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.
Photos
Karen Black
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 |
|
Ooga Booga | Mrs. Allardyce (Character) | - | 2013 |
80% |
|
Dark Blood | Motel Woman (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet |
|
Maria My Love | Maria (Character) | - | 2011 |
86% |
|
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% |
|
Some Guy Who Kills People | Ruth Boyd (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
Nothing Special | May (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Double Duty | Annabelle (Character) | - | 2009 |
40% |
|
Repo Chick | Aunt de la Chasse (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
Stuck! | Next Door Neighbor Lady (Character) | - | 2009 |
29% |
|
Irene in Time | Sheila (Character) | $194.3K | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Meet the Eye | Unknown (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Single Woman | Unknown (Character) | - | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Contamination | Mavis (Character) | - | 2008 |
62% |
|
The Blue Tooth Virgin | Zena (Character) | $2.7K | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | One Long Night | Barbara (Character) | - | 2007 |
40% |
|
Ghost Writer | Renee (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Wamego Strikes Back | Unknown (Character) | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Read You Like a Book | Kate (Character) | - | 2006 |
39% |
|
Hollywood Dreams | Luna (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Straun House | Molly (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
My Suicidal Sweetheart | Grace's mom (Character) | - | 2005 |
80% |
|
America Brown | Marianne Brown (Character) | - | 2004 |
No Score Yet |
|
Firecracker |
Sandra/ |
- | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Buttleman | Mrs. Buttleman (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Curse of the Forty-Niner | Aunt Nelly (Character) | - | 2003 |
22% |
|
House of 1000 Corpses | Mother Firefly (Character) | $12.6M | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Summer Solstice | Dr. Sally McDermott (Character) | - | 2003 |
30% |
|
Teknolust | Dirty Dick (Character) | $28.8K | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Light in the Darkness | Mrs. Melnick (Character) | - | 2002 |
54% |
|
Gypsy 83 | Bambi LeBleau (Character) | $29.4K | 2001 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hard Luck | Aunt Judy (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Soulkeeper | Magnificent Martha (Character) | - | 2001 |
60% |
|
The Independent | Self | $238.4K | 2000 |
No Score Yet |
|
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% |
|
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 |
|
Invisible Dad | Courtney Whitmer (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dogtown | Rose Van Horn (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
My Neighbor's Daughter | Social Worker (Character) | - | 1997 |
83% |
|
Conceiving Ada |
Lady Byron/ |
- | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Men |
Alex (Character), Screenwriter |
$3.1K | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Malaika | Jessica Martin (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Crimetime | Millicent (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
Rubin and Ed | Rula (Character) | $4.1K | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Night Angel | Rita (Character) | - | 1990 |
80% |
|
Mirror, Mirror | Susan Gordon (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
Club Fed | Sally Rich (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Blood Money | Barrett (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
Evil Spirits | Ella Purdy (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
Haunting Fear | Dr. Julia Harcourt (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
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% |
|
Out of the Dark | Ruth Wilson (Character) | $419.4K | 1989 |
0% |
|
Homer & Eddie | Belle (Character) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway | Unknown (Character) | - | 1988 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Invisible Kid |
Mom/ |
- | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dixie Lanes | Zelma Putnam (Character) | - | 1987 |
44% |
|
It's Alive III: Island of the Alive | Ellen (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hostage | Laura Lawrence (Character) | - | 1987 |
38% |
|
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 |
|
Savage Dawn | Rachel (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet |
|
Eternal Evil | Janus (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet |
|
Martin's Day | Karen (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Full Circle Again | Unknown (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bad Manners | Gladys Fitzpatrick (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? | Zee (Character) | - | 1983 |
86% |
|
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 |
|
Chanel Solitaire | Emilienne d'Alençon (Character) | - | 1981 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Ripoff | Clarisse Saunders (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
Killer Fish | Kate Neville (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet |
|
Mr. Horn | Ernestina Crawford (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet |
|
In Praise of Older Women | Maya (Character) | - | 1978 |
65% |
|
Capricorn One | Judy Drinkwater (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver |
Miriam Oliver/ |
- | 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% |
|
Family Plot | Fran (Character) | - | 1976 |
50% |
|
Burnt Offerings | Marian Rolf (Character) | - | 1976 |
92% |
|
Trilogy of Terror |
Julie/ |
- | 1975 |
63% |
|
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% |
|
Nashville | Connie White (Character) | - | 1975 |
40% |
|
The Great Gatsby | Myrtle Wilson (Character) | - | 1974 |
80% |
|
The Outfit | Bett Harrow (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet |
|
Rhinoceros | Daisy (Character) | - | 1974 |
30% |
|
Airport 1975 | Nancy Pryor (Character) | - | 1974 |
40% |
|
Law and Disorder | Gloria (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Laura and Big John | Laura (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Pyx | Elizabeth Lucy (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet |
|
Portnoy's Complaint | Mary Jane Reid (Character) | - | 1972 |
57% |
|
Drive, He Said | Olive (Character) | - | 1971 |
100% |
|
Cisco Pike | Sue (Character) | - | 1971 |
29% |
|
Born to Win | Parm (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Gunfight | Jenny Simms (Character) | - | 1971 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Addict | Parm (Character) | - | 1971 |
89% |
|
Five Easy Pieces | Rayette Dipesto (Character) | - | 1970 |
84% |
|
Easy Rider | Karen (Character) | - | 1969 |
No Score Yet |
|
Hard Contract | Ellen (Character) | - | 1969 |
83% |
|
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 |