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John Karlen

John Karlen

Actor · Died January 22, 2020, aged 86 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

John Karlen (born John Adam Karlewicz) was an American character actor who played multiple roles (Willie Loomis, Carl Collins, William H. Loomis, Desmond Collins, Alex Jenkins, and Kendrick Young) on the ABC serial Dark Shadows, in various episodes which aired from 1966 to 1971. Karlen also played Harvey Lacey, husband of Mary Beth Lacey (played by Tyne Daly), on the CBS crime series Cagney & Lacey (1982–88).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 28, 1933
Died
January 22, 2020 (aged 86)
From
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 96 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 30% in 30 days

What are John Karlen's films like?

Across their 31 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 49th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
27%
Bonds
22%
Self
21%
Survival
14%
Power
8%
Society
8%
Ideas
2%
Justice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 30 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 20 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 4

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 7 · Charged 18 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 15 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 9 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 18 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 21 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 6 of 8 analyzed roles.

Ally
6 of 8
Threshold guardian
1 of 8
Mentor
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Warm
11
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Thrilling
6
Other
11

How their films linger

Hopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch John Karlen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 26 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Karlen's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

96 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Cagney & Lacey: True Convictions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Harvey Lacey

  • Cagney & Lacey: The View Through the Glass Ceiling(1995)

    as Harvey Lacey

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey: Together Again(1995)

    as Harvey Lacey

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey: The Return(1994)

    as Harvey Lacey

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Roseanne: An Unauthorized Biography (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Jerry Barr

  • MacShayne: Winner Takes All(1994)

    as Waldo Church

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Surf Ninjas(1993)

    as Mac

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Without Warning: Terror in the Towers(1993)

    as Jack McAllister

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Mad About You(1992)

    Show 3 episodes · as Gus Stemple

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • Calendar Girl, Cop, Killer? The Bambi Bembenek Story(1992)

    as John Garner

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Dark Wind(1991)

    as Jake West

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • In a Child's Name (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · as Joe Silvano

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin(1991)

    as Jake Morrison

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Nightmare on the 13th Floor(1990)

    as Sgt. Madden

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Snoops (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 13 episodes · as Sam Akers

  • Babycakes(1989)

    as Al

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Cover Girl and the Cop(1989)

    as Lieutenant Wingo

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Police Story: Burnout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Capt. Harrison

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Capt. Harrison

  • Date Rape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Joe Farrell

  • Daddy(1987)

    as Mike Burnette

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Downpayment on Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Albert

  • Native Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Max

  • The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer(1986)

    as Chapel

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Welcome Home, Bobby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Geffin

  • Hostage Flight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as DiSalvo

  • 227(1985)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Gimme an 'F' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Bucky Berkshire

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lt. Martin McGinn · as Patrick MacNair · as Superintendent Arthur Joyce

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Impulse(1984)

    as Bob Russell

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Finder of Lost Loves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Arthur Barwell

  • Racing with the Moon(1984)

    as Mr. Nash

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story(1982)

    as Uncle George

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Cagney & Lacey(1981)

    Show 125 episodes · as Harvey Lacey

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Boris Max · as Reverend Walker

  • Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Pennies from Heaven(1981)

    as The Detective

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • American Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    as Coach Ritter

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Long Days of Summer(1980)

    as Duane Haley

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang(1979)

    as Charlie Powers

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Trapper John, M.D. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Return of Mod Squad(1979)

    as Marty

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Express to Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Quinn

  • Supertrain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Quinn

  • Vega$ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Kaz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Sword of Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Colorado C.I. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Kessler

  • Killer's Delight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Danny

  • Lou Grant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Ken Navaretti

  • ABC Weekend Specials (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hunter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Power plant worker

  • The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Quincy, M.E. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · as Agent Brice

  • Charlie's Angels(1976)

    Show 1 episode · as Leonard Chaffey

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • A Small Town in Texas(1976)

    as Lenny

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The Kansas City Massacre(1975)

    as Sam Cowley

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Mobile One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Mickey Scanlon

  • Starsky and Hutch(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Joe Forrester (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Delancey Street: The Crisis Within (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    as Richard Copell

  • Trilogy of Terror(1975)

    as Thomas Amman

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Melvin Purvis G-MAN(1974)

    as 'Tony' Anthony Redecci

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • The Cloning of Clifford Swimmer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • The Rockford Files(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Leo

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Frank Linwood

  • The Invasion of Carol Enders(1974)

    as David Hastings

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Kojak(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Hicks · as Pinky

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Doc Elliot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Vincent Parker

  • Shirts/Skins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Herbie Bush

  • The Magician (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim Russell

  • The Picture of Dorian Gray(1973)

    as Alan Campbell

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Police Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Barnaby Jones(1973)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Alban

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Otto Roget

  • Frankenstein (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 2 episodes · as Otto Roget

  • Night of Terror(1972)

    as Manning

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • ABC Afterschool Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Farrell

  • The Streets of San Francisco (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • The Waltons(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Rev. Ezekiel L. Henshaw

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • The Sixth Sense (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed

  • Night of Dark Shadows(1971)

    as Alex Jenkins

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Daughters of Darkness(1971)

    as Stefan Chilton

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • All in the Family(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Leo

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • House of Dark Shadows(1970)

    as Willie Loomis

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Medical Center (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Frank Crane

  • Hawaii Five-O(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Harris

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Mod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Show 1 episode · as Johnny Wexford

  • Mannix(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Dark Shadows(1966)

    Show 944 episodes · as Willie Loomis

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Gallant Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Stoney Burke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Mickey

  • The Detectives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Naked City(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Chuck

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Ned

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 96 titles from 1951 to 1996; peak year 1970.

Biggest box office

Pennies from Heaven (1981)

$9.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Babycakes (1989)

Midcredits 67th

Most popular right now

Cagney & Lacey (1981)

Film career

19511996

Peak 1970 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting96 of 96: 96 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score50th

By decade

1950s3 · acting1960s7 · acting1970s46 · acting1980s26 · acting1990s14 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do John Karlen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 30 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Approval · how many liked their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Reach · how many have seen their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 30

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th19
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

23 of their 47 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed23

Most divisive · actor

Surf Ninjas (1993)

81st percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Dark Shadows (1966)

Midcredits 86th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 65/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is John Karlen's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 2 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles19–56 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 33 · mildMedian of all films: 36

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does John Karlen work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Karlen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bob Cobert shares the most, 9.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles