She starred in many high profile films: "Easy Rider", "Airport 75", "Nashville", "Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot" & one of the best horror movies ever "Trilogy of Terror" - "Yes" I am a horror fan!
However my personal favorite film Ms. Black was in was John Schlesinger's ode to Hollywood reality and it's desperate losers.
"The Day of the Locust" is anything but a cheerful, light look at Hollywood in the '30s. It recreates both the town as well as the filmmaking world around which much of the town revolved with devastating accuracy. The movie tells the twin tales of talentless wannabe actress Faye Greener (Karen Black) and Homer Simpson (Donald Sutherland), a lovelorn accountant who couldn't care less about movies. Around this framework, a huge and intricate social network is tellingly revealed, until the film'sgruesome and tragic ending. Not for those who prefer to hang onto their illusions about the glory days of Hollywood, "The Day of the Locust", is based on the novel by Nathanael West"
Karen Black was great in all of her films, this movie however to me was the best performance of her career, it was that rare moment where every element of a project gels and is total perfection, I have seen "The Day of the Locust" five times and love it every single viewing.
Ms. Black passed away today from pancreatic cancer, so sad she had to die in such an awful manner.
R.I.P. Sweet lady, you had an amazing life and career, thanks for the memories.
Karen Black on IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000947/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1
