Karen Kadler was born Karen Stefanik on November 17, 1934 in Bellevue, Alberta, Canada. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Stefanik, Kadler was of Russian descent and grew up in Vancouver. After deciding to pursue a dramatic career at age eleven, Karen displayed her versatility by playing everything from romantic roles to half a horse in a stage production of "Through the Looking Glass" at the Victoria York Theatre. Kadler attended the University of British Columbia, where she took a theater course. During this time Karen worked at a cannery, in a plywood factory, and for a wire rope company in order to pay for her tuition. Moreover, Kadler not only broadcast regularly on "Vancouver Theatre" and CBC school and sports programs, but also was active in both the Everyman Repertory Group and Vancouver's Totem Theatre. Her last Canadian stage appearance was in a production of "Ghost Train" at the Victoria York Theatre. Karen went on to act in a handful of films and TV shows in America. Kadler died at age 54 on November 15, 1984 in Los Angeles, California; she was survived by a daughter.