Karen Arthur facts for kids

Karen Arthur, born on August 24, 1941, is an American director, producer, and actress. She has directed over 40 movies and TV shows. In 1985, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for directing a drama series.

Arthur started her career as an actress. She appeared in the romantic comedy film A Guide for the Married Man in 1967. Later, she co-starred in the drama film Winning (1969). She also made guest appearances on TV shows like Get Smart and The Wild Wild West. In 1975, she directed her first film, Legacy. This film won a special prize at the Locarno Film Festival.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Karen Arthur was born in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born with the name Karen Jensen. She changed her name to Karen Arthur after moving to Hollywood in the mid-1960s.

Her first TV appearance was in an episode of The Monkees in 1966. The next year, she was in the movie A Guide for the Married Man. In 1969, Arthur played a supporting role in Winning with Paul Newman. She also guest-starred in more than 15 TV shows. These included The Wild Wild West, The Big Valley, and The Streets of San Francisco.

Directing Success in Film and TV

In 1975, Karen Arthur directed her first film, Legacy. She also directed two other feature films, Lady Beware (1987) and The Mafu Cage (1978). However, most of her work has been in television. She has had a long and successful career directing television movies and TV shows.

In 1976, she directed an episode of Rich Man, Poor Man Book II. In 1979, she directed her first TV movie, Charleston. She also directed the Australian miniseries Return to Eden in 1983. This miniseries was very popular and had high ratings.

Arthur directed episodes for many popular TV series. These include Hart to Hart, Remington Steele, and Cagney & Lacey. She directed eight episodes of Cagney & Lacey. In 1985, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her directing work on an episode of Cagney & Lacey. This was a big achievement, as she was the first woman to win this award.

Karen Arthur currently lives in Springfield, Vermont.

Partial Filmography