Karen Black

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

201

Gender

Female

Birthday

1939-07-01

Day of death

2013-08-08 (74 years old)

Place of Birth

Park Ridge, Illinois, USA

Karen Black

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.

Known For

  • The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent

    Law & Order: Criminal Intent

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • The Carol Burnett Show

    The Carol Burnett Show

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • Adam-12

    Adam-12

  • Mannix

    Mannix

  • Miami Vice

    Miami Vice

  • The Big Valley

    The Big Valley

  • The Hitchhiker

    The Hitchhiker

  • The F.B.I.

    The F.B.I.

  • Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

    Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

  • The Name of the Game

    The Name of the Game

  • Run for Your Life

    Run for Your Life

  • Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

  • Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

  • The Invaders

    The Invaders

  • The Hunger

    The Hunger

  • Judd for the Defense

    Judd for the Defense

  • Police Story

    Police Story

  • The Great Gatsby

    The Great Gatsby

  • Ghost Story

    Ghost Story

  • House of 1000 Corpses

    House of 1000 Corpses

  • Burnt Offerings

    Burnt Offerings

  • The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

    The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

  • The Outfit

    The Outfit

  • Cut and Run

    Cut and Run

  • Wanderlust

    Wanderlust

  • Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

    Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

  • Russians in the City of Angels

    Russians in the City of Angels

  • Trilogy of Terror

    Trilogy of Terror

  • Airport 1975

    Airport 1975

  • Bad Manners

    Bad Manners

  • Mirror Mirror

    Mirror Mirror

  • The Last Horror Film

    The Last Horror Film

  • I Woke Up Early the Day I Died

    I Woke Up Early the Day I Died

  • The Second Hundred Years

    The Second Hundred Years

  • Irene in Time

    Irene in Time

  • Capricorn One

    Capricorn One

  • Hard Contract

    Hard Contract

  • Tales of the City

    Tales of the City

  • Law and Disorder

    Law and Disorder

  • The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway

    The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway

  • Wild in Blue

    Wild in Blue

  • E/R

    E/R

  • Nashville

    Nashville

  • The Day of the Locust

    The Day of the Locust

  • The Player

    The Player

  • Easy Rider

    Easy Rider

  • Because He's My Friend

    Because He's My Friend

  • The Grass Is Singing

    The Grass Is Singing

  • Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman

    Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman

  • Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1

    Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1

  • Haunting Fear

    Haunting Fear

  • Hollywood Dreams

    Hollywood Dreams

  • OowieWanna

    OowieWanna

  • The Squeeze

    The Squeeze

  • Stir

    Stir

  • Chanel Solitaire

    Chanel Solitaire

  • Power

    Power

  • Savage Dawn

    Savage Dawn

  • Rhinoceros

    Rhinoceros

  • The Children

    The Children

  • Stuck!

    Stuck!

  • Dr. Rage

    Dr. Rage

  • Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering

    Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering

  • In Praise of Older Women

    In Praise of Older Women

  • Oliver Twisted

    Oliver Twisted

  • Angel Blue

    Angel Blue

  • Fatal Encounter

    Fatal Encounter

  • Overexposed

    Overexposed

  • Gypsy 83

    Gypsy 83

  • Suffering Man's Charity

    Suffering Man's Charity

  • Caged Fear

    Caged Fear

  • Invaders from Mars

    Invaders from Mars

  • Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

    Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

  • Born to Win

    Born to Win

  • Double Duty

    Double Duty

  • The Invisible Kid

    The Invisible Kid

  • Malaika

    Malaika

  • Blood Money

    Blood Money

  • Where the Ladies Go

    Where the Ladies Go

  • Children of the Night

    Children of the Night

  • No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

    No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

  • Wamego: Ultimatum

    Wamego: Ultimatum

  • Dogtown

    Dogtown

  • Mr. Horn

    Mr. Horn

  • The Trust

    The Trust

  • The Pyx

    The Pyx

  • It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

    It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

  • Final Judgement

    Final Judgement

  • The Prime Time

    The Prime Time

  • Dixie Lanes

    Dixie Lanes

  • Mascara

    Mascara

  • Contamination

    Contamination

  • Dark Blood

    Dark Blood

  • On the tracks of a filmmaker

    On the tracks of a filmmaker

  • Moon Over Miami

    Moon Over Miami

  • Five Easy Pieces

    Five Easy Pieces

  • Separate Ways

    Separate Ways

  • A Gunfight

    A Gunfight

  • Repo Chick

    Repo Chick

  • Altman on His Own Terms

    Altman on His Own Terms

  • Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

    Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

  • Invisible Dad

    Invisible Dad

  • Flight of the Spruce Goose

    Flight of the Spruce Goose

  • Club Fed

    Club Fed

  • America Brown

    America Brown

  • Homer and Eddie

    Homer and Eddie

  • Rubin & Ed

    Rubin & Ed

  • Watercolors

    Watercolors

  • Martin's Day

    Martin's Day

  • The Donor

    The Donor

  • Ralph S. Mouse

    Ralph S. Mouse

  • Starstruck

    Starstruck

  • Fallen Arches

    Fallen Arches

  • Crime and Passion

    Crime and Passion

  • Portnoy's Complaint

    Portnoy's Complaint

  • The Little Mermaid

    The Little Mermaid

  • WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere

    WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere

  • Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

    Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

  • A Single Woman

    A Single Woman

  • Killer Fish

    Killer Fish

  • Night Angel

    Night Angel

  • Bury the Evidence

    Bury the Evidence

  • Maria My Love

    Maria My Love

  • Whitepaddy

    Whitepaddy

  • Drive, He Said

    Drive, He Said

  • The Last Word

    The Last Word

  • Cisco Pike

    Cisco Pike

  • Curse of the Forty-Niner

    Curse of the Forty-Niner

  • My Suicidal Sweetheart

    My Suicidal Sweetheart

  • Who Is Henry Jaglom?

    Who Is Henry Jaglom?

  • Nothing Special

    Nothing Special

  • E! True Hollywood Story

    E! True Hollywood Story

  • Conceiving Ada

    Conceiving Ada

  • Charades

    Charades

  • The Independent

    The Independent

  • Red Dirt

    Red Dirt

  • Read You Like a Book

    Read You Like a Book

  • Out of the Dark

    Out of the Dark

  • Paradise Cove

    Paradise Cove

  • Soulkeeper

    Soulkeeper

  • Family Plot

    Family Plot

  • Teknolust

    Teknolust

  • Zapped Again!

    Zapped Again!

  • Airports

    Airports

  • Ooga Booga

    Ooga Booga

  • Firecracker

    Firecracker

  • One Long Night

    One Long Night

  • Judgement

    Judgement

  • Crimetime

    Crimetime

  • Eternal Evil

    Eternal Evil

  • Science Fiction Film Awards

    Science Fiction Film Awards

  • Letters from the Big Man

    Letters from the Big Man

  • The Double 0 Kid

    The Double 0 Kid

  • Legend of The Roller Blade Seven

    Legend of The Roller Blade Seven

  • Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone

    Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone

  • Light Speed

    Light Speed

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

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

  • Men

    Men

  • Return of the Roller Blade Seven

    Return of the Roller Blade Seven

  • The Underground Comedy Movie

    The Underground Comedy Movie

  • The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra

    The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra

  • Paris

    Paris

  • She Loves Me Not

    She Loves Me Not

  • Miss Right

    Miss Right

  • BBStory: An American Film Renaissance

    BBStory: An American Film Renaissance

  • Some Guy Who Kills People

    Some Guy Who Kills People

  • Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

    Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

  • Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

    Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

  • Plan 10 from Outer Space

    Plan 10 from Outer Space

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

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

  • Mommy's Little Monster

    Mommy's Little Monster

  • Evil Spirits

    Evil Spirits

  • Bound and Gagged: A Love Story

    Bound and Gagged: A Love Story

  • Dinosaur Valley Girls

    Dinosaur Valley Girls

  • Plotting 'Family Plot'

    Plotting 'Family Plot'

  • Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage

    Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage

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

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

  • Hostage

    Hostage

  • The Roller Blade Seven

    The Roller Blade Seven

  • New York Crossing

    New York Crossing

  • Twisted Justice

    Twisted Justice

  • Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

    Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

  • Dead Girls Don't Tango

    Dead Girls Don't Tango

  • Quiet Fire

    Quiet Fire

  • You're a Big Boy Now

    You're a Big Boy Now

  • Every Minute Is Goodbye

    Every Minute Is Goodbye

  • Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

    Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

  • A Light in the Darkness

    A Light in the Darkness

  • Karen Black: Actress at Work

    Karen Black: Actress at Work

  • Too Bad About Jack

    Too Bad About Jack

  • Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop

    Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop

  • Tuesday Never Comes

    Tuesday Never Comes

  • Bottomless Pit

    Bottomless Pit

  • Cries of Silence

    Cries of Silence

  • Little Laura and Big John

    Little Laura and Big John

  • The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

    The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

  • Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'

    Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'