Karen Austin

Karen Austin Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: October 24, 1955

Age: 68 years old

Birth Place: Welch, West Virginia

With a master's degree in dramatic literature from Northwestern to her name, Karen Austin got her first break as an actress on the beloved sitcom "Happy Days" in 1978. She appeared on the prime-time soap "Dallas" and the detective series "The Rockford Files" shortly thereafter, and in 1979 scored her first role in a feature film with the inspirational drama "Fish Hawk." After being cast in a leading role in the failed adventure series "The Quest" in 1982, she signed on for a supporting role as a court clerk on the inaugural season of "Night Court" in 1984. Despite significant screen time, and a simmering romance with quirky Judge Harry Stone, she left the legal comedy after only 10 episodes. Following a brief stopover on the medical drama "St. Elsewhere," Austin landed a co-starring role as John Candy's wife in the 1985 comedy "Summer Rental." The next year, she starred in the disturbing revenge flick "The Ladies Club" as a rape victim with a vendetta. Aside from a supporting role in the 1989 thriller "Far From Home," her mid-'80s projects were her most prominent. Never without work, however, Austin continued to appear as a guest star on many popular TV series into the new millennium, though she never again saw quite the spotlight that she did earlier in her career.

Credits

A Case of the Mondays

Actor
Ms. Swallow
Movie
2023

Sweet Talk

Actor
Newsvendor / Nurse
Movie
2012

The Rum Diary

Actor
Mrs. Zimburger
Movie
2011

Confined

Actor
Ellie Wolfram
Movie
2010

Amber's Story

Actor
Glenda Whitson
Movie
2006

Freddie

Guest Star
Series
2005
6%

The CloserStream

Guest Star
Linda Prall
Series
2005
83%

Desperate HousewivesStream

Guest Star
Lois McDaniel
Series
2004
72%

RodneyStream

Guest Star
Patsy
Series
2004
20%

Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital

Guest Star
Show
2004

Cold CaseStream

Guest Star
Series
2003

Without a TraceStream

Guest Star
Series
2002

CSI: MiamiStream

Guest Star
Series
2002

GirlfriendsStream

Guest Star
Series
2000

Vengeance Unlimited

Guest Star
Series
1998
19%

Martial Law

Guest Star
Series
1998

Best Friends for Life

Actor
Violet Evans
Movie
1998

House of Frankenstein

Actor
Miniseries
1997

Profiler

Guest Star
Series
1996

3rd Rock from the SunStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

JAGStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

Murder OneStream

Guest Star
Series
1995
91%

Live Shot

Guest Star
Show
1995

The Outer LimitsStream

Guest Star
Old Woman
Series
1995

SlidersStream

Guest Star
Series
1995

The Marshal

Guest Star
Series
1995

Star Trek: VoyagerStream

Guest Star
Miral
Series
1995
76%

Touched by an AngelStream

Guest Star
Series
1994

Murder or Memory? A Moment of Truth Movie

Actor
Connie Frawley
Movie
1994

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Jessica Herman
Series
1993
83%

Star Trek: Deep Space NineStream

Guest Star
Kalandra
Series
1993
91%

When a Stranger Calls Back

Actor
Skid Row Woman
Movie
1993

Terreur sur la ligne 2

Actor
Movie
1993

The CommishStream

Guest Star
Linda Scott
Series
1991

Step by StepStream

Guest Star
Series
1991

Beverly Hills 90210Stream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Casey's Gift: For Love of a Child

Actor
Donna Bolen
Movie
1990

Por Ella Hasta la Muerte

Actor
Movie
1989

Terreur sur la ville

Actor
Movie
1989

Far From Home

Actor
Louise
Movie
1989

A Girl to Kill For

Actor
Karen/Shopper
Movie
1989

Laura Lansing Slept Here

Actor
Melody Gomphers
Movie
1988

Jake and the Fatman

Guest Star
Series
1987

21 Jump StreetStream

Guest Star
Mrs. Futterman
Series
1987

When the Time Comes

Actor
Joanna
Movie
1987

Asesino

Actor
Movie
1986

The Ladies Club

Actor
Joan Taylor
Movie
1986

Penalty Phase

Actor
Julie
Movie
1986

Assassin

Actor
Mary Casallas
Movie
1986

The Twilight Zone

Actor
Series
1985

Summer RentalStream

Actor
Sandy Chester
Movie
1985
17%

Jagged EdgeStream

Actor
Julie Jensen
Movie
1985
81%

HunterStream

Guest Star
Lt. Megan Malone
Series
1984

Night CourtStream

Actor
Lana Wagner
Series
1984

The Taming of the Shrew

Actor
Movie
1983

The Quest

Actor
Carrie Welby
Movie
1982

Hill Street BluesStream

Guest Star
West Virginia
Series
1981
97%

Hart to HartStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

Soap

Guest Star
Series
1977

Three's CompanyStream

Guest Star
Series
1977

Happy DaysStream

Guest Star
Peggy Clark
Series
1974

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Dr. Paula Hall
Series
1971

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