Kate Linder

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SOAP STAR STATS

Kate Linder (Esther, Y&R)

Vital Statistics

THE 411

Kate Linder first joined Y&R as a nameless day player in 1982. However, she kept getting invited back and the audience soon fell in love with the wacky maid she played, who co-star Jeanne Cooper (Katherine) had named "Esther."

Linder, a Pasadena, CA native, started dancing when she was 3 1/2. Her interest in acting began in high school, where she participated in several productions, including Three Penny Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar.

She attended San Francisco State University, obtaining a theater arts degree. During that time, she also began working as a flight attendant for Transamerica Airlines.

Linder also worked in the school's activities office, which is where she met her future husband, Ron, who was then a professor at the university. They wed on Valentine's Day in 1976.

Soon after, she began landing TV roles, including episodic guest spots on ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE and BAY CITY BLUES. But once she joined Y&R in 1982, Linder stuck with the show, and has also continued to work as a flight attendant for United Airlines. In her spare time, Linder works for many charities, including the ALS Association and the USO.

ET CETERA

—Her first line on Y&R was "Dinner is served."
—Esther also happens to be the name of Linder's grandmother, which co-star Cooper didn't know when she named the character.
—In 1991, Linder was held at knifepoint in her own home by a burglar.
—Linder is the celebrity spokesperson for the ALS Association.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

TV Roles
BAY CITY BLUES (1983)
ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE (1979)
Film Roles
Cotillion '65 (2000)
One Good Cop (Social Worker, 1991)
Theater Roles
Bee-Luther-Hatchee (1999)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"I've seen so many actors believe their own press. And I decided a long time ago that that was never going to happen to me. I've never forgotten that if it weren't for the fans and the people who read Soap Opera Digest, I wouldn't be sitting here participating in this interview." — Soap Opera Digest, 4/23/02

"Esther and I are very loyal people. We obviously dress differently. She has no taste [laughs]." — On her character always wearing her maid's uniform, Digest, 6/9/98

"Being an actress helped me through this. Not only being a flight attendant, but being an actress. As an actress, I'm trained to observe. I listen. And I thank God I'm here to talk about it." — On being held at knifepoint in her own home by a burglar, Digest, 11/26/91

OFFICIAL WEB SITE

http://www.katelinder.com/

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