Pamela Sue Martin (born January 5, 1953) is an American actress best known for playing Nancy Drew on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries TV series and Fallon Carrington Colby on the ABC nighttime soap opera Dynasty.

Biography

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, and growing up in nearby Westport, Martin began modeling at 17, and appeared in the The Poseidon Adventure (opposite Gene Hackman) at the age of 19. More films followed, including Our Time and Buster and Billie. Later, her work as TV's Nancy Drew made her something of a teen idol. Initially, the ABC program alternated each week between The Nancy Drew Mysteries and The Hardy Boys Mysteries. In season two, the shows were merged and renamed The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, which led to Nancy's role being reduced. This frustrated Martin, who left the series as a result. Her final appearance as Nancy aired on January 1, 1978. Martin appeared in a cover pictorial in the July 1978 issue of Playboy magazine, with the headline "TV's Nancy Drew Undraped". In the magazine, she cited the merger of the two shows as her reason for quitting the series.

Martin portrayed feisty and spoiled heiress Fallon Carrington Colby on the ABC nighttime soap opera Dynasty from its debut in 1981 through the end of the fourth season in 1984. Martin left of her own accord and the character was "missing and presumed dead" – the series recast the role with actress Emma Samms at the end of the fifth season in 1985. She hosted Saturday Night Live on February 16, 1985.

In 1984, Martin, who has long been involved in environmental causes, appeared in a public service announcement to help save pink dolphins in the Amazon River. The ad was directed by Clyde Lucas, who appeared on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

Divorced three times and the mother of one son, Martin has written about her struggle with interstitial cystitis. Martin owns a theatre company in Idaho.