Karen Black

Karen Black Headshot

Actress • Writer • Singer • Songwriter

Birth Date: July 1, 1939

Death Date: August 8, 2013

Birth Place: Park Ridge, Illinois

A key female performer of the American film renaissance of the 1970s, Karen Black was known for her warm smile, sturdy-yet-fraught quality and imperfectly set eyes. In 1965, Black won a Drama Critics Award nomination in for her Broadway debut in the short-running "The Playroom," but subsequent work in films limited her stage appearances. After earning praise as the small-town waitress who falls for upper-class drifter Jack Nicholson in "Five Easy Pieces" (1970), Black lent her versatility and unconventional beauty to a number of both offbeat and mainstream films, including Nicholson's "Drive, He Said" (1971), Robert Altman's "Nashville" (1975), in which she sang and earned a Grammy nomination for her efforts, and Alfred Hitchcock's swan song, "Family Plot" (1976). She did well as the sluttish Myrtle in "The Great Gatsby" (1974), but that same year found herself the object of parody for her silly role as a flight attendant forced to try to fly an airplane in "Airport 1975" (1974).

She was the party girl who dreams of stardom in "The Day of the Locust" (1975), and memorably portrayed various characters in the cult-classic TV movie "Trilogy of Terror" (ABC, 1975). Although her Hollywood career had petered out by the end of that decade, she remained a cult favorite, and her 2013 death was widely mourned by fans.

Whereas others might have thrown in the towel or become women in jeopardy in TV movies with regularity, Black instead turned to independent films. While some were of downright horrendous quality, others offered her a wider range of roles than Hollywood might have. Among the best was Robert Altman's screen adaptation of "Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" (1982), in which she portrayed a transsexual. At the other end of the spectrum was her embarrassing role as an overprotective mother in "The Invisible Kid" (1988). In the middle of the decade, she had a recurring role as Elliott Gould's ex-wife on the sitcom "E/R" (CBS, 1984-85), and, in 1989, joined the parade of actors making guest appearances on the popular cop series "Miami Vice" (NBC, 1984-1990).

She also appeared in "Invaders from Mars" (1986) with Hunter Carson, her son by screenwriter/actor L.M. Kit Carson. Black seemed never to turn down a part and was often available for low-budget films by first-time directors. As a result, her output did not diminish with her salary "quote," and, during the mid-1990s, she had numerous films in the can awaiting release, ranging from the comedy "Plan 10 from Outer Space" (1995) to the sequel "Children of the Corn: The Gathering" (1996) to the indescribable "Dinosaur Valley Girls" (1996).

In the new millennium, Black was largely relegated to getting by on her status as a cult favorite, though she did appear in occasional notable productions, including the offbeat computer-obsessed movie "Teknolust" (2002), starring Tilda Swinton, and she gamely embraced her horror roots as Mother Firefly in Rob Zombie's gory creep-fest "House of 1000 Corpses" (2003). Featured in low-budget films and occasional TV shows during her final years, Black died of cancer in 2013. One of her final public appearances came earlier that year, when she sang a duet with alt-folk singer-songwriter Cass McCombs on his song "Brighter!" from the album Big Wheel and Others.

Credits

Bunker of Blood 2 Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

Actor
Movie
2018

Oowiewanna

Actor
The Donna
Show
2015

Karen Black: The Actor's Life

Actor
Show
2015

ORF III - Spezial

Actor
Fran
Show
2014

Wild in Blue

Actor
Justine
Movie
2014

She Loves Me Not

Actor
Karla
Movie
2013

Ooga Booga

Actor
Mrs. Allardyce
Movie
2013

Dark Blood

Actor
Motel Woman
Movie
2012

Letters From the Big Man

Actor
Sean's Colleague
Movie
2011

Some Guy Who Kills People

Actor
Ruth Boyd
Movie
2011

Maria My Love

Actor
Maria
Movie
2011

Mommy's Little Monster

Actor
Mrs. Melnick
Movie
2011

Nothing Special

Actor
May
Movie
2010

Meet the Eye

Actor
Movie
2009

A Single Woman

Actor
Movie
2009

Irene in Time

Actor
Sheila
Movie
2009

Double Duty

Actor
Annabelle
Movie
2009

Stuck!

Actor
Next Door Neighbor Lady
Movie
2009

Repo Chick

Actor
Aunt de la Chasse
Movie
2009

The Blue Tooth Virgin

Actor
Zena
Movie
2008

Contamination

Actor
Mavis
Movie
2008

One Long Night

Actor
Barbara
Movie
2007

Wamego Strikes Back

Actor
Movie
2007

Ghost Writer

Actor
Renee
Movie
2007

Hollywood DreamsStream

Actor
Luna
Movie
2006
39%

Read You Like a Book

Actor
Kate
Movie
2006

The Straun House

Actor
Molly
Movie
2005

My Suicidal Sweetheart

Actor
Grace's mom
Movie
2005

America Brown

Actor
Marianne Brown
Movie
2004

Firecracker

Actor
Sandra/Eleanor
Movie
2004

Buttleman

Actor
Mrs. Buttleman
Movie
2003

House of 1000 CorpsesStream

Actor
Mother Firefly
Movie
2003
21%

Curse of the Forty-Niner

Actor
Aunt Nelly
Movie
2003

Summer Solstice

Actor
Dr. Sally McDermott
Movie
2003

A Light in the Darkness

Actor
Mrs. Melnick
Movie
2002

Teknolust

Actor
Dirty Dick
Movie
2002

Law & Order: Criminal IntentStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

Soulkeeper

Actor
Magnificent Martha
Movie
2001

Hard Luck

Actor
Aunt Judy
Movie
2001

Gypsy 83

Actor
Bambi LeBleau
Movie
2001

Red Dirt

Actor
Movie
2000

The Independent

Self
Movie
2000

The Donor

Actor
Mrs. Springle
Movie
2000

Mascara

Actor
Aunt Eloise
Movie
1999

The Underground Comedy Movie

Actor
Mother
Movie
1999

Relámpago

Actor
Movie
1998

Felons

Actor
Jude
Movie
1998

Felons

Producer
Movie
1998

Felons

Writer
Movie
1998

Lightspeed

Actor
Movie
1998

Bury the Evidence

Actor
The Mother
Movie
1998

Fallen Arches

Actor
Lucy Romano
Movie
1998

The Hunger

Actor
Show
1997

Men

Actor
Alex
Movie
1997

Men

Screenwriter
Movie
1997

Invisible Dad

Actor
Courtney Whitmer
Movie
1997

My Neighbor's Daughter

Actor
Social Worker
Movie
1997

Stir

Actor
Dr. Gabrielle Kessler
Movie
1997

Malaika

Actor
Jessica Martin
Movie
1997

Dogtown

Actor
Rose Van Horn
Movie
1997

Conceiving Ada

Actor
Lady Byron/Mother Coer
Movie
1997
82%

ProfilerStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Un angelo a New York

Actor
Mrs. Tender
Movie
1996

Sister Island

Actor
Rose Walsh
Movie
1996

Crimetime

Actor
Millicent
Movie
1996

Children of the Corn IV: The GatheringStream

Actor
June Rhodes
Movie
1996

Plan 10 From Outer Space

Actor
Nehor
Movie
1996

Starstruck

Actor
Movie
1995

The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

Actor
Evelyn
Movie
1995

Dinosaur Valley Girls

Actor
Ro-Kell
Movie
1995

Party of FiveStream

Guest Star
Series
1994

Ralph S. Mouse

Actor
Miss Kuchenbacker
Show
1994

Jonas in the Desert

Actor
Movie
1994

The Trust

Actor
Maria Vandermeer
Movie
1993

Bound & Gagged: A Love Story

Actor
Carla
Movie
1993

Tuesday Never Comes

Actor
Michelle
Movie
1993

Judgement

Actor
Tiffany Powers
Movie
1992

Hotel Oklahoma

Actor
Blanche
Movie
1992

Children of the Night

Actor
Karen Thompson
Movie
1992

Hitz

Actor
Tiffany Powers
Movie
1992

The Double O Kid

Actor
Mrs. Elliot
Movie
1992

Final Judgement

Actor
Mrs. Sorrel
Movie
1992

The Double 0 Kid

Actor
Mrs. Elliot
Movie
1992

Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

Actor
Auntie Lee
Movie
1992

The Return of the Rollerblade Seven

Actor
Tarot
Movie
1992

Movies Money & Murder

Actor
Bettie
Movie
1992

Fatal Encounter

Actor
Joan Caldwell
Movie
1991

Encuentro Fatal

Actor
Movie
1991

Rubin and Ed

Actor
Rula
Movie
1991

Quiet Fire

Actor
Kim Martino
Movie
1991

The Roller Blade Seven

Actor
Tarot
Movie
1991

Espíritus Diabólicos

Actor
Movie
1990

Twisted Justice

Actor
Mrs. Granger
Movie
1990

Justicia Errónea

Actor
Movie
1990

The Children

Actor
Sybil Lullmer
Movie
1990

Night Angel

Actor
Rita
Movie
1990

Blood Money

Actor
Barrett
Movie
1990

Mirror, Mirror

Actor
Susan Gordon
Movie
1990

Club Fed

Actor
Sally Rich
Movie
1990

Haunting Fear

Actor
Dr. Julia Harcourt
Movie
1990

Overexposed

Actor
Mrs. Trowbridge
Movie
1990

Evil Spirits

Actor
Ella Purdy
Movie
1990

La vita leggendaria di Ernest Hemingway

Actor
Martha Gellhorn
Show
1989

Los Estudiantes se Divierten II

Actor
Movie
1989

Out of the Dark

Actor
Ruth Wilson
Movie
1989

Homer & Eddie

Actor
Belle
Movie
1989

La Próxima Víctima

Actor
Movie
1989

La vita leggendaria di Ernest Hemingway

Actor
Martha Gellhorn
Movie
1989

The Invisible Kid

Actor
Mom/Deborah
Movie
1988

Malveillance éternelle

Actor
Movie
1988

It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

Actor
Ellen
Movie
1987

Dixie Lanes

Actor
Zelma Putnam
Movie
1987

Hostage

Actor
Laura Lawrence
Movie
1987

Flight of the Spruce Goose

Actor
Gloria
Movie
1986

Invaders from MarsStream

Actor
Linda Magnusson
Movie
1986
38%

Venganza Salvaje

Actor
Movie
1985

Eternal Evil

Actor
Janus
Movie
1985

Savage Dawn

Actor
Rachel
Movie
1985

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Dr. Sylvia Dunn
Series
1984

Miami ViceStream

Guest Star
Series
1984
71%

E/R

Guest Star
Series
1984
68%

Full Circle Again

Actor
Movie
1984

Bad Manners

Actor
Gladys Fitzpatrick
Movie
1984

Martin's Day

Actor
Karen
Movie
1984

Le Crépuscule sauvage

Actor
Movie
1984

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

Actor
Zee
Movie
1983

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy DeanStream

Actor
Joanne
Movie
1982
86%

Seperate Ways

Actor
Valentine Colby
Movie
1981

The Grass Is Singing

Actor
Mary Turner
Movie
1981

Miss Right

Actor
Amy
Movie
1981

Chanel Solitaire

Actor
Emilienne d'Alençon
Movie
1981

Te Llevamos en el Corazón Jimmy Dean

Actor
Movie
1981

Where the Ladies Go

Actor
Helen
Movie
1980

Power

Actor
Rose Vanda-Buchanan
Movie
1980

The Ripoff

Actor
Clarisse Saunders
Movie
1980

Confessions of a Lady Cop

Actor
InvestigatorEvelyn Carter
Movie
1980

Separate Ways

Actor
Valentine Colby
Movie
1980

Mr. Horn

Actor
Ernestina Crawford
Movie
1979

The Last Word

Actor
Paula Herbert
Movie
1979

Killer Fish

Actor
Kate Neville
Movie
1979

Les Femmes de trente ans

Actor
Movie
1979

America 2-Night

Guest Star
Series
1978

In Praise of Older Women

Actor
Maya
Movie
1978

Because He's My Friend

Actor
Anne
Movie
1978

Capricorn OneStream

Actor
Judy Drinkwater
Movie
1978
65%

The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

Actor
Miriam Oliver/Sandy
Movie
1978

Parce qu'il est mon ami

Actor
Movie
1978

Le Grand coup

Actor
Movie
1978

Family PlotStream

Actor
Fran
Movie
1976
93%

Burnt OfferingsStream

Actor
Marian Rolf
Movie
1976
50%

Crime and Passion

Actor
Susan Winters
Movie
1976

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

The Day of the LocustStream

Actor
Faye Greener
Movie
1975
61%

NashvilleStream

Actor
Connie White
Movie
1975
91%

Trilogy of TerrorStream

Actor
Julie/Millicent Larimore/Therese Larimore/Amelia
Movie
1975
92%

An Ace Up My Sleeve

Actor
Susan Winters
Movie
1975

El Deseo

Actor
Movie
1974

The Great GatsbyStream

Actor
Myrtle Wilson
Movie
1974
41%

Airport 1975Stream

Actor
Nancy Pryor
Movie
1974
30%

Law and Disorder

Actor
Gloria
Movie
1974

RhinocerosStream

Actor
Daisy
Movie
1974

The OutfitStream

Actor
Bett Harrow
Movie
1974
80%

Police Story

Actor
Investigator Evelyn Carter
Series
1973

Little Laura and Big John

Actor
Laura
Movie
1973

The Pyx

Actor
Elizabeth Lucy
Movie
1973

Portnoy's Complaint

Actor
Mary Jane Reid
Movie
1972

Narcotráfico en Nueva York

Actor
Movie
1971

Cisco PikeStream

Actor
Sue
Movie
1971
100%

A Gunfight

Actor
Jenny Simms
Movie
1971

Drive, He Said

Actor
Olive
Movie
1971

Born to Win

Actor
Parm
Movie
1971

Addict

Actor
Parm
Movie
1971

Five Easy PiecesStream

Actor
Rayette Dipesto
Movie
1970
89%

Hard Contract

Actor
Ellen
Movie
1969

Easy RiderStream

Actor
Karen
Movie
1969
84%

MannixStream

Guest Star
Elaine Tate
Series
1967

The Carol Burnett ShowStream

Guest
Variety Show
1967

Judd for the Defense

Guest Star
Show
1967

The Second Hundred Years

Guest Star
Marcia
Show
1967

You're a Big Boy Now

Actor
Amy Partlett
Movie
1966

The Big Valley

Guest Star
Series
1965

The Prime Time

Actor
Painted Woman
Movie
1960