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Linda Gray and Dan Gordon enjoyed a whirlwind romance for 17 years, but the former split with the actor in the most heartbreaking way. Two years later, Gray released her memoir, and she left out a vital part of her life that shocked Gordon.

In the late '70s and through the '80s, Linda Gray captured the viewers' hearts with her performance as Sue Ellen Ewing, the long-suffering alcoholic wife of Larry Hagman's character, J.R. Ewing, on the CBS soap opera "Dallas."

The series gave the actress and former model her jump to stardom and a huge fanbase. Today, Gray is recognized as one of the most accomplished movie icons with many awards.

[Left] Linda Gray in association with the television program, Dallas. Image dated February 1978; [Right] Linda Gray and Dan Gordon at IRENA'S VOW Opening Night On Broadway Arrivals and After Party at Walter Kerr Theatre and TAO 42 E. 58th St. on March 29, 2009 in New York. | Source: Getty Images

Apart from her career achievements, the stage actress has also been a huge topic of discussion due to her love life. She has been married and divorced once but has also been involved with other men, including Actor and Director Dan Gordon.

Gray and Gordon's romance made the rounds due to its longevity. The pair met in 1996 and started dating shortly after. Gordon spoke candidly about their love for the time they were a couple.

During an interview with DailyMail, he once revealed that they loved each other dearly and promised themselves only honesty.

Linda Grey arrives at the launch party for the new Channel 5 television series of 'Dallas' at Old Billingsgate on August 21, 2012 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

Indeed, the former lovebirds' relationship was full of love and evident to the world. Their relationship lasted for almost two decades, and Gordon spoke about Gray and the romance thus:

"She was in a 17-year monogamous extraordinarily passionate committed relationship."

THE TIMELINE OF GRAY AND GORDON'S RELATIONSHIP

Linda Gray attends The Paley Center For Media's PaleyFest 2013 honoring "Dallas" at the Saban Theatre on March 10, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Gray and Gordon did not only go on dates and adventures; they also worked together. As directors, the pair directed each other in plays.

Gordon also wrote motion pictures for the former model and rewrote almost all of her "Dallas'' dialogue, including a scene at the funeral of Gray's onscreen husband, J.R. Ewing.

Actress Linda Gray and screenwriter Dan Gordon attend the Fifth Annual Hollywood Film Festival - Awards Ceremony on August 6, 2001 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Despite how busy they were, the duo made time for each other. Gray and Gordon traveled a lot worldwide, and whenever they were not together, the pair missed each other greatly. During the exclusive interview with Daily Mail, the actor confessed:

"We never lived together. We would spend 4 days together, three days apart and when we came back together, we genuinely missed each other."

Although Gray and Gordon's relationship seemed perfect, it was not void of challenges. However, the pair supported each other during the difficult times.

Linda Gray arrives at the HSH Prince Albert II Of Monaco Hosts 60th Anniversary Party For The Monte-Carlo TV Festival at Sunset Tower Hotel on February 05, 2020 in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Gordon was by Gray's side when the actress' mother suffered dementia and passed away. He helped bury her mother, and she returned the favor by helping to bury his son. In addition to being by each other's sides, Gordon kept Gray safe during her travels.

Once when the actress visited Kenya, her boyfriend made sure former special forces members protected her. Overall, Gordon was Gray's biggest cheerleader, while the latter considered the actor her hero. She once admitted:

"You are my hero. No one in my life, not my parents, not my children, not my husband, no one in my life has ever gone to bat for me like you. You are my hero to the day I die."

Linda Gray visits Hallmark Channel's "Home & Family" at Universal Studios Hollywood on December 11, 2019 in Universal City, California. | Source: Getty Images

The pair also had a photo album containing their beautiful memories. It had these beautiful words from Gray written on it:

"Sunset on another year of precious memories spent with you. I love you."

There were many reasons for Gray to love Gordon, one of which was him always giving her freedom to change plans at the last minute.

Once when the former lovebirds planned a trip to the South Pole, Gray landed a role in a small movie, and they were forced to cancel the trip.

Unfortunately, Gordon had paid $40,000 for the trip and lost the money as it was non-refundable, but he never told Gray. Another kind act the actor confessed he did for Gray was helping to nurse her after she had plastic surgery.

According to Gordon, the actress's face was bruised from a facelift, and he took her to the bathroom and cared for her until she was healed. However, Gray would deny having any plastic surgery done.

INSIDE GRAY AND GORDON'S BREAKUP

After dating for 17 years, Gray and Gordon finally broke up. However, in December 2013, the latter received a somewhat surprising call from a friend, sympathizing with him over his breakup with Gray.

For Gordon, it was puzzling because he could not recall breaking up with the actress. Unfortunately, Gray had gone for a magazine interview earlier, where she revealed she was not in a relationship. In addition, tabloids addressed the Hollywood icon as a "single actress."

Screenwriter Dan Gordon and actress Linda Gray attend the "Hurricane" Westwood Premiere on December 14, 1999 at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Gordon called the "Dallas" star, stunned by the information, but the call went to voicemail. Then, without receiving a response for two days, he sent her an email that read:

"I deserve better than this. If you've fallen out of love with me, if something is going on that I need to know about, I deserve better than reading about it in magazine."

Three days later, Gray called Gordon and said: "It's over, that's all." Then, she asked the actor if they could remain friends. In his response, Gordon noted that he would always be there for her if she needed any help, but he could not be her friend.

Sadly, the breakup was not the worst thing Gordon would experience, as betrayal and denial were lying ahead.

THE CONTENTS OF GRAY'S SURPRISING MEMOIR

In 2015, two years after the breakup, Gray released her memoir titled "The Road To Happiness Is Always Under Construction."

The actress opens up about her triumphs and tragedies in the book, including the terrible experiences in her unhappy marriage. Surprisingly, there was no mention of her 17-year relationship with Gordon, and it broke his heart. The actor declared:

"My existence in her life is denied."

Actress Linda Gray attends the 3rd Annual Hollywood Beauty Awards at Avalon Hollywood on February 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Gordon also relayed that he got condolence calls and messages from people who could not believe that Gray cut him off and lied to her readers. Gordon explained:

"She has the nerve to say in the book, 'I would have loved to have been in a long-term passionate relationship. I just never have been."

Furthermore, the actor made it known that Gray's actions caused him humiliation. He recalled an incident where a British producer said he was a nobody, and Gray did not even know he was alive. According to Gordon, it was the most embarrassing moment of his life.

Actress Linda Gray and her son Jeff Thrasher attend the 37th Annual Grammy Awards After Party on March 1, 1995 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California | Source: Getty Images

He could not understand Gray's decision but could only suspect that she lied about their relationship to get public media attention. However, Gordon said he would not stand for any of it. In his words:

"To make me out to be a liar, to make my children out to be liars, to make their families out to be liars, is not something I cannot let stand."

Also, Gordon said he did not know the woman who wrote the memoir. He said:

"I loved one woman for a long time as well as I know how to love and treasure every second of it. I don't know the woman who wrote that book."

"That woman is duplicitous, a liar, and a phony," the actor added. To date, it is unknown if Gray replied to Gordon's claims, but their 17-year relationship will always be talked about till the end of time.

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