Hollywood actors start bread company in Colorado Springs garage for charity
Bradley Davis
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Hollywood actors Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl greeted fans in person at the King Soopers off of North Gate as they launched their sourdough, “Duffy’s Dough,” in southern Colorado.
Duffy and Purl said 100% of the profits from their bread company will benefit organizations fighting food insecurity. At Monday’s meet-and-greet, the two will present the Care and Share food bank with a $5,000 check.
It was also a dream come true for one international fan.
“I was so emotional. I was crying, and I could not talk so much because I had something here in my throat,” fan Maria Nechtman said.
Nechtman grew up in Romania during its Communist regime. She said the popular TV show “Dallas” was the only American show the Romanian government allowed her and her classmates to watch. Her favorite character was “Bobby,” played by Patrick Duffy.
“We all got into the dormitory to just gather in one room, like a hundred girls, and we were fighting for the chair just to see Bobby,” Nechtman said. “It was the happiest days of that life when we saw him on TV.”
“Even if you go to Romania today, everyone loves him.”
Duffy said the sourdough starter recipe has been in his family for 75 years. His mother began baking after his family moved to Alaska when Duffy was only two years old.
After Duffy and Purl started dating in 2020, the two used Purl’s garage in Colorado Springs to start their bread company. Six years later, the couple is bringing their bread to southern Colorado after partnering with King Soopers to increase their production to a commercial scale.
Before their breadmaking days, both actors held roles in hit sitcoms and television series. Duffy starred in “Dallas,” “Step by Step,” and Man from “Atlantis.” Purl played prominent supporting roles in “Happy Days,” “Matlock” and as Pam’s mother in “The Office.” That’s far from an exhaustive list, and you may recognize the pair from any number of their other TV appearances!