Kathleen Quinlan

Kathleen Quinlan Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: November 19, 1954

Age: 69 years old

Birth Place: Pasadena, California

Spouses: Bruce Abbott

Academy Award-nominated actress Kathleen Quinlan enjoyed a lengthy, diverse career that encompassed roles as an ingénue, romantic leading lady, supporting player, and on the rare occasion, formidable character actress. Audiences were given their first brief glimpse of her in George Lucas' sophomore effort, "American Graffiti" (1973), followed by more substantial parts that led to her first starring role in the affecting drama "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" (1977). She ably carried the Joe Dante-directed segment of the tragedy-plagued "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983), and gave a devilishly seductive performance in the Jim Morrison biopic "The Doors" (1991). Quinlan elevated her status in director Ron Howard's NASA docudrama "Apollo 13" (1995) with a role that earned her critical raves. She had high-profile co-starring roles in features such as the thriller "Breakdown" (1997) and the space-horror movie "Event Horizon" (1997), as well as enjoyed a run as the star of her own legal drama with "Family Law" (CBS, 1999-2002). Quinlan occasionally revisited the horror genre with films such as the remake "The Hills Have Eyes" (2006), as well as periodic returns to television for work that included a run on the final season of "Prison Break" (Fox, 2005-09). Versatility was truly the hallmark of Quinlan's impressive acting career; one in which she either led a production's cast or lent it invaluable support, each with an admirable artistic dexterity.

Born Kathleen Denise Quinlan on Nov. 19, 1954 in Pasadena, CA to parents, Robert, a local sportscaster, and Josephine. Quinlan was raised in the town of Mill Valley. Although she suffered from allergy-induced asthma as a child, Quinlan overcame the condition by maintaining an active lifestyle as a gymnast, scuba diver and surfer while attending Tamalpais High School. While still a teen, she made her first screen appearance, albeit uncredited, as Trish Van Devere's double in a diving scene from the romantic drama "One is a Lonely Number" (1972). Quinlan's big break, however, came the following year, after director George Lucas visited her high school while looking to cast his latest film, the nostalgic coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of early '60s car culture and classic rock-n-roll, "American Graffiti" (1973). With her first speaking role under her belt, Quinlan began taking on more substantial parts, including a turn in the apocalyptic sci-fi thriller "Where Have All the People Gone?" (NBC, 1974), which marked her television debut. Other portrayals included that of a teenager with miraculous abilities imprisoned by her father in "The Abduction of Saint Anne" (ABC, 1975), and a supporting role as a teenager with a crush on perpetual beach bum Sam Elliott in "Lifeguard" (1976).

With her star on the rise, Quinlan landed her first leading role as a schizophrenic teenager in the absorbing, often disturbing drama "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" (1977), showing remarkable restraint in a portrayal that could have easily lapsed into histrionics, but instead earned Quinlan a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. That same year, she joined the star-studded cast of the air-disaster sequel "Airport '77" (1977), in which a luxury jetliner crash lands in the dreaded Bermuda Triangle. In 1979, Quinlan made her New York stage debut in Thomas Babe's "Taken in Marriage" at the Public Theater for a production that earned the young actress a Theatre World Award. Although she continued to work steadily, Quinlan's talent often outshone the quality of the material she appeared in, with such projects as the maudlin romantic melodrama "The Promise" (1979), the "Private Benjamin" rip-off "She's in the Army Now" (ABC, 1981), and the sub-par Gene Wilder-Richard Pryor vehicle "Hanky Panky" (1982). More ambitious was her leading role in "Independence Day" (1983), as a young artist trying to escape the cultural confines of her small town. Also that year, Quinlan delivered a compelling performance as an outsider drawn into a child's nightmarish cartoon world for the Joe Dante-directed segment of "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983).

Quinlan played a modern-day Jane to an urban-dwelling Tarzan in "Wild Thing" (1987), an oddball adventure tale penned by future filmmaker John Sayles, and turned in a cameo in the Blake Edwards' misfire "Sunset" (1988). The following year, she starred in "Trapped" (USA, 1989), a "Die Hard"-inspired thriller, on the set of which she met future husband, actor Bruce Abbott. Quinlan turned in a brief, albeit memorable performance as the man-eating photographer Patricia Kennealy, seducing rock god Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) in Oliver Stone's ambitious biopic "The Doors" (1991). Other early 1990s work included roles as an adoptive mother in "Stolen Babies" (Lifetime, 1993), and as the jealous moll of an indicted mob boss in "Trial by Jury" (1994). Far more prestigious was Quinlan's contribution as a member of a strong ensemble cast in director Ron Howard's "Apollo 13" (1995). Her portrayal of Marilyn Lovell, the concerned but supportive wife of astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), earned Quinlan Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress. The accolades led to a deluge of work for Quinlan, exemplified by her quadruple appearances in the taught roadside thriller "Breakdown" (1997), the kid-friendly eco-adventure "Zeus and Roxanne" (1997), the visually arresting sci-fi horror of "Even Horizon" (1997), and the British indie drama "Lawn Dogs" (1997).

Quinlan decreased her output by half the following year with a turn as Billy Crystal's wife in the lackluster comedy "My Giant" (1998), and played a part in the courtroom drama "A Civil Action" (1998), starring John Travolta. She later signed as a regular on the domestic legal drama "Family Law" (CBS, 1999-2002) in the role of Lynn Holt, an attorney who starts her own firm after her lawyer husband leaves her and takes all of their clients with him. After a five-year absence from the big screen, Quinlan returned as Shia LaBeouf's mother in the second "Project Green Light" feature "The Battle of Shaker Heights" (2003), an uneven coming-of-age comedy drama. Several made-for-TV projects occupied her time until she took part in the grisly remake of the Wes Craven cult favorite "The Hills Have Eyes" (2006), this time directed by French horror wunderkind Alexandre Aja. Quinn picked up a recurring role as ruthless power player Christina Scofield Rose in the final season of the critically lauded series "Prison Break" (Fox, 2005-09), followed by a frightening turn as the insane matron of a safe house for abused woman in "Harm's Way" (2010). On cable she joined the ensemble cast of "Cinema Verite" (HBO, 2011), a docudrama about one of the first experiments with reality television, starring Diane Lane, Tim Robbins and James Gandolfini among others.

Credits

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Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

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Walking With Herb

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The Stairs

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Saving My Baby

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Virginia
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2019

Chimera Strain

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Masterson
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2018

Parallel

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Marissa
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2018

Elizabeth Blue

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Carol
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2017

ADDicted

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Kate Dawson
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2017

Blue

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Jessica
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2015

How Not to Propose

Actor
Susan
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2015

After

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Nora Valentino
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2014

HornsStream

Actor
Lydia Perrish
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2013
42%

Chicago FireStream

Guest Star
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Series
2012

Cinema Verite

Actor
Mary
Movie
2011

Eagles in the Chicken Coop

Actor
Mary Bernstein
Movie
2010

The River Why

Actor
Ma
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2010

Elektra Luxx

Actor
Rebecca Linbrook
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2010

GleeStream

Guest Star
Dr. Shane
Series
2009
70%

Poundcake

Actor
Movie
2008

The Dissection of Thanksgiving

Actor
Carol
Movie
2008

Made of HonorStream

Actor
Joan
Movie
2008
16%

Harm's Way

Actor
Bea
Movie
2008

BreachStream

Actor
Bonnie Hanssen
Movie
2007
84%

American Fork

Actor
Agnes Orbison
Movie
2007

The Hills Have Eyes

Actor
Ethel Carter
Movie
2006

Prison BreakStream

Guest Star
Christina Rose Scofield
Series
2005
61%

HouseStream

Guest Star
Arlene McNeil
Series
2004
90%

The Riverman

Actor
Sande Keppel
Movie
2004

Perfect Romance

Actor
Tess Kelly
Movie
2004

The Dead Will Tell

Actor
Beth Hytner
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2004

Blessings

Actor
Meredith Blessing
Movie
2003

The Battle of Shaker Heights

Actor
Eve
Movie
2003

CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStream

Guest Star
Series
2000

Family LawStream

Actor
Lynn Holt
Series
1999

Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke

Actor
Show
1999

My GiantStream

Actor
Serena Kamin
Movie
1998
21%

A Civil ActionStream

Actor
Anne Anderson
Movie
1998
63%

Zeus and Roxanne

Actor
Mary Beth Dunhill
Movie
1997

BreakdownStream

Actor
Amy Taylor
Movie
1997
83%

Event HorizonStream

Actor
Peters
Movie
1997
34%

Lawn Dogs

Actor
Clare Stockard
Movie
1997

In the Lake of the Woods

Actor
Kathy Waylan
Movie
1996

Picture Windows

Actor
Show
1995

Apollo 13Stream

Actor
Marilyn Lovell
Movie
1995
96%

Trial by Jury

Actor
Wanda
Movie
1994

Perfect Alibi

Actor
Melanie Bauers
Movie
1994

Coartada Perfecta

Actor
Movie
1994

Diagnosis MurderStream

Guest Star
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1993

Stolen Babies

Actor
Bekka
Movie
1993

Last Light

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Kathy Rubicek
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1993

Le Couloir de la mort

Actor
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1993

An American Story

Actor
Hope Tyler
Movie
1992

Maison des félins

Actor
Movie
1991

The DoorsStream

Actor
Patricia Kennealy
Movie
1991
56%

Strays

Actor
Lindsey Jarrett
Movie
1991

Evidencia Corporal

Actor
Movie
1990

The Operation

Actor
Ginnie
Movie
1990

Bodily Harm

Actor
Ginnie
Movie
1990

Traqués

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1989

Atrapado

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1989

Trapped

Actor
Mary Ann Marshall
Movie
1989

Sunset

Actor
Nancy Shoemaker
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1988

Clara's HeartStream

Actor
Leona Hart
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1988
50%

Dreams Lost, Dreams Found

Actor
Sarah McAllister
Movie
1987

Man Outside

Actor
Grace Freemont
Movie
1987

Wild Thing

Actor
Jane
Movie
1987

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

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1985

Señal de Alerta

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1985

Warning Sign

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Blackout

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1985

Children of the Night

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1985

When She Says No

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1984

The Last Winter

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Joyce
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1984

Sueños de Libertad

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1983

Follow Your Dreams

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1983

Consentement obligatoire

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1983

Independence Day

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1983

Twilight Zone: The Movie

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1983

Hanky Panky

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1982

Sunday Lovers

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Laurie
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1981

She's in the Army Now

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1981

The Runner Stumbles

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1979

The Promise

Actor
Nancy McAllister/Marie Adamson
Movie
1979

Little Ladies of the Night

Actor
Karen Brodwick
Movie
1977

Airport '77Stream

Actor
Julie
Movie
1977
40%

I Never Promised You a Rose GardenStream

Actor
Deborah Blake
Movie
1977
40%

Lifeguard

Actor
Wendy
Movie
1976

Joe Forrester

Guest Star
Show
1975

Gibbsville: The Turning Point of Jim Malloy

Actor
Edith Evans
Movie
1975

The Abduction of Saint Anne

Actor
Anne Benedict
Movie
1975

They've Kidnapped Anne Benedict

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Anne Benedict
Movie
1975

Police Woman

Guest Star
Debbie Sweet
Series
1974

El Juicio Final

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1974

Where Have All the People Gone?

Actor
Deborah Anders
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1974

Can Ellen Be Saved?

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Melissa
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1974

The Missing Are Deadly

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Michelle
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1974

Judgement Day

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Joyce Howell
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1974

Lucas Tanner

Actor
Joyce Howell
Movie
1974

KojakStream

Guest Star
Janet Conforti
Series
1973

American GraffitiStream

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Peg
Movie
1973
95%

The WaltonsStream

Guest Star
Series
1972