Kathryn Joosten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kathryn Joosten
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Kathryn Joosten at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony
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Kathryn Rausch
December 20, 1939 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | June 2, 2012 (aged 72) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1973–2012 |
| Known for | Karen McCluskey, Dolores Landingham |
| Television | Desperate Housewives, The West Wing |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Primetime Emmy Awards (2005, 2008) |
Kathryn Joosten (born Kathryn Rausch; December 20, 1939 – June 2, 2012) was a talented American actress. She was famous for playing Dolores Landingham in the TV show The West Wing (from 1999 to 2002). She also played Karen McCluskey in Desperate Housewives (from 2005 to 2012). For her role in Desperate Housewives, she won two important Emmy Awards in 2005 and 2008.
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Early Life and Acting Start
Kathryn Rausch was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were from Dutch and German backgrounds. Before becoming an actress, she worked as a psychiatric nurse. She lived in Lake Forest, Illinois, where she married a psychiatrist and raised two sons.
After her divorce in 1980, Kathryn decided to try acting. She started in community theater in 1982, when she was 42 years old. This shows it's never too late to follow a new dream!
Becoming a TV Star
In 1992, at age 53, Kathryn started working as a street performer. She performed at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida. This experience helped her get ready for bigger roles.
In 1995, she moved to Hollywood. There, she began getting small roles in many popular TV shows. These included Roseanne, Home Improvement, ER, and Seinfeld. She even appeared in an episode of Frasier in 1997.
Key Roles in Television
Kathryn Joosten became widely known in 1999. She took on the role of Mrs. Landingham in The West Wing. She played the personal secretary to President Josiah Bartlet, who was played by Martin Sheen. Her character was on the show for two seasons. Mrs. Landingham's character died in a car crash in 2001. However, Kathryn returned for a few more times in flashback scenes. This role opened doors for her to get more important guest roles on other TV series.
After 2001, she appeared in many other shows. These included Scrubs, My Name is Earl, Monk, Will & Grace, and Grey's Anatomy. She also had a recurring role as one of the ways God appeared to the main character in Joan of Arcadia. In 2005, she was in the movie Wedding Crashers, which starred Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
Her most famous role was Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives. She played a recurring character who became a regular cast member in Season 6. For this role, Kathryn won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She won in 2005 and again in 2008. She was also nominated for more Emmys in 2010 and 2012. She was also part of the cast nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2009, she played Aunt Jackie in the movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.
Health and Advocacy
Kathryn Joosten appeared in many TV commercials. She was in ads for products like V8 and Fiber One. In 2007, she shared on the TV show The View that she had beaten lung cancer. She had been a chain smoker for many years but had quit. She even gave advice on how to stop smoking.
She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001. After that, she quit her 45-year smoking habit. In 2009, she was diagnosed with lung cancer a second time. She had surgery and chemotherapy. By January 2010, she was found to be cancer-free.
Kathryn also made a special appearance on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2011. This episode featured real-life lung cancer survivors. They talked about their experiences with characters on the show. Kathryn Joosten became the national spokesperson for the Lung Cancer Profiles campaign. She helped raise awareness about lung cancer.
Later Life and Passing
Kathryn Joosten passed away from lung cancer on June 2, 2012. Her death happened only a few weeks after her character, Karen McCluskey, also died from cancer on Desperate Housewives.
See also
In Spanish: Kathryn Joosten para niños
