Who is Kathleen Denise Quinlan? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Kathleen Denise Quinlan Abbott

Age: 69 Years, 69 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Bruce Abbott (m. 1994)

father: Robert Quinlan

mother: Josephine

children: Tyler Abbott

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'5" (165 cm), 5'5" Females

U.S. State: California

City: Pasadena, California

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Career

Kathleen Quinlan’s journey as a movie actress started in 1973 with ‘American Graffiti,’ which was directed by George Lucas. She was only 19 and her role was inconsequential (it was a one-line part), but it was a start to a great film career. She went on to star in ‘Lifeguard’ (1976) and ‘Airport 77’ (1977). Both the films did nothing much to her career. Then came ‘I Never Promised You a Rose Garden’ in 1977 and Kathleen’s acting prowess was finally noticed. Her portrayal of a schizophrenic adolescent is so convincing that the movie became a huge success in a time when the topic of mental illness was not considered a box office success formula.

In 1979, she debuted on the New York stage with ‘Taken in Marriage,’ directed by Thomas Babe. She went on to win the ‘Theatre World Award’ for this stage show. In the ensuing years, she appeared in many movies like ‘Sunday Lovers’ (1980), ‘Independence Day’ (1983), ‘Twilight Day: The Movie’ (1983), ‘The Doors’ (1991), and ‘Trial by Jury’ (1994), to name a few. In 1995, Kathleen Quinlan again hit the jackpot with an Oscar-nominated performance in ‘Apollo 13.’ Her portrayal of Mrs. James Lovell in this mesmerizing saga won her a ‘Best Supporting Actress’ Oscar nomination.

She was next seen in 1997 in ‘Zeus and Roxanne.’ Over the years, Kathleen Quinlan’s fans were impressed with her movies like ‘A Civil Action’ (1998), ‘The Battle of Shaker Heights’ (2003), ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ (2006), ‘Made of Honor’ (2008), and ‘Horns’ (2013). Her last movie was ‘Chimera’ in 2018. Besides movies, she has also acted in numerous television shows, with ‘Family Law’ (1999-2002) and ‘Prison Break’ (2008-09) being the most prominent amongst them.

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Family & Personal Life

Kathleen Quinlan was born on November 19, 1954, in Pasadena, California, USA, as the only child of Robert Quinlan and Josephine Quinlan. Her mother was a military supply supervisor, while her father worked as a television sports director. She developed allergy induced asthma as a child, but was able to overcome the condition during her teen years. It was while studying at Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California, that she became a trained surfer, scuba diver, and gymnast. Moreover, she auditioned for her very first credited role in George Lucas’ ‘American Graffiti (1973) while studying at this very high school.

On the romantic front, she married Warren Long, an artist, in 1987 and was divorced soon after. She then began dating Bruce Abbott in 1989. Her son, named Tyler Quinlan Abbott, was born in 1990. Four years later, she married Bruce Abbott and they are still married. She also has a stepson, named Dalton Abbott. Kathleen is known to be a very private person and loves spending time with her family. In fact, her CBS Family Law series’ contract clearly stated that she cannot be required to work after 6 pm, because she wanted to be with her family.

It seems like Kathleen Quinlan is not a fan of social media because she has no public Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram accounts.

Kathleen Denise Quinlan Biography