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Karen Black

Karen Black

Highest Rated: 100% Cisco Pike (1971)

Lowest Rated: 0% Homer & Eddie (1989)

Birthday: Jul 1, 1939

Birthplace: Park Ridge, Illinois, USA

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.

Highest rated movies

100% 64% Cisco Pike
93% 62% Family Plot
92% 57% Trilogy of Terror
89% 84% Nashville 89% 84% Five Easy Pieces
86% 54% Letters From the Big Man
86% 81% Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
84% 82% Easy Rider

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bunker of Blood 2 Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts Unknown (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wild in Blue Justine (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet She Loves Me Not Karla (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet 18% Ooga Booga Mrs. Allardyce (Character) - 2013
80% 62% Dark Blood Motel Woman (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet 73% Maria My Love Maria (Character) - 2011
86% 54% Letters From the Big Man Sean's Colleague (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mommy's Little Monster Mrs. Melnick (Character) - 2011
78% 59% Some Guy Who Kills People Ruth Boyd (Character) - 2011
No Score Yet 50% Nothing Special May (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet No Score Yet Double Duty Annabelle (Character) - 2009
40% 15% Repo Chick Aunt de la Chasse (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 58% Stuck! Next Door Neighbor Lady (Character) - 2009
29% 48% Irene in Time Sheila (Character) $194.3K 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Meet the Eye Unknown (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 40% A Single Woman Unknown (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet Contamination Mavis (Character) - 2008
62% 52% The Blue Tooth Virgin Zena (Character) $2.7K 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet One Long Night Barbara (Character) - 2007
40% 18% Ghost Writer Renee (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wamego Strikes Back Unknown (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 70% Read You Like a Book Kate (Character) - 2006
39% 68% Hollywood Dreams Luna (Character) - 2006
No Score Yet 13% The Straun House Molly (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 39% My Suicidal Sweetheart Grace's mom (Character) - 2005
80% 53% America Brown Marianne Brown (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet 49% Firecracker Sandra/Eleanor (Character) - 2004
No Score Yet No Score Yet Buttleman Mrs. Buttleman (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 20% Curse of the Forty-Niner Aunt Nelly (Character) - 2003
22% 65% House of 1000 Corpses Mother Firefly (Character) $12.6M 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Summer Solstice Dr. Sally McDermott (Character) - 2003
30% 41% Teknolust Dirty Dick (Character) $28.8K 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Light in the Darkness Mrs. Melnick (Character) - 2002
54% 78% Gypsy 83 Bambi LeBleau (Character) $29.4K 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hard Luck Aunt Judy (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 35% Soulkeeper Magnificent Martha (Character) - 2001
60% 51% The Independent Self $238.4K 2000
No Score Yet 62% Red Dirt Unknown (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Donor Mrs. Springle (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mascara Aunt Eloise (Character) - 1999
33% 21% The Underground Comedy Movie Mother (Character) $856 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bury the Evidence The Mother (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Felons Jude (Character),
Screenwriter,
Producer
- 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lightspeed Unknown (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fallen Arches Lucy Romano (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stir Dr. Gabrielle Kessler (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 15% Invisible Dad Courtney Whitmer (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 58% Dogtown Rose Van Horn (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 60% My Neighbor's Daughter Social Worker (Character) - 1997
83% 58% Conceiving Ada Lady Byron/Mother Coer (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 22% Men Alex (Character),
Screenwriter
$3.1K 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Malaika Jessica Martin (Character) - 1997
No Score Yet 29% Crimetime Millicent (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 25% Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering June Rhodes (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sister Island Rose Walsh (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet New York Crossing Mrs. Tender (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Plan 10 From Outer Space Nehor (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 17% Dinosaur Valley Girls Ro-Kell (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley Evelyn (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Starstruck Unknown (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jonas in the Desert Unknown (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tuesday Never Comes Michelle (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Trust Maria Vandermeer (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bound & Gagged: A Love Story Carla (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet 13% The Double O Kid Mrs. Elliot (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hitz Tiffany Powers (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Final Judgement Mrs. Sorrel (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 43% Auntie Lee's Meat Pies Auntie Lee (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hotel Oklahoma Blanche (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Return of the Rollerblade Seven Tarot (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Double 0 Kid Mrs. Elliot (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet 35% Children of the Night Karen Thompson (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Judgement Tiffany Powers (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Movies Money & Murder Bettie (Character) - 1992
No Score Yet No Score Yet Quiet Fire Kim Martino (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Roller Blade Seven Tarot (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fatal Encounter Joan Caldwell (Character) - 1991
No Score Yet 87% Rubin and Ed Rula (Character) $4.1K 1991
No Score Yet 33% Night Angel Rita (Character) - 1990
80% 31% Mirror, Mirror Susan Gordon (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 31% Club Fed Sally Rich (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Blood Money Barrett (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 20% Evil Spirits Ella Purdy (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 40% Haunting Fear Dr. Julia Harcourt (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet 56% Twisted Justice Mrs. Granger (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet Overexposed Mrs. Trowbridge (Character) - 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Children Sybil Lullmer (Character) - 1990
60% 28% Out of the Dark Ruth Wilson (Character) $419.4K 1989
0% 38% Homer & Eddie Belle (Character) - 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway Unknown (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet 40% The Invisible Kid Mom/Deborah (Character) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Dixie Lanes Zelma Putnam (Character) - 1987
44% 16% It's Alive III: Island of the Alive Ellen (Character) - 1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hostage Laura Lawrence (Character) - 1987
38% 33% Invaders From Mars Linda Magnusson (Character) $4.8M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Flight of the Spruce Goose Gloria (Character) - 1986
No Score Yet 20% Savage Dawn Rachel (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 18% Eternal Evil Janus (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet 82% Martin's Day Karen (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Full Circle Again Unknown (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 75% Bad Manners Gladys Fitzpatrick (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? Zee (Character) - 1983
86% 81% Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean Joanne (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Grass Is Singing Mary Turner (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Miss Right Amy (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 100% Chanel Solitaire Emilienne d'Alençon (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet 33% The Ripoff Clarisse Saunders (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet 10% Separate Ways Valentine Colby (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Where the Ladies Go Helen (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Confessions of a Lady Cop InvestigatorEvelyn Carter (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Power Rose Vanda-Buchanan (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Last Word Paula Herbert (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 12% Killer Fish Kate Neville (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 100% Mr. Horn Ernestina Crawford (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet 23% In Praise of Older Women Maya (Character) - 1978
65% 58% Capricorn One Judy Drinkwater (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver Miriam Oliver/Sandy (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Because He's My Friend Anne (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Crime and Passion Susan Winters (Character) - 1976
93% 62% Family Plot Fran (Character) - 1976
50% 43% Burnt Offerings Marian Rolf (Character) - 1976
92% 57% Trilogy of Terror Julie/Millicent Larimore/Therese Larimore/Amelia (Character) - 1975
63% 75% The Day of the Locust Faye Greener (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet An Ace Up My Sleeve Susan Winters (Character) - 1975
89% 84% Nashville Connie White (Character) - 1975
40% 47% The Great Gatsby Myrtle Wilson (Character) - 1974
80% 73% The Outfit Bett Harrow (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet 51% Rhinoceros Daisy (Character) - 1974
30% 38% Airport 1975 Nancy Pryor (Character) - 1974
40% 40% Law and Disorder Gloria (Character) - 1974
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Laura and Big John Laura (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 35% The Pyx Elizabeth Lucy (Character) - 1973
No Score Yet 11% Portnoy's Complaint Mary Jane Reid (Character) - 1972
57% 21% Drive, He Said Olive (Character) - 1971
100% 64% Cisco Pike Sue (Character) - 1971
29% 35% Born to Win Parm (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet 42% A Gunfight Jenny Simms (Character) - 1971
No Score Yet No Score Yet Addict Parm (Character) - 1971
89% 84% Five Easy Pieces Rayette Dipesto (Character) - 1970
84% 82% Easy Rider Karen (Character) - 1969
No Score Yet 38% Hard Contract Ellen (Character) - 1969
83% 49% You're a Big Boy Now Amy Partlett (Character) - 1966
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Prime Time Painted Woman (Character) - 1960

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 72% Law & Order: Criminal Intent Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
No Score Yet 89% Party of Five Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Profiler Unknown (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hunger Unknown (Character) 1997
71% 88% Miami Vice Unknown (Guest Star) 1989
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Dr. Sylvia Dunn (Guest Star) 1986
68% No Score Yet E/R Unknown (Guest Star) 1984-1985
No Score Yet 62% Saturday Night Live Host 1976 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Carol Burnett Show Guest 1972
No Score Yet No Score Yet Judd for the Defense Unknown (Guest Star) 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mannix Elaine Tate (Guest Star) 1968
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Second Hundred Years Marcia (Guest Star) 1967
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Big Valley Unknown (Guest Star) 1967