Acting · Park Ridge, Illinois, USA · Born July 1, 1939
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.
MovieAirports
2025
MovieDeadly Dolls: Deepest Cuts
2018
as (archive footage)
Bottomless Pit
2015
as Karen Black
MovieGoing Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk
2014
as Self – Joanne (archive footage)
MovieElectric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014
as Linda Magnusson (archive footage) (uncredited)
MovieWild in Blue
2014
as Justine
MovieGore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia
2013
as Self (archive footage)
MovieShe Loves Me Not
2013
as Karla
MovieOoga Booga
2013
as Mrs. Allardyce
MovieDark Blood
2012
as Motel Woman
Maria My Love
2012
as Maria
MovieOowieWanna
2012
as The Donna
Mommy's Little Monster
2012
as Mrs. Melnick
MovieHawk Warrior of the Wheelzone
2012
as Tarot
MovieLetters from the Big Man
2011
as Sean's Colleague
MovieSome Guy Who Kills People
2011
as Ruth Boyd
MovieBBStory: An American Film Renaissance
2010
as Self
MovieHenry Jaglom Finds 'A Safe Place'
2010
as Self
MovieNothing Special
2010
as May
MovieDouble Duty
2009
as Annabelle
MovieStuck!
2009
as The Neighbor Lady
MovieRepo Chick
2009
as Aunt De La Chasse
MovieIrene in Time
2009
as Sheila Shivvers
Meet the Eye
2009
MovieWamego: Ultimatum
2009
as Self
MovieNo Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
2009
as Self
MovieFirst Time Long Time
2009
as Dr. Shneidel
MovieA Single Woman
2008
as Storyteller
MovieThe Blue Tooth Virgin
2008
as Zena
MovieWatercolors
2008
as Mrs. Martin
MovieContamination
2008
as Mavis
MovieHollywood Dreams
2007
as Luna
MovieOne Long Night
2007
as Barbara
MovieSuffering Man's Charity
2007
as Renee
TVTim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
2007
as Jennifer
MovieRead You Like a Book
2006
as Kate
MovieWanderlust
2006
as Herself
MovieWhitepaddy
2006
as Mrs. Leider
MovieAmerica Brown
2005
as Marianne Brown
MovieFirecracker
2005
as Sandra / Eleanor
MovieTrailer for a Remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula
2005
as Agrippina
MovieCrazy for Love
2005
as Grace's Mom
MovieDr. Rage
2005
as Molly
Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild
2004
as Self
MovieBirth of Industry
2004
as Sara
MovieWAMEGO: Making Movies Anywhere
2004
as Self
MovieParis
2003
as Chantelle
MovieHarold Buttleman: Daredevil Stuntman
2003
as Mrs. Buttleman
MovieHouse of 1000 Corpses
2003
as Mother Firefly
MovieEasy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood
2003
as Self
TVRussians in the City of Angels
2003
as Patricia Sommers
MovieCurse of the Forty-Niner
2002
as Aunt Nelly
MovieA Light in the Darkness
2002
as Mrs. Melnick
MovieBest of Tromadance Film Festival: Volume 1
2002
as ("Los Vampirios Moronious" short)
MovieTeknolust
2002
as Dirty Dick
MovieGypsy 83
2001
as Bambi LeBleau
MovieSoulkeeper
2001
as Martha la Magnifica
TVLaw & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Vera Morgan
MovieThe Donor
2001
as Mrs. Springle
MoviePlotting 'Family Plot'
2001
as Self
MovieThe Independent
2000
as Karen Black
MovieRed Dirt
2000
as Aunt Summer
MovieFallen Arches
2000
as Lucy Romano
MovieOliver Twisted
2000
as Mrs. Mary Happ
MovieAltman on His Own Terms
2000
as Self
MovieEasy Rider: Shaking the Cage
1999
as Self
MovieThe Underground Comedy Movie
1999
as Mother
MovieMascara
1999
as Aunt Eloise
MovieConceiving Ada
1999
as Lady Byron / Mother Coer
MovieParadise Cove
1999
as Ma
Karen Black: Actress at Work
1999
as Self
MovieCharades
1998
as Jude
MovieBury the Evidence
1998
as The Mother
MovieAngel Blue
1998
as Social Worker
MovieI Woke Up Early the Day I Died
1998
as Whip Lady
TVRude Awakening
1998
as Crystal Garcia
MovieInvisible Dad
1998
as Courtney Whitmer
MovieMalaika
1998
as Jessica Martin
Light Speed
1998
as High Priestess
MovieMythos Hollywood - Das Geheimnis des Erfolgs
1998
as Self
MovieMen
1997
as Alex
TVThe Hunger
1997
as Miss Gati / Landlady
MovieWho Is Henry Jaglom?
1997
as Self
MovieStir
1997
as Dr. Gabrielle Kessler
MovieDogtown
1997
as Rose Van Horn
MovieNew York Crossing
1996
as Mrs. Tender
MovieChildren of the Corn IV: The Gathering
1996
as June Rhodes
TVProfiler
1996
as Evie Long
TVE! True Hollywood Story
1996
MovieCrimetime
1996
as Millicent
MovieCries of Silence
1996
as Rose Walsh
Every Minute Is Goodbye
1996
MovieThe Wacky Adventures of Dr. Boris and Nurse Shirley
1995
as Evelyn
MoviePlan 10 from Outer Space
1995
as Nehor
MovieDinosaur Valley Girls
1995
as Ro-Kell
MovieStarstruck
1995
as Bertha
MovieThe Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black: Teather Penumbra
1994
TVParty of Five
1994
as Doreen Jablonsky
Too Bad About Jack
1994
MovieFertile La Toyah Video Magazine #2: The Kinky Issue!
1994
MovieBound and Gagged: A Love Story
1993
as Carla
TVTales of the City
1993
as Self
TVMoon Over Miami
1993
MovieLegend of The Roller Blade Seven
1993
as Tarot
MovieThe Trust
1993
as Maria Vandermeer
MovieReturn of the Roller Blade Seven
1993
as Tarot
MovieAuntie Lee's Meat Pies
1992
as Auntie Lee
MovieThe Double 0 Kid
1992
as Mrs. Elliot
MovieJudgement
1992
as Tiffany Powers
MovieFinal Judgement
1992
as Mrs. Sorrel
MovieTuesday Never Comes
1992
as Michelle
MovieRubin & Ed
1992
as Rula
MovieThe Player
1992
as Karen Black
MovieDead Girls Don't Tango
1992
as Insp. Wilson
MovieQuiet Fire
1991
as Kim Martino
MovieEvil Spirits
1991
as Ella Purdy
MovieChildren of the Night
1991
as Karen Thompson
MovieThe Roller Blade Seven
1991
as Tarot
MovieCaged Fear
1991
as Blanche
MovieBlood Money
1991
as Barrett
MovieRalph S. Mouse
1991
as Miss Kuchenbacker
MovieMirror Mirror
1990
as Susan Gordon
MovieClub Fed
1990
as Sally Rich
MovieHaunting Fear
1990
as Dr. Julia Harcourt
MovieNight Angel
1990
as Rita
MovieThe Children
1990
as Sybil Lullmer
MovieZapped Again!
1990
as Homeroom Teacher
MovieTwisted Justice
1990
as Mrs. Granger
MovieOverexposed
1990
as Mrs. Trowbridge
MovieFatal Encounter
1990
as Joan Caldwell
MovieHomer and Eddie
1989
as Belle
MovieOut of the Dark
1988
as Ruth Wilson
MovieDixie Lanes
1988
as Zelma Putnam
MovieThe Invisible Kid
1988
as Mom
MovieThe Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway
1988
as Martha Gelhorn
MovieOn the tracks of a filmmaker
1988
as Karen Black
MovieHostage
1987
as Laura Lawrence
MovieIt's Alive III: Island of the Alive
1987
as Ellen Jarvis
MovieThe Little Mermaid
1987
as Sea Witch
TVWorlds Beyond
1986
as Lee Jeffreys
MovieInvaders from Mars
1986
as Linda Magnusson
MovieFlight of the Spruce Goose
1986
as Gloria
MovieSavage Dawn
1985
as Rachel
MovieCut and Run
1985
as Karin
MovieMartin's Day
1985
as Karen
MovieEternal Evil
1985
as Janus
MovieBad Manners
1984
as Gladys Fitzpatrick
TVMurder, She Wrote
1984
as Dr. Sylvia Dunn
TVMiami Vice
1984
as Helen Jackson
TVE/R
1984
TVThe Hitchhiker
1983
as Kay Mason
MovieCan She Bake a Cherry Pie?
1983
as Zee
MovieCome Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
1982
as Joanne
TVFaerie Tale Theatre
1982
as Guest Interviewee
MovieThe Last Horror Film
1982
as Karen Black (uncredited)
TVAmerican Playhouse
1982
as Self
MovieMiss Right
1982
as Amy
MovieChanel Solitaire
1981
as Emilienne d'Alençon
MovieThe Grass Is Singing
1981
as Mary Turner
MovieSeparate Ways
1981
as Valentine Colby
MoviePolice Story: Confessions of a Lady Cop
1980
as Investigator Evelyn Carter
MovieWhere the Ladies Go
1980
as Helen
TVPower
1980
as Rose Vanda-Buchanan
MovieKiller Fish
1979
as Kate
MovieThe Last Word
1979
as Paula Herbert
MovieMr. Horn
1979
as Ernestina Crawford
TVMr. Horn
1979
as Ernestina Crawford
MovieThe Squeeze
1978
as Clarisse Saunders
MovieIn Praise of Older Women
1978
as Maya
MovieBecause He's My Friend
1978
as Anne
MovieCapricorn One
1977
as Judy Drinkwater
MovieThe Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver
1977
as Miriam Oliver / Sandy
MovieBurnt Offerings
1976
as Marian Rolf
MovieFamily Plot
1976
as Fran
MovieCrime and Passion
1976
as Susan Winters
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
MovieNashville
1975
as Connie White
MovieThe Day of the Locust
1975
as Faye Greener
MovieTrilogy of Terror
1975
as Julie / Millicent Larimore / Therese Larimore / Amelia
TVPeople's Choice Awards
1975
as Self
MovieAirport 1975
1974
as Nancy Pryor
MovieLaw and Disorder
1974
as Gloria
MovieThe Great Gatsby
1974
as Myrtle Wilson
MovieRhinoceros
1974
as Daisy
MovieThe Outfit
1973
as Bett Harrow
MovieThe Pyx
1973
as Elizabeth Lucy
MovieLittle Laura and Big John
1973
as Laura
TVPolice Story
1973
as Office Evelyn Carter
TVGhost Story
1972
as Barbara Sanders
MoviePortnoy's Complaint
1972
as Mary Jane Reid a.k.a. Monkey
MovieCisco Pike
1972
as Sue
MovieBorn to Win
1971
as Parm
MovieA Gunfight
1971
as Jenny Simms
MovieDrive, He Said
1971
as Olive
MovieFive Easy Pieces
1970
as Rayette Dipesto
MovieEasy Rider
1969
as Karen
MovieHard Contract
1969
as Ellen
TVAdam-12
1968
as Susan Decker
TVThe Name of the Game
1968
as Monica Garrison
TVMannix
1967
TVThe Carol Burnett Show
1967
as Self - Guest / Various Characters
TVJudd, for the Defense
1967
TVThe Second Hundred Years
1967
as Marcia
TVThe Invaders
1967
as Claudia Stone
MovieYou're a Big Boy Now
1966
as Amy Partlett
TVThe F.B.I.
1965
as Lorraine Chapman
TVThe Big Valley
1965
as Carla
TVRun for Your Life
1965
as Jennifer Palmer
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TVThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
MovieThe Prime Time
1960
as Betty
George Sluizer - Filming beyond Bounderies
as Self
Vacationland
as Louise
TVScience Fiction Film Awards
as Herself
