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Karen Black‌

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1939-07-01

Popularity

star9.8

Karen Black

Park Ridge, Illinois, USA

Karen Black

Park Ridge, Illinois, USA

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1939-07-01

Popularity

star9.8

Biography

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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Karen Black, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia. ​

Movie Credits

Nashville

Nashville‌
star7.2
calendar 1975

Men

Men‌
star4.4
calendar 1997

Malaika

Malaika‌
star0.0
calendar 1998

House of 1000 Corpses

House of 1000 Corpses‌
star6.2
calendar 2003

The Player

The Player‌
star7.2
calendar 1992

I Woke Up Early the Day I Died

I Woke Up Early the Day I Died‌
star5.6
calendar 1998

Little Laura and Big John

Little Laura and Big John‌
star4.0
calendar 1973

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby‌
star6.3
calendar 1974

The Day of the Locust

The Day of the Locust‌
star6.3
calendar 1975

Born to Win

Born to Win‌
star5.4
calendar 1971

Out of the Dark

Out of the Dark‌
star5.5
calendar 1988

Dinosaur Valley Girls

Dinosaur Valley Girls‌
star5.5
calendar 1995

Family Plot

Family Plot‌
star6.7
calendar 1976

The Invisible Kid

The Invisible Kid‌
star4.9
calendar 1988

Cut and Run

Cut and Run‌
star5.6
calendar 1985

Invaders from Mars

Invaders from Mars‌
star5.5
calendar 1986

Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering

Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering‌
star4.4
calendar 1996

Gypsy 83

Gypsy 83‌
star6.4
calendar 2001

Five Easy Pieces

Five Easy Pieces‌
star7.1
calendar 1970

The Outfit

The Outfit‌
star6.8
calendar 1973

Airport 1975

Airport 1975‌
star5.7
calendar 1974

One Long Night

One Long Night‌
star3.9
calendar 2007

Burnt Offerings

Burnt Offerings‌
star6.5
calendar 1976

Evil Spirits

Evil Spirits‌
star3.6
calendar 1990

Plan 10 from Outer Space

Plan 10 from Outer Space‌
star6.3
calendar 1995

Killer Fish

Killer Fish‌
star4.6
calendar 1979

Rubin & Ed

Rubin & Ed‌
star6.4
calendar 1992

Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

Auntie Lee's Meat Pies‌
star4.3
calendar 1992

Haunting Fear

Haunting Fear‌
star4.9
calendar 1990

Night Angel

Night Angel‌
star4.2
calendar 1990

You're a Big Boy Now

You're a Big Boy Now‌
star6.3
calendar 1966

Children of the Night

Children of the Night‌
star4.3
calendar 1991

Invisible Dad

Invisible Dad‌
star3.8
calendar 1998

Soulkeeper

Soulkeeper‌
star5.2
calendar 2001

Trilogy of Terror

Trilogy of Terror‌
star6.2
calendar 1975

New York Crossing

New York Crossing‌
star0.0
calendar 1996

Firecracker

Firecracker‌
star6.2
calendar 2005

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood‌
star7.1
calendar 2003

Homer and Eddie

Homer and Eddie‌
star5.6
calendar 1989

Hard Contract

Hard Contract‌
star4.9
calendar 1969

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

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean‌
star5.9
calendar 1982

It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

It's Alive III: Island of the Alive‌
star5.4
calendar 1987

Stuck!

Stuck!‌
star3.1
calendar 2009

Bury the Evidence

Bury the Evidence‌
star0.0
calendar 1998

Some Guy Who Kills People

Some Guy Who Kills People‌
star6.0
calendar 2011

A Gunfight

A Gunfight‌
star5.8
calendar 1971

Ghost Writer

Ghost Writer‌
star4.7
calendar 2007

Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror‌
star5.2
calendar 1990

Wanderlust

Wanderlust‌
star5.0
calendar 2006

Separate Ways

Separate Ways‌
star5.0
calendar 1981

Cisco Pike

Cisco Pike‌
star5.6
calendar 1972

The Pyx

The Pyx‌
star5.3
calendar 1973

Drive, He Said

Drive, He Said‌
star6.0
calendar 1971

Savage Dawn

Savage Dawn‌
star4.2
calendar 1986

Conceiving Ada

Conceiving Ada‌
star4.5
calendar 1999

Red Dirt

Red Dirt‌
star5.8
calendar 2000

Eternal Evil

Eternal Evil‌
star4.4
calendar 1985

The Roller Blade Seven

The Roller Blade Seven‌
star3.1
calendar 1991

Maria My Love

Maria My Love‌
star2.0
calendar 2012

Mommy's Little Monster

Mommy's Little Monster‌
star3.5
calendar 2012

America Brown

America Brown‌
star5.7
calendar 2005

Mascara

Mascara‌
star3.8
calendar 1999

Crimetime

Crimetime‌
star4.1
calendar 1996

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos‌
star6.3
calendar 2009

Irene in Time

Irene in Time‌
star1.2
calendar 2009

Dogtown

Dogtown‌
star3.0
calendar 1996

Portnoy's Complaint

Portnoy's Complaint‌
star4.5
calendar 1972

Bound and Gagged: A Love Story

Bound and Gagged: A Love Story‌
star6.2
calendar 1993

The Grass Is Singing

The Grass Is Singing‌
star4.2
calendar 1981

In Praise of Older Women

In Praise of Older Women‌
star5.4
calendar 1978

Crime and Passion

Crime and Passion‌
star6.0
calendar 1976

Law and Disorder

Law and Disorder‌
star4.8
calendar 1974

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?‌
star6.6
calendar 1983

Easy Rider

Easy Rider‌
star7.1
calendar 1969

Light Speed

Light Speed‌
star3.0
calendar 1998

Martin's Day

Martin's Day‌
star6.0
calendar 1985

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs‌
star0.0
calendar 1998

Ooga Booga

Ooga Booga‌
star3.7
calendar 2013

Charades

Charades‌
star4.1
calendar 1998

Overexposed

Overexposed‌
star3.5
calendar 1990

The Killers Edge

The Killers Edge‌
star5.8
calendar 1991

Quiet Fire

Quiet Fire‌
star5.2
calendar 1991

Club Fed

Club Fed‌
star3.7
calendar 1990

The Squeeze

The Squeeze‌
star5.2
calendar 1978

Nothing Special

Nothing Special‌
star5.5
calendar 2010

She Loves Me Not

She Loves Me Not‌
star3.5
calendar 2013

Judgement

Judgement‌
star3.8
calendar 1992

Hostage

Hostage‌
star0.0
calendar 1987

Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros‌
star5.4
calendar 1974

The Prime Time

The Prime Time‌
star4.2
calendar 1960

The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra

The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

Dr. Rage

Dr. Rage‌
star2.2
calendar 2005

Caged Fear

Caged Fear‌
star3.2
calendar 1991

Miss Right

Miss Right‌
star3.0
calendar 1982

Return of the Roller Blade Seven

Return of the Roller Blade Seven‌
star4.7
calendar 1993

The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver‌
star5.8
calendar 1977

Where the Ladies Go

Where the Ladies Go‌
star0.0
calendar 1980

Bad Manners

Bad Manners‌
star5.7
calendar 1984

Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula‌
star6.1
calendar 2005

The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway

The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway‌
star0.0
calendar 1988

Hollywood Dreams

Hollywood Dreams‌
star2.8
calendar 2007

Zapped Again!

Zapped Again!‌
star4.1
calendar 1990

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief‌
star7.6
calendar 2015

Wamego: Ultimatum

Wamego: Ultimatum‌
star0.0
calendar 2009

Contamination

Contamination‌
star2.0
calendar 2008

Wild in Blue

Wild in Blue‌
star4.5
calendar 2014

Twisted Justice

Twisted Justice‌
star5.5
calendar 1990

The Underground Comedy Movie

The Underground Comedy Movie‌
star2.6
calendar 1999

Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone

Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone‌
star0.0
calendar 2012

Curse of the Forty-Niner

Curse of the Forty-Niner‌
star4.4
calendar 2002

Fallen Arches

Fallen Arches‌
star0.0
calendar 2000

Dixie Lanes

Dixie Lanes‌
star3.2
calendar 1988

Power

Power‌
star2.0
calendar 1980

Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop

Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop‌
star1.0
calendar 1980

Letters from the Big Man

Letters from the Big Man‌
star7.2
calendar 2011

Bottomless Pit

Bottomless Pit‌
star0.0
calendar 2015

Angel Blue

Angel Blue‌
star4.8
calendar 1998

OowieWanna

OowieWanna‌
star9.8
calendar 2012

On the tracks of a filmmaker

On the tracks of a filmmaker‌
star0.0
calendar 1988

BBStory: An American Film Renaissance

BBStory: An American Film Renaissance‌
star0.0
calendar 2010

Paris

Paris‌
star2.0
calendar 2003

Cries of Silence

Cries of Silence‌
star7.5
calendar 1996

Capricorn One

Capricorn One‌
star6.7
calendar 1977

The Double 0 Kid

The Double 0 Kid‌
star4.9
calendar 1992

Chanel Solitaire

Chanel Solitaire‌
star3.8
calendar 1981

The Last Word

The Last Word‌
star4.0
calendar 1979

Plotting 'Family Plot'

Plotting 'Family Plot'‌
star6.2
calendar 2001

The Children

The Children‌
star5.2
calendar 1990

Mr. Horn

Mr. Horn‌
star6.0
calendar 1979

The Independent

The Independent‌
star5.6
calendar 2000

Final Judgement

Final Judgement‌
star3.4
calendar 1992

Stir

Stir‌
star4.3
calendar 1997

Starstruck

Starstruck‌
star2.0
calendar 1995

Flight of the Spruce Goose

Flight of the Spruce Goose‌
star0.0
calendar 1986

Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage

Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage‌
star7.0
calendar 1999

Repo Chick

Repo Chick‌
star3.4
calendar 2009

Double Duty

Double Duty‌
star7.0
calendar 2009

Legend of The Roller Blade Seven

Legend of The Roller Blade Seven‌
star5.0
calendar 1993

Teknolust

Teknolust‌
star4.3
calendar 2002

Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1

Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1‌
star0.0
calendar 2002

Paradise Cove

Paradise Cove‌
star6.0
calendar 1999

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid‌
star6.3
calendar 1987

Too Bad About Jack

Too Bad About Jack‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

Oliver Twisted

Oliver Twisted‌
star3.0
calendar 2000

Tuesday Never Comes

Tuesday Never Comes‌
star2.0
calendar 1992

A Single Woman

A Single Woman‌
star7.0
calendar 2008

A Light in the Darkness

A Light in the Darkness‌
star2.0
calendar 2002

Dead Girls Don't Tango

Dead Girls Don't Tango‌
star0.0
calendar 1992

Fatal Encounter

Fatal Encounter‌
star0.0
calendar 1990

Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts‌
star5.0
calendar 2018

Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman

Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman‌
star5.0
calendar 2003

Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'

Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'‌
star0.0
calendar 2010

The Donor

The Donor‌
star3.5
calendar 2001

Read You Like a Book

Read You Like a Book‌
star3.9
calendar 2006

Because He's My Friend

Because He's My Friend‌
star0.0
calendar 1978

The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley‌
star0.0
calendar 1995

The Trust

The Trust‌
star0.0
calendar 1993

Fertile La Toyah Video Magazine #2: The Kinky Issue!

Fertile La Toyah Video Magazine #2: The Kinky Issue!‌
star0.0
calendar 1994

Watercolors

Watercolors‌
star5.8
calendar 2008

The Last Horror Film

The Last Horror Film‌
star5.2
calendar 1982

WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere

WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere‌
star0.0
calendar 2004

Ralph S. Mouse

Ralph S. Mouse‌
star6.0
calendar 1991

Whitepaddy

Whitepaddy‌
star0.0
calendar 2006

Who Is Henry Jaglom?

Who Is Henry Jaglom?‌
star6.6
calendar 1997

Dark Blood

Dark Blood‌
star6.0
calendar 2012

Tv Credits

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote‌
star7.6
calendar 1984

The F.B.I.

The F.B.I.‌
star5.4
calendar 1965

Miami Vice

Miami Vice‌
star7.5
calendar 1984

E! True Hollywood Story

E! True Hollywood Story‌
star8.1
calendar 1996

Mannix

Mannix‌
star6.7
calendar 1967

Adam-12

Adam-12‌
star7.1
calendar 1968

Moon Over Miami

Moon Over Miami‌
star7.5
calendar 1993

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Law & Order: Criminal Intent‌
star7.6
calendar 2001

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life‌
star7.2
calendar 1965

Police Story

Police Story‌
star7.1
calendar 1973

E/R

E/R‌
star5.2
calendar 1984

The Hitchhiker

The Hitchhiker‌
star6.1
calendar 1983

The Big Valley

The Big Valley‌
star6.0
calendar 1965

The Hunger

The Hunger‌
star5.6
calendar 1997

Judd for the Defense

Judd for the Defense‌
star7.5
calendar 1967

Ghost Story

Ghost Story‌
star7.1
calendar 1972

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live‌
star6.9
calendar 1975

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre‌
star8.4
calendar 1982

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!‌
star7.5
calendar 2007

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show‌
star4.8
calendar 1961

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson‌
star7.4
calendar 1962

The Name of the Game

The Name of the Game‌
star6.8
calendar 1968

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre‌
star8.4
calendar 1982

The Carol Burnett Show

The Carol Burnett Show‌
star7.5
calendar 1967

The Invaders

The Invaders‌
star6.8
calendar 1967

Tales of the City

Tales of the City‌
star7.9
calendar 1993