Karen Austin

Karen Austin is an American actress. She played Lana Wagner on the sitcom Night Court in 1984. Her film appearances include Summer Rental, Far from Home (1989), and The Rum Diary (2011).

Career Austin first gained notability in the late 1970s with a string of television guest appearances on highly rated programs such as Happy Days, The Rockford Files, CHiPs, and Dallas. In the 1980s, she was a regular on the first season of the successful NBC comedy series Night Court as court clerk Lana Wagner for the first 10 episodes (but she received credits for all 13 episodes of the first season). She was asked to leave the series due to her recently diagnosed Bell's palsy which producers believed was affecting her performance. Her character was replaced by Mac Robinson (Charles Robinson) for the remaining eight seasons. Austin had a lead role as the wife of John Candy's character in Summer Rental (1985).

Personal life Austin was married to Kris Slava at age 19; the couple divorced seven years later.

Film and television credits Year TV/Film Credit Role Notes 1974 The Ottawa Valley Lena TV short film 1978 Happy Days Peggy Clark Episode: "Kid Stuff" The Rockford Files Veronica Teasedale Episode: "White on White and Nearly Perfect" The American Girls Episode: "Little Girl Lost" Dallas Dailey Episode: "Survival" 1979 Fish Hawk Mrs. Gideon Feature film The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Lily Episode: "Dean Martin and the Moonshiners" Hart to Hart Karen Shields Episode: "A New Kind of High" Soap Chester's Woman Episode #3.10 1980 Family Emily 2 episodes 1980–1982 Three's Company Jennifer / Denise 2 episodes 1981 Hill Street Blues West Virginia 3 episodes CHiPs Woman with Rabbit Episode: "A Simple Operation" S.O.B. Piano Girl Feature film (Uncredited role) 1982 The Quest Carrie Welby Main role (9 episodes)A Piano for Mrs. Cimino Alice Cimino TV movie Quincy, M.E. Rachael Kane Episode: "The Shadow of Death" 1983 The Taming of the Shrew Katherina Feature film Trauma Center Julie Episode: "Trauma Center (Pilot)" 1984 Celebrity Ceil Shannon TV miniseries Night Court Lana Wagner 10 episodes London and Davis in New York Adrienne Crow Television pilot 1985 St. Elsewhere Dr. Mary Woodley 5 episodes Summer Rental Sandy Chester Feature film Jagged Edge Julie Jensen Feature film Our Family Honor Detective Sgt. Sharon Howland Episode: "End of the Line" A Letter to Three Wives Kate TV movie 1986 The Twilight Zone June Wright Segment: "A Matter of Minutes" L.A. Law Hillary Mishkin 3 episodesThe Ladies Club Joan Taylor Feature film Penalty Phase Julie Feature film Assassin Mary Casallas TV movie 1987 Jake and the Fatman Rebecca Warfield Episode: "Fatal Attraction" 1988 Laura Lansing Slept Here Melody Gomphers TV movie 1989 Columbo Dr. Paula Hall Episode: "Columbo Goes to the Guillotine" Dolphin Cove Lisa Ruddick Episode: "The Initiation of Lisa Ruddick" The Case of the Hillside Stranglers J.D. Jackson TV movieFar from Home Louise Feature film 1990 Hunter Lt. Megan Malone Episode: "Unfinished Business" A Girl to Kill For Karen / Shopper Feature film 1991 Midnight Caller Jenna Holloway Episode: "Her Dirty Little Secret" 1991–1992 The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Sheila Crane / Suzanne 6 episodes 1992–1994 The Commish Linda Scott 2 episodes 1994 Moment of Truth: Murder or Memory? Connie Frawley TV movie Lightning Jack Mama Wheeler Feature film (Uncredited role) 1995 Live Shot Helen Forbes 8 episodes The Marshal Ellen Christopher Episode: "Time Off for Clever Behavior"1995–1999 Sliders Amanda Starr / Lydia the Secretary 2 episodes 1996 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Haley Rodgers Johnson Episode: "The Big Easy Episode" NYPD Blue Jessica Herman Episode: "The Nutty Confessor"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Dr. Kalandra Episode: "...Nor the Battle to the Strong" Lazarus Anne Feature film 1997 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Cimmarron Kilkenny (voice) Episode: "Showdown/Internal Affairs" Breast Men Dr. Tammy TV movie (Uncredited role) House of Frankenstein Irene Lassiter TV miniseries Murder One Lynette Parker 4 episodes Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer Lynette Parker Banks TV miniseries Step by Step Patti Roberts Episode: "Just Say Maybe" 1998 Best Friends for Life Violet Evans TV movie 3rd Rock from the Sun Anita Episode: "Auto Eurodicka" JAG Dr. Inge Episode: "The Martin Baker Fan Club" Martial Law Elaine Caranza Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back" The Battery Sandy Short film Touched by an Angel Candace Episode: "Last Dance" 1999 Beverly Hills, 90210 Bobbi Kincaid 2 episodes Profiler Candice Harding Episode: "Original Sin" Rescue 77 Ruth Caraway Episode: "The Wedding" Star Trek: Voyager Miral, B'Elanna Torres' Mother Episode: "Barge of the Dead" 2000 Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Pierrepont Summers Feature film 2001 The Division Helen Episode: "Redemption" 2002 ER Mrs. Carlson Episode: "Bygones" Taken Nun #2 TV miniseries 2002–2004 Girlfriends Sandy Bickie 3 episodes 2004 Cold Case Terri Maxwell Episode: "Volunteers" Kingdom Hospital Mrs. Powell Episode: "Black Noise" 2004–2008 Rodney Patsy 3 episodes 2005 Freddie Mrs. Reyerson Episode: "I'll Be Homeless for Christmas" Wanted Taffy Dibortello Episode: "Sex Pistols" Without a Trace Hilda Episode: "Second Sight" Desperate Housewives Lois McDaniel Episode: "Your Fault" 2006 Amber's Story Glenda Whitson TV movie The Evidence Mrs. Vicarrio Episode: "Pilot" 2007 Crossing Jordan Sarah Fulton Episode: "Falling From Grace" 2008 Battlestar Galactica Lilly Episode: "Escape Velocity" Palisades Pool Party Desiree TV movie 2009 Bitch Slap Narrator Feature film CSI: Miami Judge Gloria Stets Episode: "Dissolved" Sink or Swim Judge Stets Feature film Big Days Ahead Carol Glass Short film 2010 Better People Jacquie TV movie Order of Chaos Sherri Feature film 2011–2012 Fresh Hell Valerie 4 episodes 2011–2015 Whole Day Down DeWitt 6 episodes 2011 The Rum Diary Mrs. Zimburger Feature film 2013 Sweet Talk Newsvendor / Nurse Feature film 2014 Infamous Second Son Betty (voice) Video game 2015 The Wicked Within Jean Feature film