Kathryn Joosten is a renowned American actress, best known for her portrayal of "Karen McCluskey" on the ABC drama series Desperate Housewives (2004) and "Mrs. Landingham", the secretary to the President, on the critically-acclaimed NBC drama The West Wing (1999).
She began her acting career at the age of 42, after dedicating most of her life to her family and career as a psychiatric nurse. Her journey in acting started with community theaters in Northern Illinois, where she performed under the guidance of Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago.
Kathryn's first break came in 1991, when she landed a part at Disney World as a street performer. Although the role only lasted for a year, it marked the beginning of her career as a professional actress. She continued to work in various roles, including television shows, movies, and commercials, before landing her breakout role as "Mrs. Landingham" on The West Wing.
Her success on The West Wing led to her being cast as "Karen McCluskey" on Desperate Housewives, a role she played for eight seasons, earning her two Emmy awards. Kathryn's portrayal of Karen McCluskey was widely praised, and she became a household name.
Throughout her career, Kathryn has appeared in numerous television shows, including Dharma & Greg, Becker, Ally McBeal, Providence, Scrubs, and General Hospital, among others. She has also made guest appearances on shows such as Murphy Brown, Frasier, The Drew Carey Show, and The Bold and the Beautiful.
Kathryn Joosten was a strong advocate for lung cancer awareness, and was named the national spokesperson for the Lung Cancer Profiles campaign on behalf of Pfizer. She passed away on June 2, 2012, due to complications from lung cancer, just 20 days after the on-screen death of her character Karen McCluskey on the final episode of Desperate Housewives.
