{ "id": "ep14a0w663", "slug": "linda-porter-actress", "title": "Linda Porter (actress)", "updated": "2026-10-25", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.people", "label": "Screen people and creators", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.people" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west", "label": "Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward", "label": "American actors: 2000s onward", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q", "label": "Surnames Pi to Q", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q", "label": "United States · 2001 to 2020: Surnames Pi to Q", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001", "label": "United States · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people", "label": "Screen people and creators", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west", "label": "Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward", "label": "American actors: 2000s onward", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q", "label": "Surnames Pi to Q", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Linda Porter (born Linda Schandler, 1933–2019), American character actress known as Myrtle on NBC's Superstore and Lady Slot-Addict in Twin Peaks (2017); also Dude, Where's My Car?, Gilmore Girls, and Tenacious D's Tribute video.", "snippet": "Linda Porter (born Linda Schandler, 1933–2019), American character actress known as Myrtle on NBC's Superstore and Lady Slot-Addict in Twin Peaks (2017); also Dude, Where's My Car?, Gilmore Girls, and Tenacious D's Tribute video.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.people.screen.people.actors.west.american-actors-2000s-onward.alpha-pi-to-q", "markdown": "# Linda Porter (actress)\n\n**Linda Porter** (born Linda Schandler; January 31, 1933 – September 25, 2019) was an American character actress in film and television, best remembered for her recurring role as the elderly Cloud 9 employee Myrtle on the NBC sitcom *Superstore* and as the Lady Slot-Addict in [David Lynch](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-lynch)'s 2017 *Twin Peaks* revival.[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/linda-porter) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692207/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Born / died | January 31, 1933, Cleveland, Ohio; September 25, 2019, USA, of cancer, at age 86[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692207/) • [3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) |\n| Signature role | Myrtle on *Superstore* (NBC, 2015–2019), played from the show's first season in a total of 35 episodes[4](https://www.tvline.com/news/linda-porter-dead-superstore-myrtle-dies-1105939/) |\n| Other noted role | Lady Slot-Addict in *Twin Peaks* (Showtime, 2017), 3 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692207/) |\n| Film work | *Twins* (1988), *The Truth About Cats & Dogs* (1996), *Dude, Where's My Car?* (2000), *Pee-wee's Big Holiday* (2016)[1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/linda-porter) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) |\n| Career start | Began auditioning after retiring from teaching in the mid-1980s; first screen appearance in *Twins* (1988)[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) |\n| Before acting | Teacher in the Los Angeles unified school district; chaired a committee evaluating the district's Title 1 programs[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) |\n\n## Early life and teaching career\nPorter was born Linda Schandler in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1933 and was active in theater from childhood, appearing in school plays and with the local troupe the Curtain Pullers.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) At Bennington College she studied subjects ranging from philosophy to modern dance but concentrated on drama, graduating in 1955 and later earning a master's degree.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter)\n\nShe became a teacher, moving to Los Angeles with her then-husband, rock DJ Martin Perlich, and became highly respected within the Los Angeles unified school district, chairing a committee that evaluated all of the district's Title 1 programs.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) She had three sons, including the future character actor [Max Perlich](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-perlich), before divorcing Perlich; she remarried Bruce Porter in 1974 and kept his surname.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter)\n\n## Acting career\nHaving earned her retirement as a public school teacher in the mid-1980s, Porter began attending auditions and made one of her first on-screen appearances in the comedy hit *Twins* (1988).[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) She then booked guest roles on popular series including *Murder, She Wrote* (CBS, 1984–1996), *Frasier* (NBC, 1993–2004), *Melrose Place* (Fox, 1992–99), and *The X-Files* (Fox, 1993–2018).[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) Her film credits included Mrs. Crabbleman in *[Dude, Where's My Car?](https://www.edgepedia.org/dude-wheres-my-car)* (2000), the newscast auditioner in *The Truth About Cats & Dogs* (1996), and a role in *[Pee-wee's Big Holiday](https://www.edgepedia.org/pee-wees-big-holiday)* (2016).[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) • [1](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/linda-porter)\n\n**Recurring television roles.** Porter played the recurring character Fran Westin, the original Dragonfly Inn owner, on *Gilmore Girls* (The WB, 2000–07), and had recurring roles on *The Suite Life on Deck*.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) • [3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) Guest appearances through the 2000s and 2010s included *[Scrubs](https://www.edgepedia.org/scrubs-tv-series)*, *The King of Queens*, *My Name Is Earl*, *How I Met Your Mother*, *The Mindy Project*, *American Horror Story*, and *2 Broke Girls*.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) She also appeared in the video for [Tenacious D](https://www.edgepedia.org/tenacious-d)'s song \"Tribute\" and in Nature Valley cereal commercials as the Sample Lady.[3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) • [6](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/porter-linda)\n\n**Superstore and Twin Peaks.** From *Superstore*'s first season Porter played Myrtle Vartanian, a longtime employee of the Cloud 9 big-box store, appearing in 35 episodes.[4](https://www.tvline.com/news/linda-porter-dead-superstore-myrtle-dies-1105939/) • [3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) Her character arc had Myrtle fired after the discovery that she was the store's highest-paid employee, then reemployed as the store's holographic mascot.[3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) In 2017 she worked with David Lynch on the *Twin Peaks* revival, playing a woman addicted to slot machines who trails the amnesiac [Dale Cooper](https://www.edgepedia.org/dale-cooper) in search of her next win.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) • [7](https://avclub.com/cast-and-crew-share-remembrances-of-linda-porter-super-1838570532) These were among her last roles.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692207/)\n\n## Death and tributes\nPorter died of cancer on September 25, 2019, at 86, having completed her fourth season of *Superstore*.[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter) • [3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) The show's cast and crew posted remembrances; creator Justin Spitzer described the improvised comedy she did at the end of takes, and co-star [Ben Feldman](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-feldman) wrote, \"Here's hoping the angels don't call cut right away because your best stuff always came at the end.\"[3](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks) The *Superstore* season 5 episode \"Myrtle,\" aired in January 2020, paid tribute to her character, using the Cloud 9 hologram as a send-off.[8](https://telltaletv.com/2020/01/superstore-review-myrtle-season-5-episode-12/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Linda Porter, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/linda-porter)\n2. [Linda Porter, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0692207/)\n3. [Linda Porter (1933–2019), character actress known for \"Superstore\" and \"Twin Peaks\", Legacy.com](https://obits.dallasnews.com/news/linda-porter-1933-2019-character-actress-known-for-superstore-and-twin-peaks)\n4. [Superstore's Linda Porter Dead At 86, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/news/linda-porter-dead-superstore-myrtle-dies-1105939/)\n5. [Linda Porter Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/linda_porter)\n6. [Porter, Linda, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/porter-linda)\n7. [Cast and crew share remembrances of Linda Porter, Superstore's Myrtle, The A.V. Club](https://avclub.com/cast-and-crew-share-remembrances-of-linda-porter-super-1838570532)\n8. [Superstore Review: Myrtle (Season 5 Episode 12), Tell-Tale TV](https://telltaletv.com/2020/01/superstore-review-myrtle-season-5-episode-12/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Pi to Q*\n\n*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Linda Porter (actress)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Linda Porter (actress)](https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress](https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Linda Porter (actress)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/linda-porter-actress. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Linda Porter, American character actress known as Myrtle on NBC's Superstore and Lady Slot-Addict in Twin Peaks; also Dude, Where's My Car?, Gilmore Girls, and Tenacious D's Tribute video." }