 Linke was born in New York, New York, the son of Richard O. Linke, a personal manager, producer, and partner of Andy Griffith.After roles in films such as "The Baby Maker" (1970), "Big Bad Mama" (1974), "The Strongest Man in the World" (1975) and "Moving Violation" (1976), Linke appeared in the 1977 movie "Grand Theft Auto".During the timeframe of his character on the television series "CHiPs", Linke played a similar role as Sheriff Bruce Smith in the slasher film parody "Motel Hell" (1980).