Ark, known for her iconic roles in 'Dallas' and 'Knots Landing,' joins the program. She shares insights into her career and her decision to take on the long-running role of Valene Ewing. Van Ark also touches on her current project, 'Pretty.'
Joan Van Ark
of
“Knots Landing”
About Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark is an American actress best known for portraying Valene Ewing on the primetime soap operas Dallas and Knots Landing, the latter spanning thirteen seasons from 1979 to 1992. She made her Broadway debut in Barefoot in the Park in 1966 and earned a Tony Award nomination for The School for Wives in 1971. Van Ark won two Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Actress and later appeared on The Young and the Restless from 2004 to 2005.
In this interview
- Recalls her Dallas guest shot becoming a fifteen-year commitment on Knots Landing.
- Credits her husband John Marshall for convincing her to take the role.
- Describes juggling filming in LA, Dallas, and voiceover work in New York.
- Discusses her current project Pretty during the interview.
“A guest shot that was a two-parter guest shot turned into a 15-year commitment.”— Joan Van Ark, in this interview
Since this interview
Van Ark reunited with Knots Landing co-stars Michele Lee and Donna Mills for the podcast We're Knot Done Yet in 2025. She has been absent from several 2026 podcast episodes due to reported health issues.
