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Show ' BehinS theScenes Karen Black turns TV cop by Steve K. Walz New York Although Karen Black hasn't been categorized a$ one of Hollywood's 'superstar' actresses, the glamorous native of Park Ridge, Illinois is regarded as being one of the most respected and hardest working thesps in show business. Her ability to actually become the character she portrays has made her a valuable commodity. This week Karen will have the privilege to star in the final episode in the 'Police Story' anthology series on NBC, entitled 'Confessions of a Lady Cop.' "My character studies specific cases and tries to crack them, but this lady is also cracking under the pressure. She's lost some of her friends and breaks up with her lover," Karen told me from her home in California. Ms. Black who has lensed some 24 films was first discovered by Francis Fran-cis Ford Coppola after starring on Broadway in 'Playroom.' Her first major film followed shortly short-ly thereafter in Mr. Coppola's Cop-pola's 'You're a Big Boy Now.' "It doesn't bother me to be in front of a camera. I have a cheerful personality and that helps a lot. If it were a pressure situation it would be harder. But to me acting tends to be easy. Acting is creating. It's getting ready for a V ir V ' ? . - : mi Ai- .'.. A role that brings pressure. You have to think of everything I for everyone to do. You're being paid not to be caught I 'short. That's why I agree with the perfectionism of a ! Streisand. She sees what's wrong. And if you like a part, you're inspired to do things in order to make everything I just right.-It's like being in love," Karen claimed. Although Karen loves TV she loathes the idea of doing a series. Said Black,- "I just couldn't do it. I can't see myself doing the same character for a year." Toward that end Karen is looking forward to broadening her horizons, whether it be a film, play or whatever. "I have two movies coming out that I'm excited about. One of the films stars Richard Harris who is so gorgeous, it was a kick working with him. I also have a friend writing a play about Isabella of Spain that I might do. Ideally though, I would want to be in a musical and do more comedic work. I seem to gravitate toward portraying comic-tragic figures," the beautiful thesp related. Karen though is somewhat upset about the way present day Hollywood producers operate. She lamented, "The studios seem to be mind-jammed. They have problems and part of the problem is they never seem to think that they are wrong about anything. But fortunately this doesn't apply to every studio or producer." Does Karen have any qualms about some of the work she has done over the years? "I don't regret what I have done. My only regret is what I haven't done," she proudly stated. And therein lies the reason why Karen Black continues to be a force in Tinseltown. |