Karen Arthur facts for kids

Karen Arthur (born August 24, 1941) is an American director, producer, and actress who has worked in both television and movies. She is known for directing over 40 movies, miniseries, and TV shows.

In 1985, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.

Before becoming a director, Arthur was an actress. She appeared in the comedy movie A Guide for the Married Man (1967) and the drama Winning (1969). She also had guest roles in popular TV shows like Get Smart and The Wild Wild West. She later decided to direct, starting with the film Legacy in 1975, which won an award at the Locarno Film Festival.

Life and Career

From Acting to Directing

Karen Arthur was born in Omaha, Nebraska, with the name Karen Jensen. When she moved to Hollywood in the 1960s to start her career, she changed her name to Karen Arthur. Her first TV appearance was in a 1966 episode of the show The Monkees.

As an actress, she had a supporting role in the movie Winning with the famous actor Paul Newman. She also appeared in more than 15 TV shows, including The Big Valley, Mannix, and The Streets of San Francisco.

In 1975, Arthur directed her first movie, a crime drama called Legacy. This was a big change in her career. She went on to direct other movies like The Mafu Cage (1978) and Lady Beware (1987).

Success in Television

Most of Karen Arthur's directing work was for television. She directed episodes for many popular series. In 1979, she directed her first TV movie, Charleston.

One of her biggest successes was directing the Australian miniseries Return to Eden in 1983, which was very popular with viewers. She also directed episodes for hit shows like Hart to Hart, Remington Steele, and Cagney & Lacey.

Her work on Cagney & Lacey earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 1985 for Outstanding Directing. This was a major achievement and made her the first woman to ever win in that category.

Notable TV Movies and Miniseries

Throughout her career, Arthur directed many well-known TV movies and miniseries. Some of her projects include:

• Victims for Victims: The Theresa Saldana Story (1984)
• A Bunny's Tale (1985)
• The ... of Richard Beck (1985)
• Bridge to Silence (1989)
• Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story (1995)
• True Women (1997)
• A Will of Their Own (1998)

Karen Arthur currently lives in Springfield, Vermont.

Selected Film and TV Work

Here is a list of some of the movies and television shows Karen Arthur worked on as a director or actress.