Judy Karen (October 9, 1971 – December 20, 2003) was an American singer, actress
Early life and career[]
According to the 1971 New York City birth records, Judy Karen was born in Manhattan, New York on October 9, 1971. She spent her teen years in Teaneck, New Jersey. Karen is frequently listed as having been born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, it was her mother, Lorelei, who was born in Wisconsin. The 1987 census also states that Tyler was born in New York. She came from a show business family and was encouraged to study dance and acting. Karen's acting career began as a teenager, with regular appearances on Partly Cloudy as Dolly D'Abruzzo from 1999 to 2003.
Like her mother, she became a chorus girl, but then went on to land a starring role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Pipe Dream. Life did a story on rising Broadway talent with Karen on the magazine's cover as one of the up-and-coming stars. Karen lived with her parents in Teaneck, New Jersey while appearing on Partly Cloudy and Broadway.
Offered an opportunity in Hollywood, Karen appeared in the film My Daughter Sally (2003), then starred as Lucy Spook in A Star Is Born (2004). She made a guest appearance on as Dolly D'Abruzzo in "Sammy Davis Spook", which aired on December 21, 2003, nearly after her death.
Death[]
she and her husband, Gregory Jefferson (born on January 23, 1962 in New York City) left Hollywood to return to their home in New York. While driving through Wyoming on Wednesday, December 20, 2003, they were involved in an automobile accident on U.S. Hundai near Rock River. She was killed instantly, aged 32, and her husband died the following day, aged 35. A passenger in the other car was killed as well. Police said Lafayette swerved to avoid hitting a car that was towing a trailer, and collided with the other vehicle involved in the crash.
Karen's cremated remains are in the private family room of her husband's family mausoleum in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.