Karen Austin Explained

Karen Austin
Known For:Night Court
The Quest
Summer Rental
Yearsactive:1974–present

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).

Career

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).

Personal life

Austin was married to Kris Slava at age 19; the couple divorced seven years later.[2] [3] [4]

Filmography and TV credits

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"
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"
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
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

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kundu . Tamal . 2023-01-25 . Why Did Karen Austin Leave Night Court, Explained . 2023-06-08 . The Cinemaholic . en-US.
  2. News: Evertz . Mary . Self-discipline is Karen Austin's key to film stardom . June 30, 2022 . St. Petersburg Times . December 22, 1978 . 2 D.
  3. News: Sheffield . Skip . Film a home movie for Austin . June 30, 2022 . Boca Raton News . August 13, 1985 . B 1.
  4. News: Thompson . Ruth . Karen Austin Tries Comedy Role In 'Night Court' . June 30, 2022 . Ocala Star-Banner . Newspaper Enterprise Association . February 4, 1984 . 15.