Knots Landing icon Joan Van Ark made a public appearance in Los Angeles last week, marking the first time she has been seen in over three years. The 78-year-old actress was spotted running errands, dressed in athletic wear with a sweater tied around her waist, tall brown boots, and her blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail.

Van Ark, best known for her role as Valene Ewing in Dallas and its spinoff series Knots Landing, was seen getting in and out of her car on a sunny day. She peeled off her blue face mask during the solo outing, and at one point, while feeding a parking meter, she dropped some coins.

The veteran actress, who began her career 55 years ago, has had a prolific career with notable works such as Frogs (1972), My First Love (1988), The Last Dinosaur (1977), Shakedown on the Sunset Strip (1988), and Tainted Blood (1993). However, she achieved widespread fame for her portrayal of Valene Ewing, appearing in 327 episodes of Knots Landing over 14 years.

Joan Van Ark, living a private life these days, enjoys downtime in Los Angeles with her husband of 56 years, award-winning TV reporter John Marshall. Despite her low public profile, she remains active in the Hollywood community in her 70s.