Karen Black

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

207

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

  • Saturday Night Live

    Saturday Night Live

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent

    Law & Order: Criminal Intent

  • Murder, She Wrote

    Murder, She Wrote

  • The Mike Douglas Show

    The Mike Douglas Show

  • Miami Vice

    Miami Vice

  • The F.B.I.

    The F.B.I.

  • Mannix

    Mannix

  • Adam-12

    Adam-12

  • The Carol Burnett Show

    The Carol Burnett Show

  • The Big Valley

    The Big Valley

  • Party of Five

    Party of Five

  • The Invaders

    The Invaders

  • Run for Your Life

    Run for Your Life

  • Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

    Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

  • People's Choice Awards

    People's Choice Awards

  • Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

  • Faerie Tale Theatre

    Faerie Tale Theatre

  • Profiler

    Profiler

  • Nashville

    Nashville

  • America Brown

    America Brown

  • Bad Manners

    Bad Manners

  • Invisible Dad

    Invisible Dad

  • The Hitchhiker

    The Hitchhiker

  • The Name of the Game

    The Name of the Game

  • Police Story

    Police Story

  • Killer Fish

    Killer Fish

  • Nothing Special

    Nothing Special

  • Club Fed

    Club Fed

  • Malaika

    Malaika

  • Dark Blood

    Dark Blood

  • Teknolust

    Teknolust

  • Paradise Cove

    Paradise Cove

  • Oliver Twisted

    Oliver Twisted

  • Soulkeeper

    Soulkeeper

  • Crimetime

    Crimetime

  • Ooga Booga

    Ooga Booga

  • Starstruck

    Starstruck

  • Dogtown

    Dogtown

  • Fallen Arches

    Fallen Arches

  • The Hunger

    The Hunger

  • The Player

    The Player

  • Whitepaddy

    Whitepaddy

  • Conceiving Ada

    Conceiving Ada

  • Judd for the Defense

    Judd for the Defense

  • Ghost Story

    Ghost Story

  • Angel Blue

    Angel Blue

  • Mascara

    Mascara

  • OowieWanna

    OowieWanna

  • One Long Night

    One Long Night

  • Night Angel

    Night Angel

  • Ralph S. Mouse

    Ralph S. Mouse

  • Irene in Time

    Irene in Time

  • Wamego: Ultimatum

    Wamego: Ultimatum

  • Red Dirt

    Red Dirt

  • Airports

    Airports

  • House of 1000 Corpses

    House of 1000 Corpses

  • Double Duty

    Double Duty

  • Judgement

    Judgement

  • Evil Spirits

    Evil Spirits

  • Martin's Day

    Martin's Day

  • Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

    Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

  • Tales of the City

    Tales of the City

  • A Gunfight

    A Gunfight

  • Crazy for Love

    Crazy for Love

  • Light Speed

    Light Speed

  • The Donor

    The Donor

  • Repo Chick

    Repo Chick

  • Savage Dawn

    Savage Dawn

  • Easy Rider

    Easy Rider

  • Moon Over Miami

    Moon Over Miami

  • Stir

    Stir

  • Watercolors

    Watercolors

  • The Outfit

    The Outfit

  • Paris

    Paris

  • Contamination

    Contamination

  • Who Is Henry Jaglom?

    Who Is Henry Jaglom?

  • The Trust

    The Trust

  • The Second Hundred Years

    The Second Hundred Years

  • Maria My Love

    Maria My Love

  • Chanel Solitaire

    Chanel Solitaire

  • The Great Gatsby

    The Great Gatsby

  • E/R

    E/R

  • She Loves Me Not

    She Loves Me Not

  • Russians in the City of Angels

    Russians in the City of Angels

  • Cut and Run

    Cut and Run

  • Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage

    Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage

  • Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

    Auntie Lee's Meat Pies

  • Fatal Encounter

    Fatal Encounter

  • Quiet Fire

    Quiet Fire

  • Charades

    Charades

  • Plotting 'Family Plot'

    Plotting 'Family Plot'

  • Capricorn One

    Capricorn One

  • Men

    Men

  • Airport 1975

    Airport 1975

  • Invaders from Mars

    Invaders from Mars

  • Five Easy Pieces

    Five Easy Pieces

  • Rubin & Ed

    Rubin & Ed

  • Family Plot

    Family Plot

  • Burnt Offerings

    Burnt Offerings

  • 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

  • E! True Hollywood Story

    E! True Hollywood Story

  • Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

    Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

  • Bottomless Pit

    Bottomless Pit

  • Hostage

    Hostage

  • Final Judgement

    Final Judgement

  • The Day of the Locust

    The Day of the Locust

  • Science Fiction Film Awards

    Science Fiction Film Awards

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

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

  • Trilogy of Terror

    Trilogy of Terror

  • Cisco Pike

    Cisco Pike

  • Drive, He Said

    Drive, He Said

  • The Last Horror Film

    The Last Horror Film

  • It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

    It's Alive III: Island of the Alive

  • Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering

    Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering

  • No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

    No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos

  • The Roller Blade Seven

    The Roller Blade Seven

  • Altman on His Own Terms

    Altman on His Own Terms

  • Twisted Justice

    Twisted Justice

  • Mirror Mirror

    Mirror Mirror

  • You're a Big Boy Now

    You're a Big Boy Now

  • A Single Woman

    A Single Woman

  • The Underground Comedy Movie

    The Underground Comedy Movie

  • Crime and Passion

    Crime and Passion

  • The Double 0 Kid

    The Double 0 Kid

  • Born to Win

    Born to Win

  • The Children

    The Children

  • In Praise of Older Women

    In Praise of Older Women

  • Wild in Blue

    Wild in Blue

  • Caged Fear

    Caged Fear

  • The Little Mermaid

    The Little Mermaid

  • Zapped Again!

    Zapped Again!

  • Out of the Dark

    Out of the Dark

  • The Grass Is Singing

    The Grass Is Singing

  • Law and Disorder

    Law and Disorder

  • Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

    Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula

  • Some Guy Who Kills People

    Some Guy Who Kills People

  • The Independent

    The Independent

  • I Woke Up Early the Day I Died

    I Woke Up Early the Day I Died

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

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

  • Wanderlust

    Wanderlust

  • Portnoy's Complaint

    Portnoy's Complaint

  • Meet the Eye

    Meet the Eye

  • The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway

    The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway

  • Tuesday Never Comes

    Tuesday Never Comes

  • Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

    Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs

  • Dixie Lanes

    Dixie Lanes

  • Children of the Night

    Children of the Night

  • Gypsy 83

    Gypsy 83

  • Dinosaur Valley Girls

    Dinosaur Valley Girls

  • Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop

    Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop

  • Homer and Eddie

    Homer and Eddie

  • Eternal Evil

    Eternal Evil

  • Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman

    Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman

  • The Invisible Kid

    The Invisible Kid

  • Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

    Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?

  • Hard Contract

    Hard Contract

  • On the tracks of a filmmaker

    On the tracks of a filmmaker

  • Flight of the Spruce Goose

    Flight of the Spruce Goose

  • New York Crossing

    New York Crossing

  • Curse of the Forty-Niner

    Curse of the Forty-Niner

  • BBStory: An American Film Renaissance

    BBStory: An American Film Renaissance

  • Because He's My Friend

    Because He's My Friend

  • Bury the Evidence

    Bury the Evidence

  • Blood Money

    Blood Money

  • Dead Girls Don't Tango

    Dead Girls Don't Tango

  • Power

    Power

  • Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

    Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

  • Mr. Horn

    Mr. Horn

  • The Pyx

    The Pyx

  • The Last Word

    The Last Word

  • The Squeeze

    The Squeeze

  • Haunting Fear

    Haunting Fear

  • Rhinoceros

    Rhinoceros

  • Miss Right

    Miss Right

  • Mommy's Little Monster

    Mommy's Little Monster

  • A Light in the Darkness

    A Light in the Darkness

  • Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1

    Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1

  • Hollywood Dreams

    Hollywood Dreams

  • Dr. Rage

    Dr. Rage

  • Suffering Man's Charity

    Suffering Man's Charity

  • Letters from the Big Man

    Letters from the Big Man

  • The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

    The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

  • Stuck!

    Stuck!

  • Read You Like a Book

    Read You Like a Book

  • Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

    Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts

  • Little Laura and Big John

    Little Laura and Big John

  • Firecracker

    Firecracker

  • Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

    Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia

  • Bound and Gagged: A Love Story

    Bound and Gagged: A Love Story

  • Too Bad About Jack

    Too Bad About Jack

  • The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

    The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley

  • Separate Ways

    Separate Ways

  • Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone

    Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone

  • Where the Ladies Go

    Where the Ladies Go

  • Legend of The Roller Blade Seven

    Legend of The Roller Blade Seven

  • Cries of Silence

    Cries of Silence

  • Plan 10 from Outer Space

    Plan 10 from Outer Space

  • The Prime Time

    The Prime Time

  • Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'

    Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'

  • Overexposed

    Overexposed

  • Return of the Roller Blade Seven

    Return of the Roller Blade Seven

  • Karen Black: Actress at Work

    Karen Black: Actress at Work

  • The Blue Tooth Virgin

    The Blue Tooth Virgin

  • The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra

    The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra

  • WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere

    WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere

  • Every Minute Is Goodbye

    Every Minute Is Goodbye