Karen Wolek/Kathryn Breech, October 1977

Daily News: New York, New York

Sunday, October 2, 1977

"Soap Opera Notes"

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/482636872/

Karen Wolek stumbled into the town of Llanview on "One Life to Live" a little more than a year ago. She had led a knock-about, run-around life that involved her in a run-in with the police and her then drug-dealing boyfriend, Marco Dane. Reunited with her "good" sister, the nun-like Jenny, Karen resolved to mend her ways by setting her hooks into her second cousin Dr. Larry Wolek.

She had visions of goading him into setting up a prestigious private practice that would provide the financial luxuries to which she wanted to become accustomed. Although Marco came back into Karen's life, she was able to give him the brushoff and strut down the wedding aisle to become Mrs. Karen Wolek Wolek.

Married life has not been a bed of roses for Karen, however. She's bored, and household duties are not her forte. To while away the daytime hours, she dreams up ways to taunt and tease the milkman, butcher, baker, bartender and most of all husky Gus, the plumber.

She calls Gus at the drop of a hairpin in the kitchen sink then distracts him from his work by parading around in a bikini.

ClickGus The Plumber

One of these days Karen is going to go too far and get her comeuppance for being a naughty tease.

Actress Kathryn Breech revels in playing the sultry, manipulating wench Karen. She's grateful that the role offers her an escape from the Alice in Wonderland goodie goodie types she usually found herself playing. Karen's capers also provide a fantasy alternative to Kathy's own life.

She was born 23 years ago into a wealthy, socially prominent family in Bloomfield Hills, an exclusive Michigan suburb. She inherited the characteristic Breech independence and determination that moved her paternal grandfather from a job as a Missouri blackmith's apprentice into the stellar spot of Chairman of the Board of Ford Motor Company. The folks wanted her to go to law school but in the family tradition she too struck out on her own. She became interested in acting while attending a posh New England prep school where she was an honor student. During her college days at the Santa Cruz division of the University of California, she met and was romanced by a fellow student who directed her in several school productions. Coincidentally, that young man happened to be Gerald Anthony, who plays Karen's nemesis, Marco Dane on "One Life to Live". The couple are still an on-again off-again item in real life!