Karen Black was an American actress whose career spanned over 50 years, and included over 200 credits across film, television, and theater. She made her Broadway debut in 1965 before making her major film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's You're a Big Boy Now (1966). She subsequently appeared as an acid-tripping prostitute in Dennis Hopper's road film Easy Rider (1969), which she followed with the drama Five Easy Pieces (1970), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, and the disaster film Airport 1975 (1974). Her following role as Myrtle Wilson in Jack Clayton's 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), and as an aspiring actress in John Schlesinger's drama The Day of the Locust (1975), which earned her a third Golden Globe nomination. She subsequently appeared in three roles in Dan Curtis's anthology horror film Trilogy of Terror (1975), followed by Curtis's supernatural horror feature, Burnt Offerings (1976). The same year, she played a kidnapping accomplice in Alfred Hitchcock's final film, Family Plot.

In 1982, Black starred as a transsexual in Altman's drama Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, followed by a lead in Tobe Hooper's remake of Invaders from Mars (1986). She also appeared on television, guest-starring on such series as E/R (1984–1985), Murder, She Wrote (1987), and Miami Vice (1989). Throughout the 1990s, Black appeared in a wide variety of independent and experimental films, a trend she continued into the 2000s. Her role as a murderous mother in Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses (2003) helped cement her status as a cult horror icon. She continued to appear in low-profile films throughout the early 2010s before her death in 2013.

Film +Karen Black film credits Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 1960The Prime TimeBetty – Painted Woman 1966You're a Big Boy NowAmy Partlett 1969Hard ContractEllen 1969Easy RiderKaren 1970Five Easy PiecesRayette Dipesto 1971 Drive, He SaidOlive 1971A GunfightJenny Simms 1971Born to WinParm 1972Cisco PikeSue 1972Portnoy's ComplaintMary Jane Reid 1973Little Laura and Big JohnLaura 1973The PyxElizabeth Lucy 1973The OutfitBett Harrow 1974RhinocerosDaisy 1974The Great GatsbyMyrtle Wilson 1974Law and DisorderGloria 1974Airport 1975Nancy Pryor 1975Trilogy of TerrorJulie / Millicent Larimore/ Therese Larimore / AmeliaTelevision film 1975The Day of the LocustFaye Greener 1975NashvilleConnie White 1976Crime and PassionSusan Winters 1976Family PlotFran 1976Burnt OfferingsMarian Rolf 1977Capricorn OneJudy Drinkwater 1977 The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver Miriam Oliver Television film 1978 Because He's My Friend Anne Television film 1978The Rip-OffClarisse Saunders Also known as: The Squeeze 1978In Praise of Older WomenMaya 1979Killer FishKate Neville 1979The Last WordPaula Herbert 1979 Mr. Horn Ernestina Crawford Television film 1980Police Story: Confessions of a Lady CopOfficer Evelyn CarterTelevision filmAlso known as: The Other Side of Fear 1980 Power Rose Vanda-Buchanan Television film 1980 Where the Ladies Go Helen Television film 1981Separate WaysValentine Colby 1981Killing HeatMary Turner Also known as: The Grass is Singing 1981Chanel SolitaireÉmilienne d'Alençon 1982The Last Horror FilmHerselfUncredited 1982Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy DeanJoanne 1982Miss RightAmy 1983Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?Zee 1984Bad MannersGladys FitzpatrickAlso known as: Growing Pains 1984A Stroke of Genius 1984 There's Something Wrong in Paradise Gina Gina Television musical film with Kid Creole 1984 Full Circle Again Television film; co-starring with Robert Vaughn1985Martin's DayKaren 1985Cut and RunKarin Italian title: Inferno in diretta 1985The Blue Man Janus Also known as: Eternal Evil 1985Savage DawnRachel 1986The Flight of the Spruce GooseGloria 1986Invaders from MarsLinda Magnusson 1986HostageLaura Lawrence 1987It's Alive III: Island of the AliveEllen Jarvis 1988The Invisible KidDeborah Dunn 1988Dixie LanesZelma Putnam 1988Out of the DarkRuth Wilson 1989Homer and EddieBelle 1989The Legendary Life of Ernest HemingwayMartha Gelhorn 1989 Trust Me Jilter woman 1990OverexposedMrs. Trowbridge 1990Twisted JusticeMrs. Granger 1990Zapped Again!Substitute Teacher 1990Night AngelRita 1990Club FedSally Rich 1990Mirror, MirrorSusan Gordon 1990 Pretty Hattie's Baby Unreleased 1990The ChildrenSybil Lullmer 1990 The Covenant 1990 Haunting Fear Dr. Julia Harcourt 1990Fatal Encounter Joan Caldwell 1990Evil SpiritsElla Purdy 1991 Quiet Fire Kim Martino 1991 The Killer's Edge Barrett 1991 Dead Girls Don't Tango Inspector Wilson 1991Caged FearBlancheAlso known as: Hotel Oklahoma 1991Rubin and EdRula 1991Children of the NightKaren Thompson 1991The Roller Blade SevenTarot 1992The PlayerHerself 1992Tuesday Never ComesMichelle 1992JudgementTiffany Powers Also known as: Hitz 1992Auntie Lee's Meat PiesAuntie Lee 1992The Legend of the Roller Blade SevenTarot 1992The Double 0 KidMrs. Elliot 1993Bound and Gagged: A Love StoryCarla 1993The TrustMaria Vandermeer 1993Return of the Roller Blade SevenTarot 1993Movies Money MurderBettie Also producerAlso known as: Breaking Up with Paul 1994Too Bad About Jack Inspector Wilson 1995Plan 10 from Outer SpaceNehor 1995The Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse ShirleyEvelyn 1995 Dream Catcher 1995StarstruckBertha 1996Sister IslandRose Walsh Also known as: Cries Of Silence 1996CrimetimeMillicent Hargrave 1996Children of the Corn IV: The GatheringJune Rhodes 1996Every Minute is GoodbyeSchubert 1996Dinosaur Valley GirlsRo-Kell 1996 New York Crossing Mrs. Tender Television filmSpanish title: Un angelo a New York1997 Greater Than a TigerPaige Short film 1997StirDr. Gabrielle Kessler 1997Conceiving AdaLady ByronMother Coer 1997MenAlexAlso screenwriter 1997DogtownRose Van Horn 1997Modern Rhapsody Consuelo 1998 Invisible Dad Courtney Whitmer 1998I Woke Up Early The Day I DiedWhip Lady 1998Sugar: The Fall of the West 1998My Neighbor's Daughter Social Worker Television film 1998Bury the EvidenceThe Mother 1998MalaikaJessica Martin 1998CharadesJude 1998Waiting for Dr. MacGuffin Dental AssistantShort film 1998LightspeedHigh Priestess 1999The Underground Comedy MovieMother 1999MascaraAunt Eloise 1999Paradise CoveMa 2000Fallen ArchesLucy Romano 2000Red DirtAunt Summer 2000Oliver TwistedMrs. Mary Happ 2000Inviati speciali 2000The IndependentHerself 2001The DonorMrs. Springle 2001Gypsy 83Bambi LeBleau 2001Hard LuckAunt Judy 2001SoulkeeperMagnificent Martha Television film 2002TeknolustDirty Dick 2002Curse of the Forty-NinerAunt Nelly 2002 All Hallow's Eve 2003House of 1000 CorpsesMother Firefly 2003ParisChantrelle 2003ButtlemanMrs. Buttleman Also known as: Don't Try This at Home 2003Summer SolsticeDr. Sally McDermott 2004America BrownMarianne Brown 2004Birth of IndustrySaraShort film 2005 Love Wine Aunt Anita Television film 2005CarmaKate BurnsVoice 2005My Suicidal SweetheartGrace's Mom Also known as: Crazy for Love; Max & Grace 2005Trailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's CaligulaAgrippinaShort film 2005FirecrackerSandraEleanor 2005The Straun HouseMolly Also known as: Dr. Rage 2006Hollywood DreamsLuna 2006Read You Like a BookKate 2006WhitepaddyMrs. Leider 2007 Suffering Man's CharityRenee 2007One Long NightBarbara 2008ContaminationMavis 2008WatercolorsMrs. Martin 2008A Single WomanStoryteller 2009The Blue Tooth VirginZena 2009Meet the Eye Short film 2009Irene in TimeSheila Shivvers 2009Repo ChickAunt de la Chasse 2009Stuck!Next Door Neighbor Lady 2009Double DutyAnnabelle 2009First Time Long TimeDr. ShneidelShort film 2010 Better People Marci Television film 2010Nothing SpecialMay 2011Some Guy Who Kills PeopleRuth Boyd 2011Letters from the Big ManSean's Colleague 2011Maria My LoveMaria 2012Mommy's Little Monster Mrs. Melnick 2012Warnings from the BathtubMotherShort film 2012VacationlandLouise Bergen 2012Dark BloodMotel Woman Filmed in 1993 2013OowieWannaThe DonnaShort film 2013Ooga BoogaMrs. Allardyce 2013She Loves Me NotKarla 2013Bottomless PitHerself Unfinished film, shot for musical group Death Grips 2014Wild in BlueJustine 2014A Walk Into a Split MindKaren Installment in multi-film series The Being Experience

Television +Karen Black television series creditsYearTitleRoleNotes 1967 The F.B.I. Lorraine Chapman Episode: "The Satellite" 1967 Run for Your Life Jennifer Palmer Episode: "Tell It to the Dead" 1967 The Big Valley Carla Episode: "Days of Grace" 1967 The Second Hundred Years Marcia 2 episodes 1967 The InvadersClaudia StoneEpisode: "The Ransom" 1967 Iron Horse Patricia Dunne Episode: "The Prisoners" 1968 Mannix Elaine Tate Episode: "License to Kill – Limit Three People" 1968 Judd, for the Defense Alethea Staunton Episode: "The Devil's Surrogate" 1968 Adam-12 Susan Decker Episode: "Log 132: Producer" 1969 The Name of the Game Monica Garrison Episode: "Give Till It Hurts" 1972 Ghost Story Barbara Sanders Episode: "Bad Connection" 1976–1981 Saturday Night Live Herself 4 episodes 1984–1985 E/R Sheila Sheinfeld 3 episodes 1985–1987 Faerie Tale Theatre Sea Witch / Interviewee 2 episodes 1986 Murder, She Wrote Dr. Sylvia Dunn Episode: "One Good Bid Deserves a Murder" 1987 Worlds Beyond Lee Jeffreys Episode: "Suffer, Little Children"1989 Miami Vice Helen Jackson Episode: "Victims of Circumstance" 1991 ABC Weekend Special Miss Kuchenbacker Episode: "Ralph S. Mouse" 1993 In the Heat of the Night Carla Ray Episode: "A Dish Best Served Cold" 1993 Moon Over Miami Lorraine Pitzer Episode: "Watching the Detectives" 1997 The Hunger Miss Gati / Landlady Episode: "Menage a Trois" 1998 Profiler Evie Long Episode: "Cycle of Violence" 1998 Party of Five Doreen Jablonsky Episode: "One Christmas, to Go" 1999 Rude Awakening Crystal Garcia 2 episodes 2003 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Vera Morgan Episode: "Con-Text" 2003 Russians in the City of Angels Patricia Sommers Episode: "Priklyuchenie" 2010 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Jennifer Episode: "Choices" 2010 Funny or Die Presents Debbie Rubbie Episode: "8" (Magical Balloon)

Stage +Karen Black stage creditsYearTitleRoleNotes 1961 Take Her, She's Mine Liza Michaelson / Linda Lehman / Adele McDougall (understudy) Biltmore Theatre 1965 The Playroom JudyBrooks Atkinson Theatre 1966 Happily Never After Sarah MillsEugene O'Neill Theatre 1967 Keep It in the Family Hilda BradyPlymouth Theatre 1982 Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean JoanneMartin Beck Theater

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