Karen Kondazian

An American actress and author, Karen Kondazian began her career on the stage. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, she earned a B.A. from San Francisco State College and went on to train at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. On stage, she took roles in The Rose Tattoo and Master Class, winning the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Actress for the former and collecting four Drama-Logue Awards for Sweet Bird of Youth, Lady House Blues, Vieux Carré, and Tamara; she also received an Ovation nomination for Master Class. Her theater career led to screen work, including a recurring role as Irene Lokatelli on Shannon, guest spots on Wiseguy, Frasier, NYPD Blue, and the TV biopic James Dean (2001), as well as film roles in Yes, Giorgio and Cobra. She wrote The Actors' Encyclopedia of Casting Directors and the historical novel The Whip, which earned praise for its historical accuracy.