KB
Karen Black
Actor, Composer, Producer, Writer
Died August 8, 2013 (74 years)
Karen Blanche Black (née Ziegler; July 1, 1939 – August 8, 2013) was an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She rose to prominence for her work in various studio and independent films in the 1970s, frequently portraying eccentric and offbeat characters, and established herself as a figure of New Hollywood. Her career spanned over 50 years and includes nearly 200 credits in both independent and mainstream films. Black received numerous accolades throughout her career, including two Golden Globe Awards, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
A native of suburban Chicago, Black studied theater at Northwestern University before dropping out and relocating to New York City. She performed on Broadway in 1965 before making her major film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's You're a Big Boy Now (1966). Black relocated to California and was cast as an acid-tripping prostitute in Dennis Hopper's road film Easy Rider (1969). That led to a lead in the drama Five Easy Pieces (1970), in which she played a hopeless beautician, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Black made her first major commercial picture with the disaster film Airport 1975 (1974), and her subsequent appearance as Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby (1974) won her a second Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Black starred as a glamorous country singer in Robert Altman's ensemble musical drama Nashville (1975), also writing and performing two songs for the soundtrack, which won a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack. Her portrayal of an aspiring actress in John Schlesinger's drama The Day of the Locust (also 1975) earned her a third Golden Globe nomination, this time for Best Actress. She subsequently took on four roles in Dan Curtis' anthology horror film Trilogy of Terror (1975), followed by Curtis's supernatural horror feature, Burnt Offerings (1976). The same year, she starred as a con artist in Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot.
In 1982, Black starred as a trans woman in the Robert Altman-directed Broadway debut of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, a role she also reprised in Altman's subsequent film adaptation. She next starred in the comedy Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983), followed by Tobe Hooper's remake of Invaders from Mars (1986). For much of the late 1980s and 1990s, Black starred in a variety of arthouse, independent, and horror films, as well as writing her own screenplays. She had a leading role as a villainous mother in Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (2003), which cemented her status as a cult horror icon. She continued to star in low-profile films throughout the early 2000s, as well as working as a playwright before her death from ampullary cancer in 2013.
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Filmography
| 2018 | |
| 2015 | Wild in Blue · as Justine |
| 2014 | Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films · as Linda Magnusson |
| 2013 | Ooga Booga · as Mrs. Allardyce |
| 2013 | She Loves Me Not · as Karla |
| 2012 | Mommy's Little Monster · as Mrs. Melnick |
| 2012 | Dark Blood · as Motel Woman |
| 2011 | Some Guy Who Kills People · as Ruth Boyd |
| 2011 | Letters from the Big Man · as Sean's Colleague |
| 2011 | Maria My Love · as Maria |
| 2010 | Nothing Special · as May |
| 2010 | Funny or Die Presents (TV Series) · as Debbie Rubbie |
| 2009 | Repo Chick · as Aunt de la Chasse |
| 2009 | Irene in Time · as Sheila Shivvers |
| 2009 | Double Duty · as Annabelle |
| 2008 | Watercolors · as Mrs. Martin |
| 2008 | The Blue Tooth Virgin · as Zena |
| 2008 | A Single Woman · as Storyteller |
| 2007 | Suffering Man's Charity · as Renee |
| 2007 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (TV Series) · as Jennifer |
| 2006 | Hollywood Dreams · as Luna |
| 2005 | Fire Basements · as Sandra / Eleanor |
| 2005 | The Straun House · as Molly |
| 2005 | Crazy for Love · as Grace's Mom |
| 2005 | |
| 2004 | America Brown · as Marianne Brown |
| 2003 | The Work of Director Chris Cunningham · as Dancer (segment "Windowlicker") |
| 2003 | Paris · as Chantelle |
| 2003 | Summer Solstice · as Dr. Sally McDermott |
| 2003 | Buttleman · as Mrs. Buttleman |
| 2003 | House of 1000 Corpses · as Mother Firefly |
| 2003 | Russians in the City of Angels (TV Series) · as Patricia Sommers |
| 2002 | Curse of the Forty-Niner · as Aunt Nelly |
| 2002 | Teknolust · as Dirty Dick |
| 2002 | A Light in the Darkness · as Mrs. Melnick |
| 2001 | Gypsy 83 · as Bambi LeBleau |
| 2001 | Soulkeeper · as Martha la Magnifica |
| 2001 | Hard Luck · as Aunt Judy |
| 2001 | |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 2000 | Red Dirt · as Aunt Summer |
| 1999 | The Underground Comedy Movie · as Unknown |
| 1999 | Mascara · as Aunt Eloise |
| 1998 | I Woke Up Early the Day I Died · as Whip Lady |
| 1998 | Invisible Dad · as Courtney Whitmer |
| 1998 | Light Speed · as High Priestess |
| 1998 | Charades · as Jude |
| 1998 | Malaika · as Jessica Martin |
| 1998 | Rude Awakening (TV Series) · as Crystal Garcia |
| 1997 | Men · as Alex |
| 1997 | Stir · as Dr. Gabrielle Kessler |
| 1997 | The Hunger (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1996 | Children of the Corn: The Gathering · as June Rhodes |
| 1996 | Crimetime · as Millicent |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1996 | Profiler (TV Series) · as Evie Long |
| 1994 | Party of Five (TV Series) · as Doreen Jablonsky |
| 1993 | Bound and Gagged: A Love Story · as Carla |
| 1993 | The Trust · as Maria Vandermeer |
| 1993 | Moon Over Miami (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1992 | The Player · as Karen Black |
| 1992 | Auntie Lee's Meat Pies · as Auntie Lee |
| 1992 | The Double 0 Kid · as Mrs. Elliot |
| 1992 | Hitz · as Tiffany Powers |
| 1992 | Final Judgement · as Mrs. Sorrel |
| 1992 | Tuesday Never Comes · as Michelle |
| 1992 | Dead Girls Don't Tango · as Insp. Wilson |
| 1991 | Evil Spirits · as Ella Purdy |
| 1991 | Rubin and Ed · as Rula |
| 1991 | Children of the Night · as Karen Thompson |
| 1991 | The Roller Blade Seven · as Tarot |
| 1991 | Quiet Fire · as Kim Martino |
| 1991 | The Killers Edge · as Barrett |
| 1991 | Caged Fear · as Blanche |
| 1991 | Ralph S. Mouse · as Miss Kuchenbacker |
| 1990 | Haunting Fear · as Dr. Julia Harcourt |
| 1990 | Night Angel · as Rita |
| 1990 | Zapped Again! · as Homeroom Teacher |
| 1990 | Mirror Mirror · as Susan Gordon |
| 1990 | Twisted Justice · as Mrs. Granger |
| 1990 | Overexposed · as Mrs. Trowbridge |
| 1990 | Club Fed · as Sally Rich |
| 1990 | Fatal Encounter · as Joan Caldwell |
| 1989 | Homer and Eddie · as Belle |
| 1988 | Out of the Dark · as Ruth Wilson |
| 1988 | The Invisible Kid · as Mom |
| 1988 | Dixie Lanes · as Zelma Putnam |
| 1988 | In the Heat of the Night (TV Series) · as Carla Ray |
| 1987 | It's Alive III: Island of the Alive · as Ellen Jarvis |
| 1986 | Hostage · as Laura Lawrence |
| 1986 | Invaders from Mars · as Linda Magnusson |
| 1985 | Savage Dawn · as Rachel |
| 1985 | Eternal Evil · as Janus |
| 1985 | Martin's Day · as Unknown |
| 1985 | Miss Right · as Amy |
| 1984 | Cut and Run · as Karin |
| 1984 | Bad Manners · as Gladys Fitzpatrick |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as Dr. Sylvia Dunn |
| 1984 | E/R (1984) (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1984 | Miami Vice (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1983 | Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? · as Zee |
| 1983 | The Hitchhiker (TV Series) · as Kay Mason |
| 1982 | The Last Horror Film · as Karen Black (uncredited) |
| 1982 | Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean · as Joanne |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) · as Sea Witch |
| 1981 | Separate Ways · as Valentine Colby |
| 1981 | Chanel Solitaire · as Emilienne d'Alençon |
| 1981 | The Grass Is Singing · as Mary Turner |
| 1979 | Killer Fish · as Kate |
| 1979 | The Last Word · as Paula Herbert |
| 1978 | In Praise of Older Women · as Maya |
| 1978 | The Squeeze · as Clarisse Saunders |
| 1978 | Because He's My Friend · as Anne |
| 1977 | Capricorn One · as Judy Drinkwater |
| 1977 | ABC Weekend Special (TV Series) · as Miss Kuchenbacker |
| 1976 | Family Plot · as Fran |
| 1976 | Burnt Offerings · as Marian Rolf |
| 1976 | Crime and Passion · as Susan Winters |
| 1976 | America at the Movies · as Rayette Dipesto |
| 1975 | Nashville · as Connie White |
| 1975 | The Day of the Locust · as Faye Greener |
| 1975 | Trilogy of Terror · as Julie / Millicent Larimore / Therese Larimore / Amelia |
| 1974 | The Great Gatsby · as Myrtle Wilson |
| 1974 | Airport 1975 · as Nancy Pryor |
| 1974 | Rhinoceros · as Daisy |
| 1974 | Law and Disorder · as Gloria |
| 1973 | Little Laura and Big John · as Laura |
| 1973 | The Outfit · as Bett Harrow |
| 1973 | The Pyx · as Elizabeth Lucy |
| 1973 | Police Story (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1972 | Portnoy's Complaint · as Mary Jane Reid |
| 1972 | Ghost Story (TV Series) · as Barbara Sanders |
| 1971 | Born to Win · as Parm |
| 1971 | Cisco Pike · as Sue |
| 1971 | Drive, He Said · as Olive |
| 1971 | A Gunfight · as Jenny Simms |
| 1970 | Five Easy Pieces · as Rayette Dipesto |
| 1969 | Easy Rider · as Karen |
| 1969 | Hard Contract · as Ellen |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) · as Monica Garrison |
| 1968 | Adam-12 (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1967 | The Carol Burnett Show (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1967 | The Invaders (TV Series) · as Claudia Stone |
| 1967 | Mannix (TV Series) · as Unknown |
| 1966 | You're a Big Boy Now · as Amy Partlett |
| 1966 | The Iron Horse (TV Series) · as Patricia Dunne |
| 1965 | The Big Valley (TV Series) · as Carla |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. (TV Series) · as Lorraine Chapman |
| 1960 | The Prime Time · as Betty |