Kathryn Joosten
A former psychiatric nurse who became a beloved TV fixture, winning Emmys for her sharp-tongued neighbor roles after starting her acting career at 42.
1939–2012 (age 73)·American actress·Birthday: December 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Kathryn Joosten’s path to Hollywood was anything but ordinary. After working as a psychiatric nurse and raising a family in suburban Chicago, she took a leap at 42, pursuing community theater before moving to Los Angeles in her late 40s. Her break came with a small part on 'Family Matters,' but it was her portrayal of the steadfast, no-nonsense secretary Mrs. Landingham on 'The West Wing' that made audiences sit up and take notice. Aaron Sorkin wrote her character’s tragic death specifically for her, a testament to her impact. She then found a perfect match in the curmudgeonly yet secretly tender Karen McCluskey on 'Desperate Housewives,' a role that earned her two Emmy Awards. Joosten’s career became an inspiring story of a second act, proving that compelling character work knows no age limit.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Kathryn was born in 1939, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kathryn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1939
#1 Movie
Gone with the Wind
Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
Kathryn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1939Born
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1944Started school
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1952Became a teenager
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Could drive
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1957Could vote
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Turned 21
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1969Turned 30
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 40
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 50
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 60
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 70
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Died at 73
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Karen McCluskey on 'Desperate Housewives' (2005, 2008).
- Portrayed the pivotal role of President Bartlet's secretary, Delores Landingham, on the acclaimed drama 'The West Wing'.
- Began her professional acting career in her 40s after a previous career as a psychiatric nurse.
- Appeared in over 80 television series and films, becoming a recognizable face in American television.
Did You Know?
She worked as a stunt performer at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in California early in her career.
Her son, Jonathan, served as a writer and producer on 'The West Wing.'
She was a breast cancer survivor and advocated for cancer research.
Before acting, she performed as a folk singer with a group called 'The Merry-Go-Round.'
““Don’t let age stop you. It’s never too late to be what you might have been.””
