Kathleen Denise Quinlan (born November 19, 1954) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, and her Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated role in the 1995 film Apollo 13, along with many roles in other feature films, television movies, and series, in a career spanning almost five decades.
Early life and education Quinlan was born on November 19, 1954, in Pasadena, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. Her mother Josephine (née Zachry) was a military supply supervisor, and her father Robert Quinlan, was a television sports director. She was raised in Mill Valley, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Career Quinlan had an uncredited role in 1972's One Is a Lonely Number but her official credited film debut was in George Lucas's 1973 movie American Graffiti, at the age of 18.
As a young actress in the 1970s, she also had guest-starring roles in many popular television series of the day, including Police Woman, Kojak, Ironside, Emergency!, and The Waltons.
Her most celebrated roles include playing Deborah, a 16-year-old schizophrenic, in the film version of the novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, for which she earned a Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Golden Globe nomination, and portraying Marilyn Lovell, the wife of Tom Hanks's astronaut character Jim Lovell, in the 1995 movie Apollo 13, earning her both a Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Golden Globe nomination and a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination.
Quinlan also appeared in feature films such as Lifeguard (1976), Airport '77 (1977), The Promise (1979), The Runner Stumbles (1979), Sunday Lovers (1980), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Warning Sign (1985) Sunset (1988), Clara's Heart (1988), and Trial by Jury (1994). She featured in numerous TV movies as well, including Little Ladies of the Night (1977), She's in the Army Now (1981), Blackout (1985), Trapped (1989), Strays (1991), Last Light (1993), the adaptation of the novel In the Lake of the Woods (1996), Blessings (2003), and more. She played Jim Morrison's Celtic pagan consort Patricia Kennealy-Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors. In 1997, she appeared in Event Horizon (1997) and won a Blockbuster Entertainment Award as Favorite Supporting Actress-Suspense for Breakdown (1997), playing Kurt Russell's character's kidnapped wife.
She had a main role for three seasons on the series Family Law, along with recurring roles as the mother of the two brothers on Prison Break, and in Chicago Fire and Blue. She was in two episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, plus episodes of many other shows, such as Diagnosis: Murder, Glee, The Event, and House. She appeared in the 2006 remake of the horror classic The Hills Have Eyes, the 2007 film Breach, and the 2008 film Made of Honor, and played a senator in "Alliances", a 2011 episode of the science-fiction series Stargate Universe.
, Quinlan's recent work includes a 2019 episode of How to Get Away with Murder, a lead role in the film Walking with Herb, filmed in 2018 and released in 2021, and a part in the horror flick The Stairs.
Personal life In his 2024 memoir Sonny Boy, Al Pacino describes his relationship with Quinlan around 1983 when he was making the film Scarface.
She was married to artist Warren Long in 1987. She met actor Bruce Abbott, who was married to actress Linda Hamilton at the time, on the TV movie Trapped (1989) and they married on April 12, 1994. They divorced December 24, 2022. They remain good friends, and have one son, Tyler, who was born in 1990.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1973American GraffitiPeg1975The Abduction of Saint AnneAnne Benedict1976LifeguardWendy1977Airport '77JulieI Never Promised You a Rose GardenDeborah Blake1979Nancy McAllister / Marie AdamsonSister Rita1980Sunday LoversLaurieSegment: "Skippy"1982Hanky PankyJanet Dunn1983Independence DayMary Ann TaylorTwilight Zone: The MovieHelen FoleySegment: "It's a Good Life"1984Last WinterJoyce1985Warning SignJoanie Morse1987Wild ThingJaneMan OutsideGrace Freemont1988SunsetNancy ShoemakerClara's HeartLeona Hart1991Patricia Kennealy1994Trial by JuryWanda1995Apollo 13Marilyn LovellPerfect AlibiMelanie Bauers1997Zeus and RoxanneMary Beth DunhillBreakdownAmy TaylorEvent HorizonPetersLawn DogsClare Stockard1998My GiantSerena KaminAnne Anderson2003Eve Ernswiler2004El PadrinoJudge Scorsi2006Harm's WayBeaEthel Carter2007American ForkAgnes OrbisonBreachBonnie Hanssen2008CarolMade of HonorJoan2009Adult Film: A Hollywood TaleMary Bernstein2010Elektra LuxxRebecca LinbrookMaEagles in the Chicken CoopMary Bernstein2012Life's an ItchAudrey2013HornsLydia Perrish2014AfterNora Valentino2017Elizabeth BlueCarolADDictedKate Dawson2018Chimera StrainMastersonParallelMarissa2019The Devil Has a NameNancy2021The StairsGrandma Bernice MartinWalking with HerbSheila Amable-Amo2024Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2Annie PineTBAHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 3Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1973Emergency!Janet"Understanding"1974Harry OSharon"Guardian at the Gates"Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawJill"House of Friends"Can Ellen Be SavedMelissaABC Movie of the WeekPolice WomanDebbie Sweet"The Beautiful Die Young"KojakJanet Conforti"Hush Now, Don't You Die"Where Have All the People Gone?Deborah AndersTV filmLucas TannerJoyce Howell"Lucas Tanner", "Three Letter Word"IronsidePeggy Lynch"Run Scared"1974–1976Selina Linville"The Thoroughbred", "The Collision"1975MichelleTV filmAnne BenedictTV filmEdith EvansTV filmSwitchRobin Morgan"The Deadly Missiles Caper"1977Little Ladies of the NightKaren BrodwickTV film1981She's in the Army NowPvt. Cass DonnerTV film1984When She Says NoRose MichaelsTV film1985BlackoutChris GrahamTV filmChildren of the NightLois LeeTV film1986Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAnn Foley"The Canary Sedan"1987Dreams Lost, Dreams FoundSarah McAllisterTV film1988Alfred Hitchcock PresentsKaren Wilson"Fogbound"1989TrappedMary Ann MarshallTV film1990GinnieTV film1991StraysLindsey JarrettTV film1992Hope TylerTV film1993Stolen BabiesBekkaTV filmTribecaKaren"Heros Exoletus"Last LightKathy RubicekTV filmThe Hidden RoomJulia"Refuge"1995Picture WindowsHooker"Lightning"1996In the Lake of the WoodsKathy WaylanTV film1999Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris DukeNanaline DukeTV filmDiagnosis: MurderDr. Kate Delieb"Today Is the Last Day of the Rest of My Life"1999–2002Family LawLynn HoltMain role2003BlessingsMeredith BlessingTV film2004Perfect RomanceTess KellyTV filmSande KeppelTV filmBeth HytnerTV film2006HouseArlene McNeil"Meaning"2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationBarbara Tallman"Monster in the Box"2008–2009Prison BreakChristina Rose ScofieldRecurring role (season 4)2009Empire StateColleen CochraneTV film2010Erika Jarvis"Your World to Take", "Everything Will Change"2011Stargate UniverseSen. Michaels"Alliances"Cinema VeriteMaryTV filmGleeDr. Shane"Born This Way"2012–2013Chicago FireNancy CaseyRecurring role2012–2014BlueJessicaRecurring role2015How Not to ProposeSusanTV film2018–2019Marvel's RunawaysSusan Ellerh3 episodes2018Saving My BabyVirginiaTV film2019How to Get Away with MurderBritt"Say Goodbye"2023Mayans M.C.Mrs. Buksar3 episodes
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.1978Golden GlobesGolden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – DramaKathleen Quinlan1985Best Actress1995Awards Circuit Community AwardsBest Actress in a Supporting RoleBest Cast EnsembleApollo 13Chicago Film Critics AwardsBest Supporting ActressKathleen Quinlan1996Academy AwardBest Supporting ActressGolden GlobesBest Supporting Actress – Motion PictureDallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association AwardsBest Supporting ActressScreen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureApollo 131998Blockbuster Entertainment AwardFavorite Supporting Actress – SuspenseKathleen Quinlan2000OFTA Television AwardBest Actress in a New Drama Series201620/20 AwardsBest Supporting Actress from 19952018FilmQuest Cthulhu AwardsBest Supporting Actress – FeatureScreamfest NOLA AwardsBest Supporting Role2020European Cinematography AwardsBest Actress
Notes
References
External links
Kathleen Quinlan at Rotten Tomatoes