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Catherine Burns was an American actress and children's book writer of Irish and Polish descent. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing the rape victim Rhoda in "Last Summer" (1969).
In 1945, Burns was born in New York City. She was educated (in order) at the Hunter College High School, Hunter College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Burns made her acting debut in the television film "The Crucible" (1967), which depicted the Salem Witch trials (1692). Burns played the 18-year-old servant girl Mary Warren, who was historically the oldest of the accusers at the trials. At the time, Burns herself was 22 years old.
Burns made her theatrical debut in 1968, performing in the play "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". The play was an adaptation of the 1961 novel by Muriel Spark, where fascist teacher Jean Brodie surrounds herself with a clique of elite female students. Burns won critical acclaim for her role and won a Clarence Derwent Award.
Burns made her film debut in the coming-of-age teen drama "Last Summer". She portrayed Rhoda, a sensitive, conservative, and friendless teenage girl. The film depicts Rhoda's attempt to infiltrate a close-knit clique of older teenagers (one girl, two boys) who initially tolerate her. When Rhoda's behavior increasingly annoys her new "friends", the trio retaliate by co-operating in having Rhoda brutally raped. Burns won critical praise for this role and she received her only nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The award went to Goldie Hawn (1945-).
From 1969 to 1970, Burns gained her first recurring role in television. She was the first actress to play the long-running character Cathy Craig in the soap opera "One Life to Live". As depicted by Burns, Cathy was a teenager suffering from Electra complex and obsessed with her father Dr. Jim Craig (played by Robert Milli). Cathy eventually rebels, becomes a drug addict, and kills her drug dealer during an LSD-fueled maniacal episode. Burns left the series in 1970 at the end of her character's drug addiction arc. The character continued to appear until 1978, with Burns replaced (in order) by actresses Jane Alice Brandon (1971-1972), Dorrie Kavanaugh (1972-1976), and Jennifer Harmon (1976-1978).
In 1971, Burns published her first children's novel, "The Winter Bird". It concerned a little bird who does not migrate south for the winter and found refuge "in the unusual world of carousel horses". From then on Burns devoted much of her time to writing novels, screenplays, and stage plays. She reportedly preferred writing to acting, because she disliked the publicity and increased scrutiny that came with her acting success.
During the 1970s, Burns was mostly limited to guest-star roles in then-popular television series, such as "The Mod Squad", "Adam-12", "The Waltons", "Emergency! " , and "Cannon". In 1978, she had the recurring role of Lori Cook in the mini-series "The Word". It was an adaptation of a 1972 novel by Irving Wallace, concerning the discovery of an ancient gospel supposedly written by James, brother of Jesus.
In the 1980s, Burns had few acting roles. Her last appearance was in an 1984 episode of the "CBS Schoolbreak Special". As a screenwriter, she worked primarily with episodes of the long-running soap opera soap opera "Guiding Light".
Burns married in 1989, and largely retired from acting at the age of 44.
Burns lived in retirement until 2019, having moved into a retirement community in Lynden, Washington. In February 2019, Burns died due to complications from an accidental fall. Cirrhosis was listed as a contributing factor to her death, a condition in which the liver does not function properly due to long-term damage. Burns was 73 years old.
Burns is still fondly remembered for a handful of her youthful roles.
