Kathleen Denise Quinlan Abbott (born November 19, 1954) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, and her Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated role in the 1995 film Apollo 13, along with many roles in other feature films, television movies and series, in a career spanning almost five decades. She made her feature film debut in Mel Stuart's One Is a Lonely Number (1972) follwed by George Lucas' American Graffiti (1973) and made her definite breakthrough in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977) as Deborah Blake.

Filmography

• 2026Okay — Loretta
• 2024Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
• 2021The Stairs — Grandma Bernice
• 2021Walking with Herb — Sheila Amable-Amo
• 2019Saving My Baby — Virginia
• 2019The Devil Has a Name — Nancy
• 2018Chimera Strain — Masterson
• Mayans M.C. — Mrs. Buksar
• 2018Parallel — Marissa
• 2017ADDicted — Kate Dawson
• 2017Elizabeth Blue — Carol
• Marvel's Runaways — Susan Ellerh
• 2015How Not to Propose — Susan
• 2014After — Nora Valentino
• How to Get Away with Murder — Britt
• 2013Horns — Lydia Perrish
• Blue — Jessica
• 2012Life's an Itch — Audrey
• 2011Cinema Verite — Mary Every
• 2011Eagles in the Chicken Coop — Mary Bernstein
• 2011Elektra Luxx — Rebecca Linbrook
• 20102Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift — (archive footage)
• The Event — Erika Jarvis
• 2010The River Why — Ma
• Glee — Dr. Shane
• 2009Prison Break: The Final Break — Christina Rose Scofield
• Stargate Universe — Senator Michaels
• 2008Harm's Way — Bea
• 2008Made of Honor — Joan
• 2008The Dissection of Thanksgiving — Carol
• 2007Breach — Bonnie Hanssen
• 2007Humble Pie — Agnes Orbison
• 2006The Hills Have Eyes — Ethel
• Prison Break — Christina Rose Scofield
• 2004El padrino: The Latin Godfather — Judge Scorsi
• House — Arlene McNeil
• 2004Perfect Romance — Tess Kelley
• 2004The Dead Will Tell — Beth Hytner
• 2004The Riverman — Sande Keppel
• 2003Blessings — Meredith Blessing
• 2003Hollywood's Magical Island: Catalina
• 2003The Battle of Shaker Heights — Eve
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Barbara Tallman
• Family Law — Lynn Holt
• Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke — Nanaline Duke
• 1998A Civil Action — Anne Anderson
• 1998My Giant — Serena Kamin
• 1997Breakdown — Amy Taylor
• 1997Event Horizon — Peters
• 1997Lawn Dogs — Clare Stockard
• 1997Zeus & Roxanne — Mary Beth Dunhill
• 1996In the Lake of the Woods — Kathy Waylan
• 1995Apollo 13 — Marilyn Lovell
• 1995Perfect Alibi — Melanie Bauers
• 1995Picture Windows: Lightning — Hooker
• 1994Trial by Jury — Wanda
• Diagnosis: Murder — Dr. Kate Delieb
• 1993Last Light — Kathy Rubicek
• 1993Stolen Babies — Bekka
• 1992An American Story — Hope Tyler
• 1991Strays — Lindsey Jarrett
• 1991The Doors — Patricia Kennealy
• The Hidden Room — Julia
• 1990The Operation — Ginnie
• 1989Trapped — Mary Ann Marshall
• 1988Clara's Heart — Leona Hart
• 1988Sunset — Nancy Shoemaker
• 1987Dreams Lost, Dreams Found — Sarah McAllister
• 1987The Man Outside — Grace Freemont
• 1987Wild Thing — Jane
• 1985Blackout — Chris Graham
• 1985Children of the Night — Lois Lee
• The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents — Karen Wilson, Ann Foley
• 1985Warning Sign — Joanie Morse
• 1984The Last Winter — Joyce
• 1984When She Says No — Rose Michaels
• 1983Independence Day — Mary Ann Taylor
• 1983Twilight Zone: The Movie — Helen Foley
• 1982Hanky Panky — Janet Dunn
• 1981She's in the Army Now — Pvt. Cass Donner
• 1980Sunday Lovers — Laurie (segment "Skippy")
• 1979The Promise — Nancy McAllister / Marie Adamson
• 1979The Runner Stumbles — Sister Rita
• 1978Nightmare in Blood
• 1977Airport '77 — Julie
• 1977I Never Promised You a Rose Garden — Deborah Blake
• 1977Little Ladies of the Night — Karen Brodwick
• 1976Lifeguard — Wendy
• Joe Forrester — Bethany
• Switch — Robin Morgan
• 1975The Abduction of Saint Anne — Anne Benedict
• 1975The Missing Are Deadly
• 1975The Turning Point of Jim Malloy — Edith Evans
• Three for the Road
• 1974Can Ellen Be Saved? — Melissa
• 1974Lucas Tanner — Joyce Howell
• Lucas Tanner
• Police Woman
• 1974Where Have All the People Gone — Deborah Anders
• 1973American Graffiti — Peg
• Kojak — Janet Conforti
• Emergency! — Janet
• The Waltons
• Ironside
• Hallmark Hall of Fame
• Holiday Hearts — Barbara Morgenstern

Appearances as themselves (6)

• Where Are They Now? — Self
• Hollywood Squares — Self - Panelist
• 1998The Making of 'American Graffiti' — Self
• 1997The Doors: The Road of Excess — Self
• 1996Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 — Self
• The Oscars — Self