Biographie
Catherine Burns was an American actress and children's book author of Irish and Polish heritage. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Rhoda, a rape victim, in the 1969 film "Last Summer."
Born in 1945 in New York City, Burns attended Hunter College High School, Hunter College, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Her acting debut came in the 1967 television film "The Crucible," which depicted the 1692 Salem Witch trials. She played Mary Warren, an 18-year-old servant girl and the oldest accuser in the historical events, though Burns was 22 at the time.
Burns made her stage debut in 1968 with the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," adapted from Muriel Spark’s 1961 novel. The story follows the fascist teacher Jean Brodie and her elite group of female students. Burns received critical acclaim and won a Clarence Derwent Award for her performance.
Her film debut was in the coming-of-age drama "Last Summer," where she played Rhoda, a sensitive, conservative, and isolated teenage girl who tries to join a close group of older teens. When her behavior irritates the group, they retaliate by orchestrating her brutal rape. Burns’s performance was highly praised, earning her an Academy Award nomination, though the award went to Goldie Hawn.
From 1969 to 1970, Burns held her first recurring television role as Cathy Craig on the soap opera "One Life to Live." Her character was a teenager with an Electra complex, obsessed with her father, Dr. Jim Craig (Robert Milli). Cathy rebels, becomes a drug addict, and kills her dealer during an LSD-induced episode. Burns departed the show in 1970 after completing this storyline. The role was later played by Jane Alice Brandon, Dorrie Kavanaugh, and Jennifer Harmon until 1978.
In 1971, Burns published her debut children's novel, "The Winter Bird," which tells the story of a small bird that stays behind during migration and finds refuge among carousel horses. Afterward, she focused more on writing novels, screenplays, and stage plays, reportedly preferring writing over acting due to her dislike of the publicity and scrutiny associated with acting.
Throughout the 1970s, Burns appeared mainly in guest roles on popular television shows such as "The Mod Squad," "Adam-12," "The Waltons," "Emergency!," and "Cannon." In 1978, she had a recurring role as Lori Cook in the miniseries "The Word," adapted from Irving Wallace’s 1972 novel about the discovery of an ancient gospel attributed to James, brother of Jesus.
Burns’s acting roles became rare in the 1980s, with her final appearance in a 1984 episode of the "CBS Schoolbreak Special." As a screenwriter, she contributed mainly to episodes of the soap opera "Guiding Light."
She married in 1989 and mostly retired from acting at age 44.
Burns lived quietly in retirement, residing in a retirement community in Lynden, Washington. She passed away in February 2019 due to complications from an accidental fall, with cirrhosis listed as a contributing factor. She was 73 years old.
Burns remains fondly remembered for several notable roles from her early career.
