Kate Linder
Kate Linder (born November 2, 1947) is an American actress, best known for her role as Esther Valentine on The Young and the Restless, which she has played since 1982. After appearing in the soap opera for more than 40 years, she is one of the longest serving actors on an American soap opera. Linder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, and was honored at The Hollywood Museum in 2022.
Kate Linder
lukeford.net · CC BY-SA 2.5
- Name
- Kate Linder
- Born
- 2 November 1947
- Birthplace
- Pasadena, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actress
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- San Francisco State University
- Honours
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Kate Linder (born November 2, 1947) is an American actress, best known for her role as Esther Valentine on The Young and the Restless, which she has played since 1982. After appearing in the soap opera for more than 40 years, she is one of the longest serving actors on an American soap opera. Linder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, and was honored at The Hollywood Museum in 2022.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Kate Linder. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q521621 · wikipedia · Kate Linder
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Kate Linder • Born — 2 November 1947 • Birthplace — Pasadena, California, U.S. • Occupation — * Actress • flight attendant • Years Active — 1973–present • Children — 3 stepchildren
Early life and education
Early life and education
Linder was born in Pasadena, California, and graduated with a BA in theatre arts from San Francisco State University. During that time, she also began working as a flight attendant for Transamerica Airlines. After graduation, Linder found work on television, including roles on Archie Bunker's Place and Bay City Blues.
Career
Career
In 1982, she was cast as Esther Valentine on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. It was supposed to be a one day role. Linder has been starring on The Young and the Restless for more than 40 years and is also one of two Daytime Governors at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, who present the Emmys. Linder is also the national spokesperson for The ALS Association and is active with TV Cares, ATAS's AIDS fundraising and awareness organization, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and national spokesperson for March of Dimes Canada's Conductive Education Program. • Illustration — Linder in 2010 For her contributions in television, Linder earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 10, 2008. She is the third actor to earn a star on the Walk of Fame solely on the merits of acting on a soap opera, after Jeanne Cooper in 1993 and Susan Lucci in 2005. In the 2000s, after 30 years in daytime, Linder made her film debut, starring in a number of independent productions, such as Hysteria and Erased. In 2016, she co-starred with Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, and Kate Hudson in Garry Marshall's final film Mother's Day. On April 30, 2018, Kate Linder appeared in a 30 minute television interview talk show with Host Ken Boxer on "Ken Boxer Live," taped in Santa Barbara, California. In 2023, she starred in A Little White Lie, opposite Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Zach Braff, and Don Johnson. In 2025, Kate Linder received a silver circle award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). In addition to her work on television, Linder serves as a flight attendant for United Airlines, as of 2022.
Personal life
Personal life
She was married to Dr. Ronald L. Linder for 41 years, from February 14, 1976 (Valentine's Day), until his death from ALS in 2017. She has three stepchildren from his first marriage, Jay, Jon, and Karyn.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1982–present — The Young and the Restless — Esther Valentine — Recurring: 1982–1985, Contract: 1985–present • 2005 — Cotillion '65 — Miss Tiffany — Short film • 2006 — The Divorce Ceremony — Dr. Valentine • 2007 — A Couple of White Chicks at the Hairdresser — Katie Bender • 2009 — The Gold & the Beautiful — Gloria Howard • 2010 — Lights Out — Jerika Lane • 2011 — Hysteria — Lady Cherwell • 2012 — Sebastian — Celia Grant • 2012 — Erased — Principal Gibbons • 2013 — Miracle at Gate 213 — Sandrine Simpson — Television film • 2014 — Miss Meadows — Trudy Navis • 2016 — Mother's Day — Gigi • 2016 — Better Off Single — Mrs. Staut • 2016 — The Charnel House — Aunt Rachel • 2017 — Voice from the Stone — LaVecchia • 2018 — Dead Love — Caterina • 2019 — Act Super Naturally — Rhonda Rooney • 2019 — Loners — Senator Difford • 2019–2022 — Donna on the Go — Laura Reed — Also producer Nominated — Indie Series Award for Best Lead Actress – Comedy (2020) • 2020 — Echo Boomers — Kathy Tucker • 2023 — A Little White Lie — College President • 2023 — The Book of Leah — Aileen Gold • 2023 — The Bold and the Beautiful — Esther Valentine — Special Guest - 5 episodes (October 25-31, 2023) • 2026 — Basic
Identity
Identity
Kate Linder is recorded as actress and model.
Contemporary press record
Contemporary press record
The archives are cited for the existence and date of each notice; their wording is not reproduced here.

Actress Kate Linder at 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards
Greg Hernandez · Flickr

Actress Kate Linder, May 2010
Greg Hernandez · Flickr
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Kate Linder”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q521621: Kate Linder
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,646 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Kate HodgePerson
- Kate HudsonPerson
- Kate JacksonPerson
- Kate LeveringPerson
- Kate MaberlyPerson
- Kate MaraPerson
- Kate McKinnonPerson
- Kate Miller-HeidkePerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Kate Linder?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.