Who is Karen Steele?
Karen Steele, born on March 20, 1931, was a famous American actress and model.
She is famous for her roles in Marty, Ride Lonesome, and the Star Trek episode “Mudd’s Women.”
Similarly, she acted in over 60 movies and TV series till her death on March 12, 1988.
Today, we will be discussing Karen Steele’s height, relationship, death, career, net worth, and even more.
So, keep on reading!!
Quick Biography
| Real Name | Karen Steele |
| Nick Name | Karen |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of Birth | March 20, 1931 |
| Birth Place | Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii |
| Age | 56 years old (Dead) |
| Birth Sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Profession | Actress |
| Height (approx.) | 5’8 or 168 cm |
| Weight (approx.) | 55 kg or 121 pounds |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Father | Percy Davis Steele |
| Mother | Ruth Covey Merritt |
| Sibling | N/A |
| Spouse | Dr. Maurice Boyd Ruland |
| Children | None |
| Net Worth | $1.5 million |
| Profiles | N/A |
Early Life
Where was Karen Steele born? Karen Steele was born on March 20, 1931, and her hometown lies in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, US.
Growing up in the territory of the Hawaiin Islands got her the opportunity to learn languages like Japanese, Polynesian, and English.
At the age of 13, Karen got into a surfing accident, and her leg got severely cut by coral segments.
Due to the infection, she later got Osteomyelitis and it got severe that doctors suggested amputation.
Fortunately, she was introduced to a doctor from Hong Kong who treated her infection well.
She had 22 operations and her leg was built with wires and metal; only after that, she was able to walk properly.
Regarding her education, there is no information about her early schooling.
As for her higher studies, she studied at the University of Hawaii and later studied acting at Rollins College in Florida for a year.
After finishing university, she started working for modeling agencies and also as a cover girl.
Now, let’s take a look at Karen Steele’s career, works, and the achievements she made till her death.
Career
What is Karen Steele famous for?
Beginning
Karen Steele started her acting career by working in the radio program Let George Do It.
As for her movie roles, she appeared in 1953’s movie Clown playing an unknown role.
The same year, she portrayed the character, Marge, in the movie Man Crazy.
Similarly, a year later she was seen in the TV series So False and So Fair on TV anthology series Studio 57.
She had her big breakthrough after she played the supporting role of Virginia in the American romantic film Marty.
Karen got the role, as the director and writer got initially confused her with another actress from New York.
After that, in 1957, she guest-starred in the American western dramatic TV series Maverick.
Similarly, in 1958, she got to play in the American western TV series named Jefferson Drum.
After that, she made guest appearances in two episodes of the American legal drama series Perry Mason.
Then, she played the role of Mae Dailey in the American drama series The Roaring 20s.
Likewise, she appeared in the ABC/Warner Bros Western series The Alaskans.
1960-1970
In 1962, she played the role of Dolly LeMoyne in the American Western TV series Rawhide.
Then, in 1965, she portrayed the character Mary ‘Jack’ Armstrong which was the strongest character in the series Get Smart.
After that, she played the role in the episode Mudd’s Women of the American science fiction TV series Star Trek in 1966.
Just like other actresses of that time, as she got older, she switched her career to TV commercials for a living.
Likewise, she got involved in social works such as charity, community services, and more.
Instead of working as an actress, she used to go for charity works and programs.
She even lost a role in a series that would have earned her $78,000 to a handshake tour of service hospitals in the South Pacific in 1970.
After that, her agent also quitted from the job.
Personal Details
How tall was Karen Steele and how much did she weigh? Karen Steele was about 5 feet 8 inches or 168 cm.
As for her weight, it was around 55 kg or 121 pounds. Her zodiac sign was Pisces.
She had blonde hair and blue colored eyes. Regarding her nationality, she was an American and white by her ethnicity.
She was a Jesus Christ believer and followed Christianity as her religion.
Karen was often praised for her gorgeous face and beautiful body. Also, her performance was highly praised and her metal leg never affected her career.
Relationship of Karen Steele
Who was the husband of Karen Steele?
Karen Steele was married to her husband Dr. Maurice Boyd Ruland. The couple got married after Karen resided in Golden Valley, Arizona.
Dr. Maurice Boyd Ruland was a psychiatrist at the Mohave Mental Clinic.
They lived happily together until Karen died at the age of 56 at the Kingman Regional Medical Center in Kingman, Arizona due to Cancer.
As for the children, there is no record about them. So, we can assume the couple had no kids together.
Also, besides Dr.Maurice, there is no information about Karen’s past relationships and linkups.
Family of Karen Steele
Who were the parents of Karen Steele? Karen Steele was born to her parents Percy Davis Steele and Ruth Covey Merritt.
Her father Percy Davis was a Bostonian of English descent and had a career in Marine.
He was an assistant administrator of the Marshall Islands.
Talking about her mother Ruth, she was a Californian of French and Danish descent.
Ruth’s career path was not revealed by Karen or any family member.
Regarding her siblings, there is no information about any of them in the media. Also, Karen herself never mentioned it.
So, we can assume that she was the only child of her parents.
Net Worth of Karen Steele
How much is the estimated net worth of Karen Steele? Karen Steele was a bonafide actress and model of the ’90s.
She played several minor as well as main roles in the movies and TV series.
During the last days of her life, she spent more on charity and social services.
The majority of her income came from her acting career, modeling gigs, commercial, and ads.
As of 2024, her net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million approximately.
Now, let’s know about some of the lesser-known facts about her.
Trivia about Karen Steele
- Karen Steele was born on March 20, 1931.
- Her hometown lies in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, US.
- She was married to Dr. Maurice Boyd Ruland till her death in 1988.
- She was renowned for her role as Virginia in Marty and Eve McHuron in Star Trek.
- At the age of 56, cancer took the life of Karen Steele.
- During the last days of her life, Karen volunteered to do social works and charity instead of work in the movie and TV industry.
- Know about Jan Harrison who is also a famous actress from the ’90s.
Video
Check out the video of Karen Steele down below:
Image Credit: Instagram
Video Credit: @AlainRobert YouTube