I heard this sad news a few hours ago on the international Social Networking Site. I was shocked as I considered Ms. Black "too young to die." She was about a year and a half younger than my own mother (and Lara Parker) as it happens.
I was thinking about Ms. Black a few weeks ago when a fan started a thread here about what role Ms. Black would have played had she been cast in the original series of Dark Shadows. I had to smile because I recalled that many years ago now, when a gala was held at the Museum of Television and Radio in Dan Curtis's honor, many DS luminaries showed up, and Ms. Black made a late entrance to the room. At the time it was reported that she was overheard to look around her, narrow her eyes, and demand of a flunky: "Wait a minute, this isn't a Dark Shadows thing, is it?" She was assured that it was indeed an evening in honor of DC and she proceded to her place onstage.
I also think of a performance art band, maybe based in NYC, about 23 years ago called "The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black"--it was written up in Michael Musto's column and I believe Ms. Black may have eventually attended, or even participated in, a performance.
May she know true peace. We'll miss her.
G.
