Pamela Sue Martin was a beautiful, willowy, blue eyed brunette actress who enjoyed success and popularity in the 1970's and 1980's. She bagan her acting career on the big screen, but is probably most famous for her television work on "The Nancy Drew Mysteries" and as the sexy and spoiled heiress Fallon Carrington on "Dynasty".

Early Career

Formerly a successful teen model, Pamela Sue Martin made her acting debut whilst still in high school, with the leading role in the 1972 film "To Find a Man" which competed at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Her performance was very well received, "The New York Times" praising Martin's "persuasive characterization of the selfish and superficial Rosalind "

Her impressive debut performance caught the eye of Hollywood producers and led to her being cast alongside Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters as Susan Shelby in The Poseidon Adventure(1972). This movie was a huge success, with the highest box office takings of the year. Perhaps Pamela's most memorable contribution to The Poseidon Adventure involved removing her skirt to reveal tight red hot pants, showing off her long, shapely legs which the camera lovingly lingered on throughout the film.

However, typically during this time, she opted for smaller, more thoughtful films such as "Buster and "Billie" and "Our Time" where she starred as the beautiful debutante Abby Reed. These roles, as with To Find a Man, allowed her to display her huge promise as a talented and appealing up and coming young actress.

In 1977, Pamela - encouraged by her agent to look into television work - beat over 100 other young actresses to the coveted lead role as Nancy Drew in ABC's The Nancy Drew Mysteries. She quit a year later when producers wanted to merge her show with it's companion "The Hardy Boys"

Change of Image

Having left Nancy Drew behind, Pamela cultivated a more mature, sexier image (helped in part by a famous Playboy Magazine cover and pictorial in 1979) which led to more sophisticated, grown up and sexual roles such as the lead in the John Sayles film "The Lady in Red" She portrayed Dillinger's moll and former prostitute, Polly Franklin, the movie's eponymous heroine. Support included Louise Fletcher, Robert Conrad and Robert Forster.

Dynasty

In 1981 Pamela Sue Martin embarked on a four year stint as the bitchy, spoiled and feisty heiress Fallon Carrington Colby. Probably her most famous and popular role, Pamela's charismatic and sexy performance brought her acclaim, fame, numerous magazine covers and made her one of television's most popular young actresses.

However Pamela grew dissatisfied with her part when producers started to tame the character. This led to her departure at the end of the fourth season. Fallon was eventually recast with Emma Samms, but this move proved wildly unpopular with audiences and critics alike causing producers to try and coax Pamela back on multiple occasions - their overtures always knocked back.

Post Dynasty Career

Having quit Dynasty, Pamela looked to slow down her Hollywood career, in part to recover from an illness, and partly because she had grown tired of the Hollywood lifestyle. She relocated to Idaho where she still lives to this day. However, she continued to work from time to time, most notably Torchlight(1984) a movie Pamela both produced and starred in and which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1986 she headed a strong cast in the two part mini-series Strong Medicine based on the Arthur Hailey novel.

Mostly she has concentrated on theatre, both directing and starring in numerous plays and building up her own theatre company in Idaho.

Personal Life

Pamela grew up in the affluent town of Westport,Connecticut. She was raised by father Thomas Martin (a businessman) and her mother Margaret.

She has been married and divorced four times to Jorge Brusch, Manuel Rojas, Charles Gates and Bruce Allen, with whom she has one son, Nicholas.

She currently resides in Idaho

Was voted "Best Student Body" at Staples High School

Was the first woman to compete in the annual St. Moritz polo tournament played on snow

Is an environmentalist who has done work for Greenpeace