Already finding her niche on daytime and primetime dramas, Kathleen has expanded her career by receiving a masters degree in Spiritual Psychology in August 2000, along with her current Masters of Fine Arts degree.  The last few years have allowed Kathleen to show off her depth and magnitude while playing a wide range of diverse roles in everything from sitcoms, movies-of-the-week, and feature films. For most mature actresses, doors slowly begin to close but for Kathleen a whole new world is opening up - as she comes off a three-year-run as ‘Bette’ on Aaron Spelling’s SUNSET BEACH.

Best know for her Emmy-award winning portrayal as ‘Ellen Dalton’ on ALL MY CHILDREN and as conniving ‘Claudia Whittaker’ on KNOTS LANDING, SUNSET BEACH audiences fell in love with eccentric 'Aunt Bette’, a wild and personable socialite who managed to get into more mischief than a lovesick teenager, and Kathleen received her third Emmy nomination for her portrayal.

Kathleen continues to pursue other career opportunities. She made such an impression when she guest-starred as the grating ‘Ellie’ on the critically-acclaimed FOX series PARTY OF FIVE that she became a recurring character. She portrayed Kirsten’s controlling mother and the thorn in Charlie’s side, and was thrilled to be involved with such a high quality show. Kathleen appeared as ‘Jessie’s mom in CBS’s DIAGNOSIS MURDER, as well as the short-lived NBC series COLD FEET.  In the realm of film, Kathleen seized the opportunity to spread her wings in three recent films. She was featured in Miramax’s CITIZEN RUTH with Laura Dern, portraying a woman who works in a right-to-life clinic. Kathleen worked with Ron Silver and James Coburn in the racial drama SKELETONS - a Pulitzer prize winning journalist moves to a small town in Maine only to find racists who are determined to keep their community Aryan pure, yet ‘Crazy Sadie’ (Kathleen) holds the key to the truth. She was also featured in HBO’s thriller, SERPENT’S LAIR, with Jeff Fahey.

Born in New York, Kathleen began her career as a singer in nightclubs and performed in musicals while simultaneously earning a BFA from Ithaca College and West Virginia University. Her thoughts however began to grow overwhelmingly towards acting. When the Jimmy Dorsey Band asked her to go on tour, she realized she must make a choice in her career. She began honing her acting skills at Southern Methodist University in Texas and received an M.F.A.

While performing for thirteen years in numerous repertory, regional and Off-Broadway theatres, she won roles on AS THE WORLD TURNS and ONE LIFE TO LIVE before landing the breakthrough role of Pine Valley’s heroine ‘Ellen Dalton’ on ALL MY CHILDREN. For her portrayal she earned three Soap Opera Digest nominations, an Emmy nomination and in 1987 she won the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress on daytime television. Even though Kathleen loved her job, after 11 1/2 years she was ready for new challenges and decided to try her luck in Los Angeles.

Numerous daytime actors have tried to make the arduous leap to primetime and friends discouraged Kathleen from taking the risk.  Not one to back down, she moved out west determined to give it her best shot.  Emmy Award or not, Kathleen arrived in Los Angeles as just another new face and realized she had to re-introduce herself to Hollywood.  She earned guest-starring roles on KATE & ALLIE, QUANTUM LEAP, HUNTER and EMPTY NEST before landing a leading role on the immensely popular KNOTS LANDING.  For the final three seasons she portrayed the deceitful sister of ‘Greg Summer’ and established herself as a primetime actress.

After recurring on L.A. LAW, Kathleen realized she’d like to make people laugh for a change and concentrated on comedic roles.  Following her role as ‘Maris’ fun and kooky aunt on FRASIER, she began garnering numerous roles on sitcoms including LOVE AND WAR, NED AND STACY, MURPHY BROWN and ELLEN.  Kathleen continued broadening her horizons with two made-for-televison movies:  USA Network telefilm HEARTS ADRIFT with Don Murry and CBS’ WHAT LOVE SEES with Richard Thomas and Annabeth Gish.

Kathleen explains, “The variety of roles I’m able to play are very challenging and exciting to an actor; it reminds me of when I was in repertory theatre.  I was trained to do a variety of things and it’s nice to have the opportunity to be able to show that.”  Her first love will always be the theatre.  In 1994 she co-produced and starred in THE CRIMSON THREAD.  “I love the process of the theatre.  Every night the audience becomes a new character in the play and I miss that element.”  Kathleen is a member of the Playwright’s Kitchen Ensemble at the Coronet Theatre, which introduces playwrights to the Hollywood community through play-readings.