Karen Carlson
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Karen Carlson | |
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Born | Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. | January 15, 1945
Alma mater | University of Arkansas |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1967–present |
Spouse(s) |
(divorced) Devin Payne (? - ?) |
Children | 3 |
Parent(s) | Mr. and Mrs. M.W. Carlson |
Karen Carlson (born January 15, 1945) is an American actress.
Life and career
Carlson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M.W. Carlson,[1] and educated at C.E. Byrd High School[2] and at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma and represented the university and state of Arkansas in the 1964 Miss America Pageant, finishing first runner up to Vonda Kay Van Dyke.[3]
Carlson started her career in Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller variety shows, Laugh In, and The Hollywood Palace. She also appeared in television series and films, including The Candidate (1972) with Robert Redford, and The Octagon (1980) with Chuck Norris.[citation needed] In television, Carlson played Nancy Scotfield in 10 episodes of the soap opera Dallas[2] (1986) and Sarah Hallisey in twelve episodes of In the Heat of the Night. She was also a series regular in American Dream with Stephen Macht,[4] The Yellow Rose with David Soul and Cybill Shepherd,[4]: 1202 and Two Marriages with Michael Murphy.[4]: 1121
Carlson was cast as Sarah Ewing in the 1970 episode "The Mezcla Man", one of the last segments of the syndicated western series Death Valley Days, hosted by Dale Robertson. Jesse Pearson played Jess Ivy, a young man who wants to propose marriage to Sarah but hesitates because of his lack of financial footing. He decides to look for hidden gold.[5] She played Mary Ellen in Here Come the Brides.[4]: 452
Carlson also guest starred in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1967), Mission: Impossible (1971), Bonanza (1973), Starsky and Hutch (1976–77) with David Soul, Centennial (1978), The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979), Hill Street Blues (1983), Hotel (1987). Her last appearance was in the film Out of Ashes (2013). She has since turned her focus from acting to directing and screenwriting.[citation needed]
Personal life
Carlson was married to actor David Soul and later married musician Devin Payne. She had one child with Soul and two children with Payne.[2]
Selected filmography
- 1970 The Student Nurses
- 1972 The Candidate
- 1973 The Streets of San Francisco - TV series
- 1975 Cage Without a Key - TV film
- 1976 Starsky and Hutch - TV series
- 1977 Black Oak Conspiracy
- 1977 It Happened One Christmas - TV film
- 1978 Matilda
- 1978 Centennial - TV miniseries
- 1979 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century - TV series
- 1980 The Incredible Hulk - TV series
- 1980 The Octagon
- 1984 Fleshburn
- 1985 Brotherly Love - TV film
- 1986 Dallas - TV series
- 1990 In the Heat of the Night - TV series
References
- ^ "Actress Karen Carlson Returns to Byrd High". The Times. Louisiana, Shreveport. March 2, 1973. p. 3. Retrieved July 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Crockett, Lane (August 7, 1987). "Home base: Karen Carlson back in town". The Times. Louisiana, Shreveport. p. 47. Retrieved July 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Montgomery, Jim (July 16, 1972). "Karen Carlson: A Beauty Queen No More". The Times. Louisiana, Shreveport. p. 18 - F. Retrieved July 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^ "The Mezcla Man on Death Valley Days". Internet Movie Data Base. January 2, 1970. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
External links
- Articles sourced by IMDb from July 2018
- 1945 births
- Living people
- Actresses from Louisiana
- American film actresses
- American television actresses
- University of Arkansas alumni
- Miss America 1960s delegates
- Actors from Shreveport, Louisiana
- American television actor, 1940s birth stubs
- American film actor, 1940s birth stubs