<P> Valene `` Val '' Ewing ( maiden name Clements , formerly Gibson , Waleska ) , portrayed by Joan Van Ark , is a fictional character in the CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing , a spin - off from the long - running series Dallas , in which she also appeared . The character originated on Dallas in 1978 as the mother of Lucy Ewing and ex-wife of Gary Ewing ( the second son of oil baron Jock and Miss Ellie Ewing ) . Van Ark made several guest appearances on Dallas before becoming one of the main stars of the spin - off Knots Landing in December 1979 , though she continued to make small appearances in Dallas for the next several years . Van Ark played Valene in Knots Landing for thirteen of its fourteen seasons , which made her one of the show 's longest running stars . The character made her last Knots Landing appearance in 1997 , when she appeared in the reunion miniseries Knots Landing : Back to the Cul - de-Sac . In 2013 , Van Ark reprised her character for the new , updated version of Dallas . </P>
<P> Valene `` Val '' Ewing ( maiden name Clements , formerly Gibson , Waleska ) , portrayed by Joan Van Ark , is a fictional character in the CBS primetime soap opera Knots Landing , a spin - off from the long - running series Dallas , in which she also appeared . The character originated on Dallas in 1978 as the mother of Lucy Ewing and ex-wife of Gary Ewing ( the second son of oil baron Jock and Miss Ellie Ewing ) . Van Ark made several guest appearances on Dallas before becoming one of the main stars of the spin - off Knots Landing in December 1979 , though she continued to make small appearances in Dallas for the next several years . Van Ark played Valene in Knots Landing for thirteen of its fourteen seasons , which made her one of the show 's longest running stars . The character made her last Knots Landing appearance in 1997 , when she appeared in the reunion miniseries Knots Landing : Back to the Cul - de-Sac . In 2013 , Van Ark reprised her character for the new , updated version of Dallas . </P>
who played gary ewing 's wife on knots landing
who played gary ewing 's wife on knots landing
Joan Van Ark
Joan Van Ark