American retired actress (born 1945)
Karen Carlson (born January 15, 1945) is an American retired actress. She is also a director, producer and writer.[ 2]
Early life
Carlson was born in Shreveport , Louisiana, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M.W. Carlson.[ 3] She was educated at C.E. Byrd High School [ 4] and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville , where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma . She represented the university and the state of Arkansas in the 1964 Miss America Pageant , finishing as the first runner-up to Vonda Kay Van Dyke .[ 5]
Career
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 . On television, Carlson played Nancy Scotfield in ten episodes of the soap opera Dallas [ 4] (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 ,[ 6] The Yellow Rose with her first husband, David Soul , and Cybill Shepherd ,[ 6] : 1202 and Two Marriages with Michael Murphy .[ 6] : 1121
She was later cast as Mary Ellen in ABC 's Here Come the Brides .[ 6] : 452 She 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), Hart to Hart (1980), Hill Street Blues (1983), and Hotel (1987). Her last appearance was a small part in the film Out of Ashes (2013).
Personal life
Carlson is divorced from actor David Soul and musician Devin Payne. She has one child by Soul and two children with Payne.[ 4]
Filmography
Year
Title
Role
Notes
1968
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Helene
Episode: "The THRUSH Roulette Affair"
1968
Here Comes the Brides
Girl
Episode: "Here Comes the Brides"
1968–1969
Here Comes the Brides
Mary Ellen
3 episodes
1969
I Dream of Jeannie
Betty
Episode: "Jeannie-Go-Round"
1969
The F.B.I.
Susan
Episode: "Boomerang"
1969
Shame, Shame, Everybody Knows Her Name
Susan Barton
1970
Death Valley Days
Sarah Ewing
Episode: "The Mezcla Man"
1970
Death Valley Days
Annabelle Colvin
Episode: "Pioneer Pluck"
1970
Bracken's World
Katy
Episode: "One, Two, Three... Cry"
1970
The Student Nurses
Phred
1970
Night Chase
Vico's wife
TV movie
1971
Mission Impossible
Doris Gordon
Episode: "The Missile"
1971
My Three Sons
Sherry Cross
Episode: "After the Honeymoon"
1971
Getting Together
Connie
Episode: "Beep, Beep"
1971
The Smith Family
Elsa Martine
Episode: "Rumpus Room"
1971
Days of Our Lives
Sheila Hammond
1 episode
1971
McCloud
Receptionist
Episode: "A Little Plot at Tranquil Valley"
1971
Ironside
Gracie Atkins
Episode: "And Then There Was One"
1972
Love, American Style
(segment "Love and the Advice Column)
Episode: "Love and the Advice Column / Love and the Bathtub / Love and the Fullback / Love and the Guru / Love and the Physical"
1972
The Candidate
Nancy McKay
1972
The F.B.I.
Dana Evans
Episode: "Edge of Desperation"
1972
Banyon
Juanita
Episode: "Sally Overman is Missing"
1972
Bonanza
Theodora Duffy
Episode: "The Marriage of Theodora Duffy:
1973
Mannix
Jennifer Holt
Episode: ‘’Search for a Whisper’’
1973
The Streets of San Francisco
Cathy Cullen
Episode: "Legion of the Lost"
1973
Shaft
Nancy Williamson
Episode: "The Kidnapping"
1974
Firehouse
Diane Harding
Episode: "Trapped"
1974
Police Woman
Gloria
Episode: "Seven Ellen"
1975
Movin' On
Janet Kingman
Episode: "Ransom"
1975
Archer
Judith Foster
Episode: "The Vanished Man"
1975
Cage Without a Key
Betty Holian
TV movie
1975
Barnaby Jones
Mrs. Jennings
Episode: "Jeopardy for Two"
1975
The First 36 Hours of Dr. Durant
Nurse Clive Olin
TV movie
1975
Matt Helm
Janet Larson
Episode: "Murder on Ice"
1975
Medical Story
Sheila Barringer
Episode: "Woman in White"
1976
S.W.A.T.
Laurie Wendell
Episode: "Dragons and Owls"
1976
Starsky and Hutch
Gillian Ingram
Episode: "Gillian"
1977
Tail Gunner Joe
Jean Kerr
TV movie
1977
Black Oak Conspiracy
Lucy Metcalf
1977
Starsky and Hutch
Christine D. Phelps
Episode: "The Heroes"
1977
It Happened One Christmas
Violet
TV movie
1977
The Mask of Alexander Cross
Samantha
TV movie
1978
Matilda
Kathleen Smith
1978
Centennial
Lisette Mercy
3 episodes
1978
CHiPs
Sheila Marin
Episode: "Supercycle"
1979
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Stella Warden
Episode: "Planet of the Slave Girls"
1979
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
Lani
Episode: "The Mob Comes to Orly"
1980
The Incredible Hulk
Lorraine
Episode: "Broken Image"
1980
The Octagon
Justine
1980
Hart to Hart
Marcie
Episode: "Murder, Murder On The Wall"
1981
American Dream
Donna Novak
7 episodes
1982
Lou Grant
Meredith Hall-Sutton
Episode: "Review"
1982
Dangerous Company
Janet Brody
TV movie
1982
T.J. Hooker
Tracy Hill
Episode: "The Streets"
1982
In Love with an Older Woman
Isobel
TV movie
1983
Hill Street Blues
Nancy McCoy
Episodes: "Moon Over Uranus", "Moon Over Uranus: The Sequel"
1983
Two Marriages
Ann Daley
Episodes: "Pilot", "Relativity"
1983
Lottery!
Episode: "Portland: Treasure Hunt"
1983–1984
The Yellow Rose
Marlene
Episodes: "The Yellow Rose", "Hell Hath No Fury", "Deadline"
1984
Fleshburn
Shirley Pinter
1984
Finder of Lost Loves
Lorna Hodges
Episode: "White Lies"
1985
Brotherly Love
Donna Ryder
TV movie
1985
Wild Horses
Ann Cooper
TV movie
1986
Spenser: For Hire
Lanore Freemont
1 episode
1986
On Wings of Eagles
Ruth Chiapparone
Miniseries
1986
Shattered...If Your Kid's on Drugs
Eileen Wilson
Direct-to-video
1986–1987
Dallas
Nancy Scotfield
Recurring role (Season 10)
1985
Hotel
Diana Renard
Episode: "Identities"
1987
Hotel
Mrs. Harper
Episode: "Born to Run"
1989
Teen Vamp
Mrs. Murphy
1992
Where the Red Fern Grows: Part Two
Direct-to-video
1993
I'll Fly Away
Jeanette Foster
Episode: "What's in a Name?"
1994
XXX's & OOO's
TV movie
1990–1994
In the Heat of the Night
Atty. Sarah Hallisey
12 episodes
1995
A Horse for Danny
Mrs. Slauson
TV movie
1997
The Man Next Door
Grace
2008
A Father's Rights
Ms. Little
2013
Shuffleton's Barbershop
Leslie Anne Cameron
Voice role
2018
Sparky & Butch
Cora
Short film
TBA
In a Quiet Room †
Julia
Short film
Key
†
Denotes films that have not yet been released
Awards and nominations
Year
Award
Category
Nominated work
Result
1999
Heartland International Film Festival Crystal Heart Award
Climb Against the Odds
Won
Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival Audience Award
Best Documentary
Won
References
^ Karen Carlson Overview
^ "Karen Carlson - Actress, Director, Producer, Writer" . Retrieved January 28, 2024 .
^ "Actress Karen Carlson Returns to Byrd High" . The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. 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 . Shreveport, Louisiana. p. 47. Retrieved July 28, 2018 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Montgomery, Jim (July 16, 1972). "Karen Carlson: A Beauty Queen No More" . The Times . Shreveport, Louisiana. 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 .
External links
Awards and achievements
Preceded byPam Jackson
Miss Arkansas 1964
Succeeded byRhonda Oglesby
International National Other