The “Dallas” star circa 1970.
Trading the spotlight for a quieter life, she now devotes herself to rescuing and caring for animals, a pursuit that fills her with joy every day. Take a look at her journey and how “beautiful” she looks now at 74.
The actress at The American Booksellers Convention on June 6, 1983, in Dallas, Texas.
The Rise of the ‘Dallas’ Star
This actress’s journey to fame began in the early 1970s, starting with a role in “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” alongside the legendary Paul Newman.
However, four years after her debut, the star became so dissatisfied with the trajectory of her career that she stepped away from acting entirely. For the next three years, she shifted her focus and worked as an agent.
The actress circa 1970s.
By 1978, her passion for law and desire to enter the business side of the entertainment industry led to plans of attending law school and possibly becoming a studio executive.
The TV star photographed in 1973.
The actress, circa 1977.
That life-changing role came in the form of Pamela Barnes Ewing on the hit CBS soap opera “Dallas,” which quickly became a fan favorite and one of the longest-running TV shows of its time.
The Hollywood actress photographed as Pamela Barnes Ewing from “Dallas” in 1978.
“When I went in for the part on ‘Dallas,’ I had already fallen in love with the show and with the part. So my feeling from the moment I read it was that it was incredibly special, and I really, really wanted to be a part of it. I could not imagine not being Pam,” she shared.
The Hollywood star circa 1980.
Her portrayal of Pam cemented her as a staple of 1980s television. “The first five years were some of the best television I’ve ever seen,” the actress fondly recalled.
The “Dallas” star posing for a portrait in 1985 in Los Angeles, California.
While working on “Dallas,” the star met her first husband, actor Christopher Skinner. The pair found themselves in a whirlwind romance and after just three dates, the couple married in a private Las Vegas ceremony.
The actress and her husband Christopher Skinner circa 1979.
However, cracks soon began to show. The actress reflected on their relationship, “After a while, Christopher realized he really did want somebody who was home more, who had more traditional hours. He wanted a more traditional marriage. Now, that wasn’t his fault, and it wasn’t my fault. Needs change.”
The TV actress and Christopher Skinner at the 1979 Photoplay Awards in Los Angeles, California.
She added, “The reason we got divorced was not because we didn’t love each other, but because he couldn’t live within the way I lived, and I couldn’t live the way he wanted. There was no hate involved, just sorrow.”
Christopher Skinner and the “Dallas” actress in 1980.
The breakup with Skinner wasn’t the only romantic disappointment in the actress’s life. She was briefly involved with financier Bernie Cornfeld, a notorious figure of the time. She also dated legendary crooner Frank Sinatra before starting a relationship with pop star Andy Gibb.
Andy Gibb and the famous actress at the Night of 100 Stars Benefit Gala on February 14, 1982, in New York. Advertisement
Then, after nine years of portraying Pamela, the “Dallas” alum decided to leave the show. By that time, her dissatisfaction with the series had grown.
“[…] After year seven, there was a definitive decline. At year seven, it was time for me to renegotiate my contract, and I was very candid about my concern and my disappointment,” she explained.
The “Dallas” star and her castmate Patrick Duffy on the set of the hit show in 1979.
The Hollywood star cited frustrations over the changing quality of the writing and left after her contract negotiations. She left “Dallas” in March 1987, concluding her run as good-girl Pamela after nine successful seasons.
The actress exited with three best-selling fitness books for Simon & Schuster, a lucrative six-figure endorsement deal with Jhirmack hair-care products, and residuals that promised financial stability for years to come.
The actress on Jay Leno’s talk show on April 2, 1991.
Shortly after leaving the series, she set her sights on a new project: the CBS-TV movie “Mistress,” a drama about a small-town beauty entangled in a relationship with a wealthy married man. Despite her enthusiasm for the role, the star faced significant challenges in her transition from an ensemble TV actress to a leading role in film.
The Hollywood star photographed at a party on July 24, 1991, in Beverly Hills, California.
Furthermore, some deemed her beauty a hindrance, saying it made her “too beautiful to be sympathetic” and “too sophisticated to be a victim.” However, her career didn’t slow down. She launched her own production company and focused on producing and starring in various TV movies.
In 1983, she authored “The Body Principal,” the first of four health and wellness books. Her entrepreneurial spirit reached new heights in 1991 when she founded a successful skincare company she led for nearly 30 years.
The actress circa 2000.
Then by the early 2000s, after a string of successful business ventures and TV appearances, including a role on “Titans” from 2000 to 2001, the actress felt a shift in her priorities. “By the time I turned 50, I felt that I wanted to make a change in my life,” she said of her decision to leave Hollywood for good.
Victoria Principal and guest on December 20, 2011, in Los Angeles, California
From Hollywood Glamor to Ranch Life
This well-known actress is none other than Victoria Principal, who found love once again in the mid-1980s. After her emotional divorce with Gibb, Principal met Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Harry Glassman.
Their relationship blossomed as both were navigating the end of previous marriages. Glassman was in the process of divorcing his first wife, Jane, when he and Principal began dating.
Harry Glassman and Victoria Principal at the Tom Bradley Scholarship Endowement on May 18, 1983, in Beverly Hills, California.
They later married in 1985. However, Glassman once revealed, “One of the things about the relationship with Victoria I’ve grown to resent is the lack of privacy.” The couple eventually parted ways in 2006 after over two decades together.
Harry Glassman and Victoria Principal at the Peterson Galleries Exhibition on May 16, 1984, in Hollywood, California.
Over the years, Principal’s dedication to her skincare line Principal Secret remained strong, but her heart was pulling her toward something else. In 2019, she officially stepped down from the business.
Victoria Principal at the Day of Beauty with Principal Beauty event on November 21, 2009, in Malibu, California.
Actress Victoria Principal on June 21, 2010, in Los Angeles, California
“[…] I will be stepping down to devote myself full-time to my philanthropic work through The Victoria Principal Foundation for Thoughtful Existence and my rescue work with animals,” she share in a statement.
Victoria Principal at the Day of Beauty with Principal Beauty event on November 21, 2009, in Malibu, California.
Victoria Principal on October 16, 2008, in Beverly Hills, California
The actress’s animal rescue work took center stage after she moved to a ranch outside of Los Angeles. As of 2012, the former actress lived a quieter life, far removed from the Hollywood scene. On her ranch, she rescues and rehabilitates animals that have been neglected or abused.
Actress Victoria Principal on June 21, 2010, in Los Angeles, California At 74, she remains a radiant figure, proving that true happiness comes from following one’s passion and living authentically.
