Screen Duo Finds Life Beyond Hogan’s Heroes : Linda Kozlowski Is Eager to Prove Herself in Film Without Husband

Linda Kozlowski has had phenomenal success co-starring with Paul Hogan, but now she thinks she’d better find another leading man.

She has soared in two of her three major movies, both with Hogan: “Crocodile Dundee” and “Crocodile Dundee II.” Sandwiched between them was “Pass the Ammo”--without Hogan--that was an unconditional flop.

Kozlowski’s third picture with Hogan, “Almost an Angel,” opens today.

The question arises whether Kozlowski’s future as an actress is tied to Hogan’s zooming career or if she can blossom in her own right.

Husband Hogan--they were married last May--is convinced his wife is a superbly trained actress capable of creating her own stardom.

After all, she was educated at Carnegie-Mellon University where she studied drama before attending New York’s famed Julliard School, from which she was graduated in 1981.

Moreover, she appeared on Broadway with Dustin Hoffman in a revival of “Death of a Salesman,” a TV adaptation, and the mini-series “Favorite Son.”

Kozlowski, like Hogan, is aware that continuing to make movies only with her husband would be a mistake. It is time, she believes, that they both prove their mettle in separate projects.

“It has been wonderful working with Paul, but whatever I do next will be with someone else,” she said. “It is almost imperative that we do something separately before we work together again.”

After “Dundee,” Kozlowski was poised on the brink of individual stardom, but her love affair with Hogan took precedence. She chose to remain at his side and makes it clear that her marriage is more important than her career.

“People come first,” she said. “Your loved ones come first. Scripts and movies are important, but my relationship with Paul is my first priority.

“We live about half the year in Australia, but with the advent of the fax machine, I can still get scripts right away.

“It helps to be here in Hollywood and available for meetings, conferences and auditions. Being 18 hours away in Australia--by jet--makes it difficult. I’m not that cut off, but I still have to get out and push.

“Not that there is much worth pushing for. For the past year I haven’t been doing much, but what did I miss? What is there to be jealous of?

“Half the time the women in movies have terrible dialogue. They aren’t on screen much. They’re usually blondes measuring 36-24-36 and playing brain surgeons. You scream with laughter when you see them, but it’s not supposed to be a joke.

“I had a lot of problems after ‘Croc I’ and ‘Croc II.’ I got typecast. I had a theatrical background, but nobody wanted to know about it. I became ‘the pretty blonde girlfriend.’

“I did it once. I did it twice. I don’t want to do it 150 times. The girl I play in ‘Almost an Angel’ is altogether different. Paul gave me the opportunity to play a different character. Other producers might not have.”