Kathryn Joosten

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Biography

Recent Role:
Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives
Gender:
Female
Born:
12-20-1939
Birthplace:
Eustis, Florida
Birth Name:
Kathryn Joosten
AKA:
Kathryn Josten, Katherine Joosten, Kathryn Joostyn
Kathryn Joosten is a two time Emmy Award winning actress. Joosten did not began her to hone her craft until middle age in the 1980's, after she started taking acting classes in Chicago. She started her acting career at the age of 42. Prior to finding herself under the bright lights and behind the camera lens Joosten worked as a psychiatric nurse.

By the time the mid-1990's had rolled around Joosten found her way to Hollywood, where she would take on many guest roles in some of televisions most beloved shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Roseanne, Dharma & Greg, Murphy

… More Brown, and several others.

In a 1997 episode of Frasier titled 'Roz's Turn', Joosten appeared as Vera, the mother and personal secretary of Frasier's conniving agent, Bebe Glazer, played by Harriet Sansom Harris. Little did the two actresses know that they would be reunited to play neighbors in the first season of the colossal ABC hit Desperate Housewives.

As 1999 approached Joosten would find herself in the role that would put her on the map, a role that she would become well known for, as Delores Landingham, secretary to the president (played by Martin Sheen) on the wildly popular West Wing. Joosten played this part for two seasons, until her character's death in a car crash in 2001. She would lend her talents to the show twice more after her death in flashback episode.

Joosten's role on The West Wing opened many doors for her and gave entrance into many significant guest spots on several extremely popular shows. Since 2001, she has appeared in such shows as Scrubs in the episode titled 'My Old Lady' which won her a Humaitas Prize. Some of her other credits include The X-Files, The Closer, Grey's Anatomy, Charmed, Will & Grace, and many others. Joosten also had a recurring role as one of the less intimidating incarnations of GOD on the now canceled TV series Joan of Arcadia.

Most recently Joosten can be found living on Wisteria Lane portraying Mrs. Karen McCluskey on ABC's smash hit Desperate Housewives. Joosten's Mrs. McCluskey is the lonely and most often bickering neighbor of Felicity Huffman's character Lynette Scavo. With her role on Desperate Housewives Joosten has earned two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series in both 2005 and 2008. She has also received three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations alongside her fellow Housewives for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series from 2006 - 2008.

While Kathryn Joostens name may not be one that everyone recognizes right off the bat her face and her talent certainly are. With an impeccable gift for comedic timing and the ability to make some of the most hateful characters seem lovable Joosten is definitely an A+ actress. It might have taken her a long time to begin her acting career but she isn't showing any signs of letting it go any time soon and for that we are truly happy.

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    10 Perfect
    Kathryn Joosten is a TV icon... hide show

    She is such a great actress, I really think she is a TV icon, she has been a guest star in almost every show I like and I love the way she acts. She almost made me cry when she played that old lady in an episode of "Scrubs", and she is so funny as Mrs. McCluskey on "Desperate Housewives", she gives a depth to the characters she plays; I laughed so hard when she played that annoying lady on "Malcolm in the Middle". Kathryn Joosten should have her own show, I bet it would be so funny! Great Actress!

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    --RPozo-- Added Nov 2, 2006 All my reviews
 

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