Karen Black
Born
July 1, 1939
Died
August 8, 2013 (74 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Park Ridge, Illinois, USA
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.
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Known For
Deadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts
(archive footage)
2018
Bottomless Pit
Karen Black
2015
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Self (archive footage)
2015
Wild in Blue
Justine
2014
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
Self (archive footage)
2013
She Loves Me Not
Karla
2013
Ooga Booga
Mrs. Allardyce
2013
Dark Blood
Motel Woman
2012
Maria My Love
Maria
2012
OowieWanna
The Donna
2012
Mommy's Little Monster
Mrs. Melnick
2012
Hawk Warrior of the Wheelzone
Tarot
2012
Letters from the Big Man
Sean's Colleague
2011
Some Guy Who Kills People
Ruth Boyd
2011
BBStory: An American Film Renaissance
Self
2010
Henry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'
Self
2010
Nothing Special
May
2010
Double Duty
Annabelle
2009
Stuck!
The Neighbor Lady
2009
Repo Chick
Aunt De La Chasse
2009
Irene in Time
Sheila Shivvers
2009
Wamego: Ultimatum
Self
2009
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
Self
2009
A Single Woman
Storyteller
2008
Watercolors
Mrs. Martin
2008
Contamination
Mavis
2008
Hollywood Dreams
Luna
2007
One Long Night
Barbara
2007
Suffering Man's Charity
Renee
2007
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Jennifer · (1 episode)
2007
Read You Like a Book
Kate
2006
Wanderlust
Herself
2006
Whitepaddy
Mrs. Leider
2006
America Brown
Marianne Brown
2005
Firecracker
Sandra / Eleanor
2005
Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula
Agrippina
2005
My Suicidal Sweetheart
Grace's Mom
2005
Dr. Rage
Molly
2005
Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild
Self
2004
WAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere
Self
2004
Paris
Chantelle
2003
Harold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman
Mrs. Buttleman
2003
House of 1000 Corpses
Mother Firefly
2003
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
Self
2003
Curse of the Forty-Niner
Aunt Nelly
2002
Best of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1
("Los Vampirios Moronious" short)
2002
Teknolust
Dirty Dick
2002
A Light in the Darkness
Mrs. Melnick
2002
Gypsy 83
Bambi LeBleau
2001
Soulkeeper
Martha la Magnifica
2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Vera Morgan · (1 episode)
2001
The Donor
Mrs. Springle
2001
Plotting 'Family Plot'
Self
2001
The Independent
Karen Black
2000
Red Dirt
Aunt Summer
2000
Fallen Arches
Lucy Romano
2000
Oliver Twisted
Mrs. Mary Happ
2000
Altman on His Own Terms
Self
2000
Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage
Self
1999
The Underground Comedy Movie
Mother
1999
Mascara
Aunt Eloise
1999
Conceiving Ada
Lady Byron / Mother Coer
1999
Paradise Cove
Ma
1999
Charades
Jude
1998
Bury the Evidence
The Mother
1998
Angel Blue
Social Worker
1998
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died
Whip Lady
1998
Invisible Dad
Courtney Whitmer
1998
Malaika
Jessica Martin
1998
Light Speed
High Priestess
1998
Mythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
Self
1998
Men
Alex
1997
Menage a Trois
Miss Gati
1997
The Hunger
Miss Gati / Landlady · (1 episode)
1997
Who Is Henry Jaglom?
Self
1997
Stir
Dr. Gabrielle Kessler
1997
New York Crossing
Mrs. Tender
1996
Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering
June Rhodes
1996
Dogtown
Rose Van Horn
1996
E! True Hollywood Story
(1 episode)
1996
Crimetime
Millicent
1996
Cries of Silence
Rose Walsh
1996
The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley
Evelyn
1995
Plan 10 from Outer Space
Nehor
1995
Dinosaur Valley Girls
Ro-Kell
1995
Starstruck
Bertha
1995
The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra
1994
Too Bad About Jack
1994
Fertile La Toyah Video Magazine #2: The Kinky Issue!
1994
Bound and Gagged: A Love Story
Carla
1993
Tales of the City
Self · (1 episode)
1993
Moon Over Miami
(1 episode)
1993
Legend of The Roller Blade Seven
Tarot
1993
The Trust
Maria Vandermeer
1993
Return of the Roller Blade Seven
Tarot
1993
Auntie Lee's Meat Pies
Auntie Lee
1992
The Double 0 Kid
Mrs. Elliot
1992
Judgement
Tiffany Powers
1992
Final Judgement
Mrs. Sorrel
1992
Tuesday Never Comes
Michelle
1992
Rubin & Ed
Rula
1992
The Player
Karen Black
1992
Dead Girls Don't Tango
Insp. Wilson
1992
Quiet Fire
Kim Martino
1991
Evil Spirits
Ella Purdy
1991
Children of the Night
Karen Thompson
1991
The Roller Blade Seven
Tarot
1991
Caged Fear
Blanche
1991
Blood Money
Barrett
1991
Ralph S. Mouse
Miss Kuchenbacker
1991
Mirror Mirror
Susan Gordon
1990
Club Fed
Sally Rich
1990
Haunting Fear
Dr. Julia Harcourt
1990
Night Angel
Rita
1990
The Children
Sybil Lullmer
1990
Zapped Again!
Homeroom Teacher
1990
Twisted Justice
Mrs. Granger
1990
Overexposed
Mrs. Trowbridge
1990
Fatal Encounter
Joan Caldwell
1990
Homer and Eddie
Belle
1989
Out of the Dark
Ruth Wilson
1988
Dixie Lanes
Zelma Putnam
1988
The Invisible Kid
Mom
1988
The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway
Martha Gelhorn
1988
On the tracks of a filmmaker
Karen Black
1988
Hostage
Laura Lawrence
1987
It's Alive III: Island of the Alive
Ellen Jarvis
1987
The Little Mermaid
Sea Witch
1987
Invaders from Mars
Linda Magnusson
1986
Flight of the Spruce Goose
Gloria
1986
Savage Dawn
Rachel
1985
Cut and Run
Karin
1985
Martin's Day
Karen
1985
Eternal Evil
Janus
1985
Bad Manners
Gladys Fitzpatrick
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Dr. Sylvia Dunn · (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
(1 episode)
1984
E/R
(3 episodes)
1984
The Hitchhiker
Kay Mason · (1 episode)
1983
Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?
Zee
1983
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Joanne
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Guest Interviewee · (1 episode)
1982
Faerie Tale Theatre
Sea Witch · (1 episode)
1982
The Last Horror Film
Karen Black (uncredited)
1982
Miss Right
Amy
1982
Chanel Solitaire
Emilienne d'Alençon
1981
The Grass Is Singing
Mary Turner
1981
Separate Ways
Valentine Colby
1981
Police Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop
Investigator Evelyn Carter
1980
Where the Ladies Go
Helen
1980
Power
Rose Vanda-Buchanan
1980
Killer Fish
Kate
1979
The Last Word
Paula Herbert
1979
Mr. Horn
Ernestina Crawford
1979
The Squeeze
Clarisse Saunders
1978
In Praise of Older Women
Maya
1978
Because He's My Friend
Anne
1978
Capricorn One
Judy Drinkwater
1977
The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver
Miriam Oliver / Sandy
1977
Burnt Offerings
Marian Rolf
1976
Family Plot
Fran
1976
Crime and Passion
Susan Winters
1976
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (2 episodes)
1975
Nashville
Connie White
1975
The Day of the Locust
Faye Greener
1975
Trilogy of Terror
Julie / Millicent Larimore / Therese Larimore / Amelia
1975
Airport 1975
Nancy Pryor
1974
Law and Disorder
Gloria
1974
The Great Gatsby
Myrtle Wilson
1974
Rhinoceros
Daisy
1974
The Outfit
Bett Harrow
1973
The Pyx
Elizabeth Lucy
1973
Little Laura and Big John
Laura
1973
Police Story
(1 episode)
1973
Ghost Story
Barbara Sanders · (1 episode)
1972
Portnoy's Complaint
Mary Jane Reid a.k.a. Monkey
1972
Born to Win
Parm
1971
Cisco Pike
Sue
1971
A Gunfight
Jenny Simms
1971
Drive, He Said
Olive
1971
Five Easy Pieces
Rayette Dipesto
1970
Easy Rider
Karen
1969
Hard Contract
Ellen
1969
Adam-12
Susan Decker · (1 episode)
1968
The Name of the Game
Monica Garrison · (1 episode)
1968
Mannix
(1 episode)
1967
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest / Various Characters · (1 episode)
1967
Judd for the Defense
(1 episode)
1967
The Invaders
Claudia Stone · (1 episode)
1967
You're a Big Boy Now
Amy Partlett
1966
The F.B.I.
Lorraine Chapman · (1 episode)
1965
The Big Valley
Carla · (1 episode)
1965
Run for Your Life
Jennifer Palmer · (1 episode)
1965
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1961
The Prime Time
Betty
1960
Science Fiction Film Awards
Herself · (1 episode)