Karen Arthur

Karen Arthur
Born
Karen Jensen[1]

(1941-08-24) August 24, 1941 (age 83)[1]
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Occupation(s)Director, producer, actress
Years active1966–2008

Karen Arthur (born August 24, 1941) is an American television and film director, producer, and actress.[2] She directed more than 40 feature and made-for-television movies, miniseries, and television series. In 1985 she become the first woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.[3]

Arthur began her career as an actress appearing in the 1967 romantic comedy film A Guide for the Married Man and later co-starred in the drama film Winning (1969). She made several guest-starring appearances on television series such as Get Smart, The Wild Wild West, The Big Valley, Mannix and The Streets of San Francisco before making her directorial debut with the 1975 crime drama film, Legacy receiving special prize at the Locarno Film Festival.[4] She later directed feature films The Mafu Cage (1978) and Lady Beware (1987).

Life and career

Arthur was born in Omaha, Nebraska.[5] She changed her name from Karen Jensen to Karen Arthur after her moving to Hollywood in mid-1960s.[1] She made her television debut appearing in an episode of NBC sitcom The Monkees in 1966 and the following year featured in the romantic comedy film A Guide for the Married Man. In 1969, Arthur played a supporting role in the drama film Winning opposite Paul Newman.[1] She also made more than 15 guest-starring appearances on television series such as The Wild Wild West, The Big Valley, That Girl, Get Smart, The Doris Day Show, Mannix, Ironside and The Streets of San Francisco.

In 1975, Arthur made her directorial debut with the crime drama film Legacy starring Joan Hotchkis. She later directed three more feature films, including Lady Beware (1987) and The Mafu Cage (1978),[2] but the majority of her work has been in television, where she has had a long and prolific career directing television movies and series. In 1976 she directed one of episodes of Rich Man, Poor Man Book II and in 1979 directed her first made-for-television movie Charleston. In 1983 she directed Australian miniseries Return to Eden, the mini-series was a huge ratings success.[6][7] She worked as a episodic director on Hart to Hart, Remington Steele, Emerald Point N.A.S. and most notable Cagney & Lacey (8 episodes). In 1985, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (for an episode of Cagney & Lacey).[2][8]

Arthur directed many various made-for-television movies and miniseries, such as Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story (1984), A Bunny's Tale (1985), The Rape of Richard Beck (1985), Bridge to Silence (1989), Fall from Grace (1990), Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story (1995), Dead By Sunset (1995), True Women (1997) and A Will of Their Own (1998).

She is currently a resident of the town of Springfield, Vermont.[9]

Partial filmography

List of film and television works
Title Year Notes
The Christmas Blessing 2005 TV movie
Judging Amy TV series
The Locket 2002 TV movie
The Song of the Lark 2001 TV movie, based on The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather
The Lost Child 2000 TV movie
The Staircase 1998 TV movie
Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story 1995 TV movie
The Jacksons: An American Dream 1992 TV miniseries
The Secret 1992 TV movie
Shadow of a Doubt 1991 TV movie
Blue Bayou 1990 TV movie
Lady Beware 1987 Film
Crossings 1986 TV miniseries
Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story 1984 TV movie
Cagney & Lacey TV series
Remington Steele TV series
Hart to Hart 1979 TV series
The Mafu Cage 1978 Film
Legacy 1975 Film
Like It Is (re-released as
Not My Daughter) 		1970 / 1971 Film, final big screen appearance, co-starring in 1970 exploitation film[10][11] whose 1971 straight-to-drive-in re-release was advertised as "A TRUE STORY DESCRIBED IN THE LURID LANGUAGE KNOWN ONLY BY TODAY'S YOUTH"[12][13][14]
Mannix 1970 TV series, Season 4 Ep. 11 "Bang Bang, You Are Dead"
Get Smart 1969 TV series, Season 5 Ep.7 "And Baby Makes Four Part.1"
The Wild Wild West 1967 TV series, Season 3 Ep.15 "The Night of the Running Death"

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Karen Arthur | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  2. ^ a b c Hal Erickson (2015). "Karen Arthur". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-04-27.
  3. ^ Roberts, Jerry (May 12, 2009). "Encyclopedia of television film directors". Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ "Locarno International Film Festival (1975)". IMDb.
  5. ^ Film Directors: A Complete Guide, Volume 9. Los Angeles: Lone Eagle Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 9780943728469.
  6. ^ Hall, Carla (1982-08-01). "Director of the Wide Spectrum". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2024-09-23. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  7. ^ "Oct 11, 1992, page 47 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Mills, Nancy (November 18, 1986). "ROUGH GOING IN TV FOR WOMEN DIRECTORS". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ "Christmas in July?". Rutland Herald. 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  10. ^ "Fine Food and Entertainment: Drive-In Theaters". Chula Vista Star-News. July 29, 1971. p. D-2. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Nix, David (August 5, 1971). "Latest John Wayne Film and 'Plaza Suite' In Town". Arizona Daily Star. Sec. D, p. 11. Retrieved February 25, 2024. "PRINCE — 'Bunny O'Hare' (GP), with Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine, and John Wayne's recent 'Rio Lobo' will be followed next Wednesday by 'Not With My Daughter' (R) and 'Sex and the College Girl.'"
  12. ^ "Not My Daughter". The Sacramento Bee. May 21, 1971. p. A17. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  13. ^ "Not My Daughter". Los Angeles Times. January 12, 1972. pt. IV, p. 12. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Willis John (1976). John Willis' Screen World, Volume 27. New York: Crown Publishers. p. 120. OCLC 773245941