Talk:Karen Black

Original article
Karen Black is not Canadian. She was born July 1, 1942 in Park Ridge, Illinois. She has spent her entire career in the United States and has never lived in Canada. If you're interested in Canadian actors visit http://www.northernstars.ca

The above was the article on Karen Black before I removed it to the talk page. Honestly, it does not make a lot of sense to me. --KF 01:25 1 Jun 2003 (UTC)

The line "... having commenced university studies in 1954, aged 15." is likely to be incorrect. My mother attended high school with Karen Black in Lafayette, Indiana in 1956 where she lived while married to a student at Purdue University. Her photo is in my mother's high school year book. http://www.whenmoviesweremovies.com/nonnatives.html 20.142.112.35 (talk) 18:34, 6 September 2011 (UTC) BSP

birth year
The IMDB Database says she was born 1 July 1939. Her official Website says she was born 1945. Probably she is shaving years off her age. I cannot find any source that says 1942. I think this is in error. Overdubbed 13:33, 24 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Actual the IBDB database says 1942, so that adds more to the confusion. --rogerd 20:51, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

There seems to much discrepancy about when Karen Black was born. IBDB states that she was born on July 1st, 1942, as does AOL (http://television.aol.com/celebrity/karen-black/82001/main)... "Name: Karen Black Birth Date: 7/1/1942." It seems as if this year is most certainly correct as both encompassing Birth years (1939 and 1945) have a median year of 1942. In film reference.com (http://www.filmreference.com/film/10/Karen-Black.html) there is also some confusion about when she was born: "Original name, Karen Blanche Ziegler; born July 1, 1939 (some sources say 1942)." —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wlaucks (talk • contribs) 22:23, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

Scientology
I am removing the reference that says Karen Black has denounced Scientology until a citation can be shown. The problem with leaving it like this, is that people will assume its true and report it in other places and then the citation creates itself, when the fact of the matter is that it doesn't appear that Karen Black has left Scientology at all.

According to my sources Karen Black is currently on level OT5. She married one of the Eckleberry boys and her mother-in-law, Renee Duke is also a long time Scientologist living in Scientology Mecca, Clearwater, Florida. Ms. Duke is also a friend of Beck's mother (another Scientology family). Her 17 year old daughter Celine is also currently taking Scientology courses.

Now I don't propose to add my original research to the article, but I do expect those that wish to disavow Mrs. Black from Scientology provide some reference for the claim. Vivaldi 19:48, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
 * She mentioned in several interviews over the course of the 1990s that she had left Scientology. Perhaps she returned to Scientology?

From Chicago Tribune, September 20, 2008
 * Italic text I was never not a part of Scientology. I've been involved with Scientology for about 30 years. It just works for me. I think it works for a lot of people who try it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.222.64.147 (talk) 07:12, 20 September 2008 (UTC)


 * 84.222.64.147, if you are the subject of this article, it would be great if you could confirm same, because the presumption is that someone who was admitted to university at 15, even if they didn't pursue further intellectual training, couldn't be a scientologist for other than social reasons, at least not for 30 years although they might have been. That at least seem to be the drift of the editors here and certainly I would have thought so too. If you are someone else quoting the subject, a source would be great. 72.228.177.92 (talk) 13:00, 14 August 2010 (UTC)

Gay icon
I was wondering why she is considered a gay icon.
 * I didn't know that she was; but, if she is, it's because of her transsexual role in "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."User:JCHeverly 18:37, 24 September 2013 (UTC)

She didn't sound very pro- gay in the following excerpt from an interview she gave to Marin Scott Milam for "Playgirl" magazine (July, 1973): "Why do homosexuals have to band together? I don't say I understand homosexuality, except if you look at it as a past-life phenomenon. Maybe they're just used to being girls or boys, as the case may be. But homosexuality is an illness. It exists. Why resist it or assert it"?

filmography
I deleted the "filmography" as it was merely the IMDB listings cut and pasted. It was not in any wikipedia format with internal wikilinks or even external IMDB links. the IMDB is also a dynamic database, by cutting and pasting the material, you have defeated the purpose of active linking. The IMDB link is already at the bottom under extermal links. Perhaps someone would add filmography that lists the highlights of her career. EraserGirl (talk) 22:14, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

Can someone delete Karenblack.net in the references? It seems to be a bunch of ads not related to Karen Black.70.114.39.22 (talk) 09:35, 31 October 2008 (UTC)
 * I re-deleted it. Full of redlinks, not really adding anything when the IMDB link is much more informative and complete.  Dennis Brown (talk) 12:33, 6 March 2012 (UTC)


 * Finally got the filmography cleaned up, removed the improper links that went to wrong articles, redlinks, and links that didn't actually mention her. It isn't a complete filmography (which IMDB is better for) but it is better verified and includes all the notable projects.  Dennis Brown (talk) 11:40, 11 March 2012 (UTC)

I think the paragraph listing some of her more important films needs to include at least a mention, if not more, of her role as Myrtle Wilson in the 1974 film version of The Great Gatsby--perhaps with a link to Wikipedia's Gatsby page. Myrtle Wilson was one of her signature roles, and this is especially relevant now that there's a new version of the film out. Can someone please add that?

Prey - Trilogy of Terror
What? No mention of her getting chased around the apartment by that murderous little knife-weilding doll? I would have thought that was a major cultural reference! - Guest

Lazy eye? Crossed-eyed?
Has Mrs. Black ever discussed her visible lazy eye/crossed eye? It has been spoofed in pop culture and is a part of her identity... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 134.159.111.98 (talk) 11:59, 8 September 2010 (UTC)


 * I think this is an interesting point and probably her greatest allure. It is what drew her to my (and probably most people's) attention along with her decent ability as an actress. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.241.144.213 (talk) 02:28, August 9, 2013‎
 * I was surprised the article didn't mention this "trademark" of hers, so I just added a (sourced) sentence about it. She said in a 1982 interview that her optometrist told her she wasn't clinically cross-eyed, she just looked that way. Go figure.--Muzilon (talk) 11:54, 13 August 2018 (UTC)

expanding the filmography
I don't know if anyone else wants to expand the filmography. One film that might be added is Killing Heat (1981). It has a Wikipedia Article, and it would be useful if it were on this page. Phuthaditjhaba (talk) 03:49, 5 June 2012 (UTC)

I added a reference to an Adam-12 episode. Karen, I don't know how many episodes you did, but I found that one, and noticed you didn't have any other tv shows listed. So I listed it. Hope you are ok with that- you did great in that episode. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jim E85 (talk • contribs) 23:27, 6 July 2012 (UTC)


 * I saw an interview she did in 2010 on youtube and she CLAIMED to have acted in 192 movies and tv shows. I still don't know how she died in such penury.  She was working in one, shape, form or fashion until her poor health would not allow her to work any longer.  Also, did her ex husbands and/or bad business deals take a big chunk of her money away???User:JCHeverly 18:33, 24 September 2013 (UTC)

Imminent Death?
As of March 25, 2013, she is critically ill. See http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-karen-black-cancer-fundraiser-20130325,0,2264790.story?track=rss — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.81.253.166 (talk) 10:23, 26 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Just because someone is being treated for cancer does not mean "imminent death" is in the cards. She plans to travel to Europe for further treatment, which would suggest death is not "imminent." If she was in a hospice, if no further treatment could be found, if friends and family were gathering at her bedside, then one might ponder about "imminent death." 173.49.142.213 (talk) 19:34, 12 April 2013 (UTC)

Third Marriage
Her third marriage ended on June 28, 1983. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.237.34.211 (talk) 04:09, 9 August 2013 (UTC)

Untitled
According to the accompanying sources of her article, Karen Black died on 8/8/13, but in the "List of recent deaths," she is under the 8/7/13 heading. Unclemikejb (talk) 23:25, 8 August 2013 (UTC)

Withdrawal from Public?
The statement that "After her final films were released in 2010, she was diagnosed with cancer and did not make any more public appearances" is not accurate. She starred in a play in Los Angeles in late 2011. (See http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/10/karen-black-and-david-proval-star-in-moses-supposes/.) She might or might not have appeared in public after that. Perhaps she didn't withdraw from public view. Or perhaps she did, but after 2010. I can't correct the article since I don't have the facts. With luck, someone who does will make the appropriate changes. (August 12, 2013) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.4.239.249 (talk) 21:23, 12 August 2013 (UTC)
 * If you call a video from youtube a source, here are interviews with her that were done in 2010/2011:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUwCgDwxUlE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JYPBlcoLA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIZZkqnFZoA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy0b8O5rs9E

User:JCHeverly 18:30, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Golden Globes are not mentioned specifically.
Why don't you mention that Ms Black won her Golden Globes for 5 Easy pieces and the 1974 "Great Gatsby", respectively?User:JCHeverly 18:36, 19 August 2013 (UTC)

Lead image
Found a similar photo on a review, showing that it was taken in 1970 for Five Easy Pieces. When I originally uploaded it, I thought it was from Nashville. It's also up for deletion. --Light show (talk) 00:40, 9 September 2013 (UTC)

Missing Movie Title
She was in The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver in 1977.

E/R 1984-85
The show E/R from the 1980's was on CBS and she was the mother of 2 children. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.105.146.2 (talk) 14:34, 2 May 2016 (UTC)

references to say "career decline" when Ms. Black is doing playwrighting?
I don't think so, not unless we're going to make an automatic assumption that horror is a lesser form of art. And if we come across a reference which says so, that's fine. But I don't think we need to be making that assumption.FriendlyRiverOtter (talk) 15:05, 28 July 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * Added archive https://archive.is/20130808220650/www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-actress-karen-black-dead-at-74--20130808,0,1998067.story to http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-actress-karen-black-dead-at-74--20130808,0,1998067.story
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070929000852/http://www.fatfreefilm.com/episode.php?showCode=62%2F to http://www.fatfreefilm.com/episode.php?showCode=62%2F

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External links modified
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I have just modified one external link on Karen Black. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
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Disruptive IP edits
80.136.196.48 keeps making trouble here as well as on the Wiki pages of Black's family members.

Deep Purple 2013 (talk) 21:22, 10 February 2024 (UTC)
 * Claims subject's daughter Celine is "non-notable" and deletes any mention of her, even though Celine acted alongside her mother on film and has been mentioned in the press countless times.
 * Makes similar edits to the Wiki pages of Black's son and sister.
 * Puts "Conflict of Interest" tag on page for no reason. Claims in edit summary that content is "unreferenced", which is a complete lie and an obvious one at that.
 * Deems entire family of Theodore McKeldin as "non-notable" and deletes properly sourced content, including the acknowledgment of a deceased grandson who twice ran for public office.
 * Removes licensed photos from article, claiming that "family snaps are non-notable", which is rubbish as Gold Star articles like Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart display such photos.
 * Your edit history clearly demonstrates you have personal connection with Karen Black and her family. You are strongly advised to read and take heed. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2003:d3:ff12:1d52:b55e:ebb9:dbf7:ef2b (talk • contribs) 07:47, 11 February 2024 (UTC)

Blocked COI editor has returned
Deep Purple 2013, who was blocked for disruptive editing, confrontational behaviour and ignoring admins. has returned, see