After her breakout role in “Crocodile Dundee”, Linda Kozlowski found herself thrust into the international spotlight. Starring opposite Paul Hogan, the film marked a significant milestone in her career trajectory. However, following the “Dundee” series and a handful of other projects, Kozlowski gradually veered away from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood.
Hailing from Fairfield, Connecticut, Linda Kozlowski was born on January 7, 1958, with aspirations of treading the boards. She pursued her passion for acting by enrolling in the prestigious theater program at the Juilliard School. Upon graduating in 1981, she made her mark in various off-Broadway productions before transitioning to minor roles on Broadway and television. Notably, she starred alongside Dustin Hoffman in the television movie “Death of a Salesman”, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Linda’s path to fame wasn’t without its hurdles. Following her stint as a waitress post-“Death of a Salesman”, she relocated to California. It was there, under the wing of her mentor Dustin Hoffman and his wife, that Linda found refuge in their Malibu beach house. It was from this humble abode that Linda embarked on an audition that would alter the course of her life.
Dustin Hoffman’s endorsement landed Linda the coveted role of Sue Charlton in “Crocodile Dundee”, a character she portrayed with aplomb. The film’s astronomical success, raking in over $320 million against a $10 million budget, catapulted Linda Kozlowski into stardom virtually overnight. Interestingly, her fame initially soared in Australia due to the film’s early release there.
Despite her newfound celebrity status, Linda felt somewhat overlooked in Hollywood. While she reprised her role in the “Crocodile Dundee” sequels, she declined numerous offers for roles that pigeonholed her as the quintessential girlfriend of a comedic lead. Ultimately, Linda decided to bid adieu to acting after the third installment of “Dundee”.
In her personal life, Linda Kozlowski found love on set with her co-star Paul Hogan during the “Crocodile Dundee” series. They tied the knot in 1990 and welcomed their son, Chance, in 1998. However, their marriage dissolved in 2014. Following her divorce from Paul Hogan, Linda received a substantial settlement, empowering her to chart her own course. She turned her gaze towards Morocco, where she crossed paths with Moulay Hafid Baba, a native tour guide, sparking a profound life transformation.
Together, Linda and Moulay Hafid Baba founded the luxury travel agency Dream My Destiny in Marrakech. Crafting bespoke travel experiences tailored to their clients’ desires became their passion. Linda seamlessly transitioned from the glitz of Hollywood to the enchanting vistas of Morocco.
While Linda Kozlowski may have bid farewell to the silver screen, her legacy as Sue Charlton in “Crocodile Dundee” endures. At 63, she embraces her adventurous spirit and finds fulfillment in her new life in Morocco. She believes that reality surpasses fiction, channeling her intuition honed during her acting career into curating unforgettable experiences for travelers around the globe.
Tragic events bring orphan colt, mare together
An orphan colt whose mother died shortly after giving birth has a new mom – a mare that had tragically lost her foal – thanks to the generosity of strangers and Washington State University veterinarians playing matchmaker.
Pairing an orphan foal and a nursing mare is a challenging task and one that commonly ends with failure. In this case, the connection was instantaneous.
“The mare had only been without a foal for about 24 hours,” Dr. Lisbeth Matthews, an equine medicine and surgery intern, said. “We walked her into the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and past him. He made a noise, and she went, ‘oh, there’s my foal,’ and started making noises back at him.”
It was a surprise to everyone how quickly the mare, named Shelly but affectionally called Mama by her owners, Roy and Faye Lions, accepted the colt. Equine veterinarian Jenifer Gold, who was helping to care for the foal and to supervise its introduction to the mare, said nursing mares frequently reject orphan foals, and when they don’t, the pairing process often takes days.
“She walked in and started nickering at him like it was her own baby – it was unbelievable,” Gold said. “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I have never seen it happen that way.”
The foal, which has been named Laredo, was admitted to the teaching hospital by his owner, Spokane resident Rachel Williams, just days after he was born when he started showing troubling digestive issues. Shortly after the colt arrived in Pullman, Faye Lions placed a call to WSU to see if the equine team was aware of any orphan colts needing a nursing mare.
“Our foal was dead, and nothing was going to bring it back, so we were hoping we could help someone else,” Faye Lions said. “It just so happened there was a foal there.”
A day later, the colt and Shelly were introduced.
“For them to be so willing to basically hand over their animal to a complete stranger after experiencing their own tragedy was pretty phenomenal,” Williams said. “I feel like in this scenario it was the worst of the worst for everybody, but there was a little bit of silver lining to the story.”
Williams is also grateful for the care and treatment she and her foal received at WSU.
“I just can’t even find words to say how great the veterinarians at WSU were,” she said. “They went above and beyond. I am just happy I ended up at WSU. I am so glad we were able to match those two up – it is kind of a miracle.”
Shelly will live with Williams until the colt is ready to be weaned, likely in six months, before she will return to her home in Kamiah, Idaho.
“It will be tough to say goodbye because you just naturally start to bond with animals, and she has kind of been my lifesaver,” Williams said. “It will be bittersweet for sure, but I am sure her owners will be happy to have her back.”
During the spring, the equine team at WSU typically sees at least a handful of orphan foals. Equine medicine specialist Dr. Macarena Sanz said orphan foals can be fed a powdered milk formula designed for horses, but those raised by humans typically develop behavioral issues that can become problematic as the animal matures.
“They turn out to be socially weird, have no understanding of personal space, and they are more difficult to train,” WSU equine veterinarian Macarena Sanz said. “The fact that this orphan foal has a mare is really going to make a difference.”
Sanz strongly encourages owners to immediately call their veterinarian if a foal is orphaned, as early care is critical to the animal’s survival.
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