James Karen

A beloved character actor with a career spanning iconic films and Broadway, James Karen becomes an unlikely cultural icon as the unforgettable "Mr. Pathmark," bringing warmth and wit to supermarket aisles across the East Coast.

Born

1923

Died

2018

Also:
Writer
Producer

Credits on file

Decades active

In short · Acted for seven decades — 66 credits.

Remembered for

Ranked by community engagement + sustained interest across this person's credits in our database.

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Biography

James Karen was an American character actor who worked in film, television, and Broadway. He appeared in notable films including *Poltergeist*, *The China Syndrome*, *Wall Street*, *The Return of the Living Dead*, *Invaders from Mars*, and *The Pursuit of Happyness*. In addition to his acting career, Karen was widely recognized as the signature pitchman for Pathmark, a now-defunct East Coast supermarket chain. His long-running commercials for the company from the late 1970s to the early 1990s earned him the nickname "Mr. Pathmark."

Filmography · 57 of 57

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