Kathleen Turner
Highest Rated: 100% Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1987)
Lowest Rated: 2% Baby Geniuses (1999)
Birthday: Jun 18, 1954
Birthplace: Springfield, Missouri, USA
Though she came to prominence in the 1980s, Kathleen Turner, with her blend of raw sexuality, beauty, intelligence, and drive, could give golden age-sirens like Lana Turner and Ava Gardner a run for their money. After years of working as a relative unknown in way-off-Broadway productions and in the television soap opera The Doctors, Turner burst onto the movie scene in a star-making blaze when she was cast as femme fatale Matty opposite William Hurt in Lawrence Kasdan's neo-noir thriller Body Heat (1981). She continued to wreak havoc on the opposite sex throughout the decade, appearing in a variety of popular movies that ranged from drama to lighthearted adventure to jet-black comedy. The daughter of a U.S. ambassador, Turner experienced a peripatetic upbringing in a fiercely competitive environment. Living in Canada, Cuba, Washington, D.C., Venezuela, and England, she learned to adjust to new situations at a very young age. She later claimed the experience molded her as an actress and taught her to constantly refashion herself to meet the needs of particular situations. Turner first became conscious of wanting to be an actress while living in England, where, during her weekly visits to the theater, she was thrilled by the work of Diana Rigg, Christopher Plummer, Angela Lansbury, and others. While attending high school, Turner enrolled in classes at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. She studied there until 1973, when her father's death forced her mother to move the family back to her hometown of Springfield, MO. It was there that Turner would take voice lessons at Southwest Missouri State University, where she later enrolled. Finding the campus devoid of the culture she craved, however, Turner transferred to the University of Maryland and in 1977 graduated with a degree in theater. Following graduation, she moved to New York and, in between waiting tables, found work in television commercials and obscure stage productions until deciding it was time to try Hollywood. Turner had just finished an unsuccessful audition when, fortuitously enough, she encountered the casting agent for Body Heat. Her subsequent portrayal of the murderous Matty proved to be her breakthrough and led to a series of widely varied starring roles. For her sophomore effort, she tried her hand at comedy with The Man With Two Brains (1983), in which she starred opposite Steve Martin. Again, as with her previous role, she played a woman who used her feminine wiles to manipulate a man. In the erotic Crimes of Passion (1984), she once more was cast as a woman using sex for manipulation, playing a fashion designer/hooker who gets involved with a street preacher. Understandably not wanting to get typecast by this point, Turner next played a dowdy author who finds herself caught up in an exciting South American adventure with dashing Michael Douglas and sleazy Danny De Vito in Romancing the Stone (1984). The film was a smash hit and Turner found herself a star. The following year, the trio reunited for the sequel, The Jewel of the Nile, and in 1989, they once again collaborated for The War of the Roses, Danny DeVito's grimly funny dissection of a messy divorce. Other high points of that period included Turner's performance as a beautiful but ruthless hit woman in Prizzi's Honor (1985) and her Oscar-nominated turn as a dissatisfied housewife who gets a second chance to alter her life in Francis Ford Coppola's moving Peggy Sue Got Married (1986). In 1988, Turner re-teamed with William Hurt for a supporting role in Kasdan's The Accidental Tourist (1988). That same year, she gave a devastatingly sexy performance as the voice of Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Unfortunately, despite these successes, Turner subsequently had a hard time finding quality roles, and her appearances during the early to mid-'90s were sporadic. One highlight of this period was her turn as the completely psychotic suburban housewife who goes on a killing spree in John Water
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | Another Kind of Wedding | Barbara Haines | — | 2018 |
| No Score Yet | Emily & Tim | Actor | — | 2016 |
| 30% | Dumb and Dumber To | Fraida Felcher | — | 2014 |
| 50% | The Perfect Family | Eileen Cleary Executive Producer | $0.2M | 2012 |
| No Score Yet | Life Is a Banquet: The Rosalind Russell Story | Actor | — | 2009 |
| 62% | Marley & Me | Ms. Kornblut | $143.1M | 2008 |
| 77% | The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch | Actor | — | 2006 |
| 75% | Monster House | Constance | $73.7M | 2006 |
| No Score Yet | Answering the Call: Ground Zero's Volunteers | Narrator | — | 2005 |
| 16% | Beautiful | Verna Chickle | $2.9M | 2000 |
| 20% | Prince of Central Park | Rebecca Cairn | — | 2000 |
| 76% | The Virgin Suicides | Mrs. Lisbon | — | 2000 |
| 2% | Baby Geniuses | ELena Kinder | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | Love and Action in Chicago | Middleman | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | Dashiell Hammett: Detective, Writer | Narrator | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | Cinderella | Claudette | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | Legalese | Brenda Whitass | — | 1998 |
| 34% | The Real Blonde | Dee Dee Taylor | — | 1998 |
| 25% | A Simple Wish | Claudia | — | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | Stories from My Childhood | Actor | — | 1996 |
| No Score Yet | The Best of Roger Rabbit | Actor | — | 1996 |
| 15% | Moonlight and Valentino | Alberta Russell | — | 1995 |
| 63% | Serial Mom | Beverly Sutphin | — | 1994 |
| 42% | Naked in New York | Dana Coles | — | 1994 |
| 33% | Undercover Blues | Jane Blue | — | 1993 |
| No Score Yet | Trail Mix-Up | Jessica Rabbit | — | 1993 |
| 56% | House of Cards | Ruth Matthews | — | 1992 |
| No Score Yet | We All Have Tales | Narrator | — | 1992 |
| 21% | V.I. Warshawski | Victoria 'V.I.' Warshawski | — | 1991 |
| No Score Yet | Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To | Host | — | 1991 |
| No Score Yet | Roller Coaster Rabbit | Jessica Rabbit | — | 1990 |
| 85% | The War of the Roses | Barbara Rose | — | 1989 |
| No Score Yet | Tummy Trouble | Jessica Rabbit | — | 1989 |
| 75% | Honey, I Shrunk the Kids | Actor | — | 1989 |
| 81% | The Accidental Tourist | Sarah Leary | — | 1988 |
| 97% | Who Framed Roger Rabbit | Jessica | — | 1988 |
| 55% | Switching Channels | Christy Colleran | — | 1988 |
| No Score Yet | Giulia e Giulia (Julia and Julia) | Julia | — | 1988 |
| 100% | Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam | Narrator | — | 1987 |
| 85% | Peggy Sue Got Married | Peggy Sue | — | 1986 |
| 50% | The Jewel of the Nile | Joan Wilder | — | 1985 |
| 86% | Prizzi's Honor | Irene Walker | — | 1985 |
| 36% | Crimes of Passion | Joanna Crane / China Blue | — | 1984 |
| No Score Yet | A Breed Apart | Stella Clayton | — | 1984 |
| 84% | Romancing the Stone | Joan Wilder | — | 1984 |
| 76% | The Man with Two Brains | Dolores Benedict | — | 1983 |
| 98% | Body Heat | Matty Walker | — | 1981 |
| 67% | Conrack | Kathy | — | 1974 |
TV
| Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet |
Mom 2013 |
Aunt Cookie |
2020 |
| 50% |
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings 2019 |
Mary Shaw aka Old Bones |
2019 |
| No Score Yet |
Great Performances at the Met 2007-2018 |
Duchess of Krakenthorp |
2019 |
| No Score Yet |
American Masters 2001 |
Narrator |
2017 |
| 71% |
Family Guy 1999 |
Voice |
2017 |
| No Score Yet |
Masterclass 2010-2014 |
Appearing |
2013 |
| No Score Yet |
The Talk 2010 |
Guest |
2012 |
| 57% |
Californication 2007-2014 |
Sue Collini |
2009 2008 |
| No Score Yet |
Law & Order 1990-2010 |
Rebecca Shane |
2006 |
| 75% |
Nip/Tuck 2003-2009 |
Cindy Plumb |
2006 |
| No Score Yet |
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart 1999-2015 |
Guest |
2005 |
| No Score Yet |
King of the Hill 1997-2010 |
Voice |
2000 |
| 85% |
The Simpsons 1989 |
Voice |
1994 |
| No Score Yet |
Saturday Night Live 1975 |
Host Guest |
1989 1985 |
QUOTES FROM Kathleen Turner CHARACTERS
Ned Racine says: You look like Pine Haven.
Matty Walker says: And how does Pine Haven look?
Ned Racine says: Well tended.
Matty Walker says: Oh, I'm well tended all right. Well tended.
Irene Walker says: They'd eat their children before they'd part with money. And they LOVE their children.
Irene Walker says: They'd eat their children before they'd part with money and they love their children.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: Oh, Honey Bunny!
Roger Rabbit says: Oh, Love Cup
Roger Rabbit says: Oh, Love Cup.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: Oh, Roger! You were a pillar of strength
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: Oh, Roger! You were a pillar of strength.
Eddie Valiant says: Seriously, what do you see in that guy?
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: He makes me laugh.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: You don't know how hard it is being a woman, looking the way I do.
Eddie Valiant says: Yeh Well, You don't know how hard it is being a man, looking at woman looking the way you do.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: I'm not bad I'm just drawn that way
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way.
Ned Racine says: NED RACINE Me? I need tending. I need someone to take care of me. Rub my tired muscles. Smooth out my sheets. MATTY WALKER Get married. NED RACINE I just need it for tonight.
Ned Racine says: Me? I need tending. I need someone to take care of me. Rub my tired muscles. Smooth out my sheets.
Matty Walker says: Get married.
Ned Racine says: I just need it for tonight.
Beverly Sutphin says: Is this the Cocksucker residence?
Dottie Hinkle says: God damn you! Stop calling here!
Beverly Sutphin says: Isn't this Four Two One Five Pussy Way?
Dottie Hinkle says: You bitch!
Beverly Sutphin says: Now let me check the zip code. 212 Fuck You.
Dottie Hinkle says: The police are tracing this call this VERY minute.
Beverly Sutphin says: Well then Dottie Hinkle, why aren't they here? Huh, Fuck-face?
Beverly Sutphin says: "Pussy willows' Dottie."
Beverly Sutphin says: Pussy willows' Dottie.
Eileen Cleary says: I don't have to think! I'm a Catholic!
Eileen Cleary says: It's a sin to boast.
Peggy Sue says: I may be crazy, but I'm not crazy enough to marry you twice.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: No, I hit him on the head with a frying pan so he wouldn't get hurt.
Eddie Valiant says: Makes perfect sense.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: I just want you to know that I love you, Roger. I've loved you more than any woman's ever loved a rabbit.
Roger Rabbit says: Really?
Oliver Rose says: You say it's mine and you can have everything in the house
Oliver Rose says: You say it's mine and you can have everything in the house.
Barbara Rose says: Ok. It's mine
Barbara Rose says: Ok. It's mine.
Joan Wilder says: "Everyone gets sick in department stores"
Joan Wilder says: Everyone gets sick in department stores.
Dolores Benedict says: Get those assholes off the porch! (about the hired-help, standing next to potted plants, awaiting the couple at the door to the Doctor's mansion.. )
Dolores Benedict says: Get those assholes off the porch! [about the hired-help, standing next to potted plants, awaiting the couple at the door to the Doctor's mansion]
Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr says: huh! (laughs naievely).. They're called azeliahs...
Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr says: Huh! [laughs naively] They're called azaleas.
Beverly Sutphin says: You can't wear white after Labor Day!
Matty Walker says: You aren't too bright. I like that in a man.
Jessica Rabbit (uncredited) says: I'm not bad, I'm just drawn this way.