Karen Black

Karen Black, 1965
Karen arrived in New York city in 1962.  She worked odd jobs, performed Shakespeare in the Park, off-Broadway productions, came close to a Broadway debut in the original version of "Something Happened on the Way to the Forum,"  but didn't last past the...

I auditioned for Five Easy Pieces just like any other actress might and it was just one of those things that couldn’t stop going right.
I used to bring changes of wardrobe along with me in my large purse when I had more than one audition in a day.  After the first one, I’d slip into a bathroom, say, on the Paramount lot, change into the outfit that better suited the character I was about...

About a year ago, Karen reunited with her biological daughter.  The last time she saw her before that was the day she was born.
You see, many years ago during her first year at Northwestern, still a teenager, Karen gave up a girl for adoption.  She called her Nina.  Her father was a young Drama student, Robert Benedetti, with whom she remained friends till the day she died....

I recently found 1996 Chicago Tribune press clipping of an interview Karen did - one of those where you have short answers to questions - favorite childhood memory, my heros, etc.  The last question was "three words that best describe me."  Karen's answer...