A Bit More About Karen

After many years working in business, Karen returned to acting in 2014.

As a young actor, her first teacher was the talented actress/director Myra Turley. Karen went on to study in New York City with Bart Teusch (Manhattan Theatre Club), Jose Quintero, and Elizabeth Dillon (HB Studios). She also had the good fortune to attend classes conducted by legends Herbert Berghof and Stella Adler. Karen performed in several off-off plays at the American Theatre of Actors and the 14th St. Playhouse, as well as volunteering with the Vietnam Veterans Ensemble Theatre Company. To pay the bills, Karen was an in-house floating Executive/Legal Assistant for Paramount Pictures. At that time, their offices were located in New York City and her favorite long-term assignment was with entertainment industry giant Jeffrey Katzenberg whenever he was in town. In addition to being brilliant, Jeffrey is one of the funniest people on the planet.

Karen moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and became Assistant to writer/director H. Kaye Dyal (LONE WOLF McQUADE), doing everything from typing scripts, production coordinating, pulling cable, and driving an RV to pick up Chuck Connors and Henry Silva at the Las Vegas airport. (Side note: The “mob” made an appearance at a casino location and it got a little tricky, but what happens in Vegas...)

Karen joined Lonny Chapman’s Group Repertory Theatre in 1985 and appeared in several of their productions, including the West Coast Premiere of DEATH OF A MINER in the lead role of Mary Alice, the LA Premiere of DEMONS & ANGELS as Mary Wollstonecraft, and opposite Lonny Chapman as Miss Fancy in SLY FOX.

In 1986, she once again worked as a “temp” for Paramount, this time in LA, working all over the lot, from the Maintenance Department to the President’s office. She booked a long-term assignment with another giant of the movie industry, Jim Gianopulos. Jim subsequently ran Fox Studios for many years and returned to Paramount several years ago as their CEO. As with Jeffrey, Jim is as funny as he is brilliant.

In 1989, Karen began working as Assistant to the venerable, multi-Emmy nominated television producer, Frank Pace. During her eight-ish years with Frank, she worked on television pilot adaptations of FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, starring Charlie Schlatter and Jennifer Aniston, and DRIVING MISS DAISY, starring Robert Guillaume, Joan Plowright, and Saul Rubinek; the pilot episode of HOWIE, starring Howie Mandel; sitcoms HEAD OF THE CLASS starring Billy Connolly; BILLY starring Billy Connolly and Johnny Galecki; SOMETHING WILDER, starring Gene Wilder; DADDY DEAREST, starring Don Rickles and Richard Lewis; and the made-for-TV movie, BABE RUTH, starring Stephen Lang. Great years, indeed, and Frank remains a treasured friend to this day.

In 1994, she assisted highly accomplished sci-fi writer/director/producer and future Peabody Award Winner Brannon Braga on the first season of STAR TREK: VOYAGER. This would prove to be life-changing. At a Voyager staff party, Karen met the man who would become her husband, writer David R. George III. They married in 1996, and David would go on to become a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.

Karen’s last position in television production was Assistant to Executive Producer Yvette Lee Bowser on FOR YOUR LOVE, starring Holly Robinson Peete and Dedee Pfeiffer.

In 1996, Karen quit acting and eventually segued into Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. In 2007, she was promoted to Manager, Sales Operations, Motion Picture Domestic Sales, from which she took early retirement in 2013. She returned to acting and was accepted as a Company Member of Theatre West, the longest continuously running theatre company in LA. It was founded by Betty Garrett, Carroll O’Connor, Lee Meriwether, Beau Bridges, and other well-known NY actors as their theatrical home in Los Angeles. Karen is currently a member of Theatre West’s Advisory Board.

In 2017, Karen and her husband moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she continues to act in television, film, and commercials. In addition to performing, Karen started writing as more than a hobby, and in 2019 was named an Official Finalist in the Honolulu Film Awards Competition for her short film screenplay, ONE NIGHT AT SEA. In 2021, Karen will become a first-time published writer with three short stories appearing in the OUTSIDE IN book series. OUTSIDE IN is a collection of unique, outside-the-box reviews of classic television episodes disguised as short stories. Karen’s stories focus on episodes of TWIN PEAKS, MILLENNIUM, and STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE. Her husband, David, also contributed, and their stories will appear together in the same editions.