Karen Austin | |
---|---|
Occupation |
|
Years active | 1974–present |
Known for | Night Court The Quest Summer Rental |
Spouse | Kris Slava (m. 1969;div. 1976) |
Karen Austin is an American actress. She played Lana Wagner on the sitcom Night Court in 1984. Her film appearances include Summer Rental (1985), Jagged Edge (1985), and The Ladies Club (1986).
Austin first gained notability in the late 1970s with a string of television guest appearances on highly rated programs such as Happy Days , The Rockford Files , CHiPs , and Dallas .
In the 1980s, she was a regular on the first season of the successful NBC comedy series Night Court, where she played court clerk Lana Wagner for 10 episodes before being asked to leave the series due to her Bell's palsy. [1] Her character was replaced by Mac Robinson (Charles Robinson) for the remaining eight seasons.
Austin had a lead role as the wife of John Candy's character in Summer Rental (1985).
Austin was married to Kris Slava at age 19; the couple divorced seven years later. [2] [3] [4]
Year | TV/Film Credit | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1974 | The Ottawa Valley | Lena | TV short film |
1978 | Happy Days | Peggy Clark | Episode: "Kid Stuff" |
The Rockford Files | Veronica Teasedale | Episode: "White on White and Nearly Perfect" | |
The American Girls | Episode: "Little Girl Lost" | ||
Dallas | Dailey | Episode: "Survival" | |
1979 | Fish Hawk | Mrs. Gideon | Feature film |
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo | Lily | Episode: "Dean Martin and the Moonshiners" | |
Hart to Hart | Karen Shields | Episode: "A New Kind of High" | |
Soap | Chester's Woman | Episode #3.10 | |
1980 | Family | Emily | 2 episodes |
1980-1982 | Three's Company | Jennifer / Denise | 2 episodes |
1981 | Hill Street Blues | West Virginia | 3 episodes |
CHiPs | Woman with Rabbit | Episode: "A Simple Operation" | |
S.O.B. | Piano Girl | Feature film (Uncredited role) | |
1982 | The Quest | Carrie Welby | Main role (9 episodes) |
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino | Alice Cimino | TV movie | |
Quincy, M.E. | Rachael Kane | Episode: "The Shadow of Death" | |
1983 | The Taming of the Shrew | Katherina | Feature film |
Trauma Center | Julie | Episode: "Trauma Center (Pilot)" | |
1984 | Celebrity | Ceil Shannon | TV miniseries |
Night Court | Lana Wagner | 10 episodes | |
London and Davis in New York | Adrienne Crow | Television pilot | |
1985 | St. Elsewhere | Dr. Mary Woodley | 5 episodes |
Summer Rental | Sandy Chester | Feature film | |
Jagged Edge | Julie Jensen | Feature film | |
Our Family Honor | Detective Sgt. Sharon Howland | Episode: "End of the Line" | |
A Letter to Three Wives | Kate | TV movie | |
1986 | The Twilight Zone | June Wright | Segment: "A Matter of Minutes" |
L.A. Law | Hillary Mishkin | 3 episodes | |
The Ladies Club | Joan Taylor | Feature film | |
Penalty Phase | Julie | Feature film | |
1987 | Jake and the Fatman | Rebecca Warfield | Episode: "Fatal Attraction" |
1988 | Laura Lansing Slept Here | Melody Gomphers | TV movie |
1989 | Columbo | Dr. Paula Hall | Episode: "Columbo Goes to the Guillotine" |
Dolphin Cove | Lisa Ruddick | Episode: "The Initiation of Lisa Ruddick" | |
The Case of the Hillside Stranglers | J.D. Jackson | TV movie | |
Far from Home | Louise | Feature film | |
1990 | Hunter | Lt. Megan Malone | Episode: "Unfinished Business" |
A Girl to Kill For | Karen / Shopper | Feature film | |
1991 | Midnight Caller | Jenna Holloway | Episode: "Her Dirty Little Secret" |
1991-1992 | The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Sheila Crane / Suzanne | 6 episodes |
1992-1994 | The Commish | Linda Scott | 2 episodes |
1994 | Moment of Truth: Murder or Memory? | Connie Frawley | TV movie |
Lightning Jack | Mama Wheeler | Feature film (Uncredited role) | |
1995 | Live Shot | Helen Forbes | 8 episodes |
The Marshal | Ellen Christopher | Episode: "Time Off for Clever Behavior" | |
1995-1999 | Sliders | Amanda Starr / Lydia the Secretary | 2 episodes |
1996 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Haley Rodgers Johnson | Episode: "The Big Easy Episode" |
NYPD Blue | Jessica Herman | Episode: "The Nutty Confessor" | |
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Dr. Kalandra | Episode: "...Nor the Battle to the Strong" | |
Lazarus | Anne | Feature film | |
1997 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Cimmarron Kilkenny (voice) | Episode: "Showdown/Internal Affairs" |
Breast Men | Dr. Tammy | TV movie (Uncredited role) | |
House of Frankenstein | Irene Lassiter | TV miniseries | |
Murder One | Lynette Parker | 4 episodes | |
Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer | Lynette Parker Banks | TV miniseries | |
Step by Step | Patti Roberts | Episode: "Just Say Maybe" | |
1998 | Best Friends for Life | Violet Evans | TV movie |
3rd Rock from the Sun | Anita | Episode: "Auto Eurodicka" | |
JAG | Dr. Inge | Episode: "The Martin Baker Fan Club" | |
Martial Law | Elaine Caranza | Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back" | |
The Battery | Sandy | Short film | |
Touched by an Angel | Candace | Episode: "Last Dance" | |
1999 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Bobbi Kincaid | 2 episodes |
Profiler | Candice Harding | Episode: "Original Sin" | |
Rescue 77 | Ruth Caraway | Episode: "The Wedding" | |
Star Trek: Voyager | Miral, B'Elanna Torres' Mother | Episode: "Barge of the Dead" | |
2000 | Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel | Pierrepont Summers | Feature film |
2001 | The Division | Helen | Episode: "Redemption" |
2002 | ER | Mrs. Carlson | Episode: "Bygones" |
Taken | Nun #2 | TV miniseries | |
2002-2004 | Girlfriends | Sandy Bickie | 3 episodes |
2004 | Cold Case | Terri Maxwell | Episode: "Volunteers" |
Kingdom Hospital | Mrs. Powell | Episode: "Black Noise" | |
2004-2008 | Rodney | Patsy | 3 episodes |
2005 | Freddie | Mrs. Reyerson | Episode: "I'll Be Homeless for Christmas" |
Wanted | Taffy Dibortello | Episode: "Sex Pistols" | |
Without a Trace | Hilda | Episode: "Second Sight" | |
Desperate Housewives | Lois McDaniel | Episode: "Your Fault" | |
2006 | Amber's Story | Glenda Whitson | TV movie |
The Evidence | Mrs. Vicarrio | Episode: "Pilot" | |
2007 | Crossing Jordan | Sarah Fulton | Episode: "Falling From Grace" |
2008 | Battlestar Galactica | Lilly | Episode: "Escape Velocity" |
Palisades Pool Party | Desiree | TV movie | |
2009 | Bitch Slap | Narrator | Feature film |
CSI: Miami | Judge Gloria Stets | Episode: "Dissolved" | |
Sink or Swim | Judge Stets | Feature film | |
Big Days Ahead | Carol Glass | Short film | |
2010 | Better People | Jacquie | TV movie |
Order of Chaos | Sherri | Feature film | |
2011-2012 | Fresh Hell | Valerie | 4 episodes |
2011-2015 | Whole Day Down | DeWitt | 6 episodes |
2011 | The Rum Diary | Mrs. Zimburger | Feature film |
2013 | Sweet Talk | Newsvendor / Nurse | Feature film |
2014 | Infamous Second Son | Betty (voice) | Video game |
2015 | The Wicked Within | Jean | Feature film |
Natalie Wood was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles.
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. Tomlin started her career in stand-up comedy and sketch comedy before transitioning her career to acting across stage and screen. In a career spanning over fifty years, Tomlin has received numerous accolades, including seven Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, two Tony Awards, and a nomination for an Academy Award. She was also awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2017.
Lana Jean Clarkson was an American actress and fashion model. During the 1980s, she rose to prominence in several sword-and-sorcery films. In 2003, record producer Phil Spector shot and killed Clarkson inside his home; he was charged with second-degree murder and convicted in 2009.
Teri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress and singer best known for her portrayals of Lois Lane on the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997), Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), Mel Jones and the Beldam in Coraline (2009) and Susan Mayer on the television series Desperate Housewives (2004–2012), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Candice Patricia Bergen is an American actress. She won five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of the title character on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown. She is also known for her role as Shirley Schmidt on the ABC drama Boston Legal (2005–2008). In films, Bergen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Starting Over (1979) and for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Gandhi (1982).
Annette O'Toole is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She is known for portraying Lisa Bridges in the television series Nash Bridges, adult Beverly Marsh in the 1990 television mini-series adaptation of Stephen King's epic horror novel It, Lana Lang in Superman III, Kathy in the romantic-comedy film Cross My Heart, and Martha Kent on the television series Smallville.
Marjorie Armstrong Post, known professionally as Markie Post, was an American actress. Her best known roles include: bail bondswoman Terri Michaels in The Fall Guy on ABC from 1982 to 1985; public defender Christine Sullivan on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1985 to 1992; Georgie Anne Lahti Hartman on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire from 1992 to 1995; and Barbara ‘Bunny’ Fletcher, the mother of Detective Erin Lindsay, on the NBC drama series Chicago P.D. from 2014 to 2017.
Tracy Dawn Scoggins is an American actress and model. She began her career in Elite Model Management in New York City and the European modeling circuit. She returned to the United States and studied acting at the Herbert Berghof Studio in the late 1970s. In early 1980s, Scoggins began appearing on television and film, notable playing main roles in the short-lived television series The Renegades (1983) and Hawaiian Heat (1984).
Lana Wood is an American actress and producer. She made her film debut in The Searchers as a child actress and later achieved notability for playing Sandy Webber on the TV series Peyton Place and Plenty O'Toole in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. Her older sister was Natalie Wood.
Robert John Wagner Jr. is an American actor of stage, screen, and television. He is known for starring in the television shows It Takes a Thief (1968–1970), Switch (1975–1978), and Hart to Hart (1979–1984). He later had recurring roles on Two and a Half Men (2007–2008) and NCIS (2010–2019).
Karen Jane Allen is an American film and stage actress. She made her film debut in the comedy film Animal House (1978), which was soon followed by a small role in Woody Allen's romantic comedy-drama Manhattan (1979) and a co-lead role in Philip Kaufman's coming-of-age film The Wanderers (1979), before co-starring opposite Al Pacino in William Friedkin's crime thriller Cruising (1980).
Maya Rudolph is an American actress and comedian. Born in Gainesville, Florida and raised in Los Angeles, she is the daughter of singer Minnie Riperton and composer Richard Rudolph. From 2000 to 2007, Rudolph was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL). Her accolades include five Primetime Emmy Awards from fifteen nominations. In 2024, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Robin Curtis is an American actress. She is best known for replacing Kirstie Alley in the role of Vulcan Lieutenant Saavik in the films Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Night Court is an American television sitcom that premiered on NBC on January 4, 1984, and ended on May 31, 1992, after nine seasons consisting of 193 episodes. The show is set in the night shift of a Manhattan Criminal Court presided over by a young, unorthodox judge, Harold "Harry" T. Stone, and was created by comedy writer Reinhold Weege, who had previously worked on Barney Miller in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Lindsay Jean Wagner is an American film and television actress, model, author, singer, and acting coach. Wagner is best known for her leading role in the American science fiction television series The Bionic Woman (1976–1978), in which she portrayed character Jaime Sommers. She first played the role on the series The Six Million Dollar Man. The character became a pop culture icon of the 1970s. For this role, Wagner won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Role in 1977 – the first for an actor or actress in a science fiction series. Wagner began acting professionally in 1971 and has maintained a lengthy acting career in a variety of film and television productions to the present day.
Mary Frances Crosby is an American actress, the only daughter of actor/singer Bing Crosby and his second wife Kathryn Grant. She played Kristin Shepard in the television series Dallas.
Charles P. Robinson was an American stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role on the NBC sitcom Night Court as Macintosh "Mac" Robinson, the clerk of the court and a Vietnam War veteran. Although his most frequent on-screen billing was Charlie Robinson, Night Court had credited him as Charles Robinson throughout his 1984–1992 stint as Mac. In two of his earliest film appearances, 1974's Sugar Hill and 1975's The Black Gestapo, he was credited as Charles P. Robinson. Some of his credits have been occasionally commingled with ones of older actor Charles Knox Robinson who, billed as Charles Robinson, was featured in numerous films and TV episodes between 1958 and 1971.
Summer Rental is a 1985 American comedy film directed by Carl Reiner, written by Mark Reisman and Jeremy Stevens, and starring John Candy and Richard Crenna with supporting roles by Rip Torn, Karen Austin, Kerri Green, John Larroquette, Joey Lawrence, Aubrey Jene, Dick Anthony Williams, Richard Herd, Carmine Caridi, Lois Hamilton, Frank McCarthy, Santos Morales, Pierrino Mascarino, Harry Yorku, and Bob Wells. It tells the story of an overworked air traffic controller who is put on a five weeks' paid leave and takes his family to the fictional resort town of Citrus Cove, Florida as he experiences hilarious mishaps and contends with an arrogant sailing champion. An original music score was composed for the film by Alan Silvestri. The film was released on August 9, 1985, by Paramount Pictures.
Randee Heller is an American television and film actress known for playing Alice in the 1970s sitcom Soap – one of television's first lesbian characters – as well as for portraying Lucille LaRusso in the films The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid Part III, and in the streaming series Cobra Kai; and Bert Cooper's and Don Draper's elderly secretary Ida Blankenship in a recurring role on the series Mad Men.
Lana Therese Condor is an American actress and YouTuber. She made her acting debut starring as Jubilee in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and gained international recognition for portraying Lara Jean Covey in the romantic comedy To All the Boys film series (2018–2021). She has also portrayed Saya Kuroki in the television series Deadly Class (2019) and Koyomi in the film Alita: Battle Angel (2019). More recently, Condor voiced the titular character in the animated teen comedy film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023).