Kathleen Quinlan was born in Pasadena, California, the only child of Josephine (Zachry), a military supply supervisor, and Robert Quinlan, a television sports director. She grew up in Mill Valley, Ca, and got her break in acting when George Lucas came to her high school to cast for his movie American Graffiti (1973). She followed up her one-line role four years later with Lifeguard (1976), and then several roles in the late 1970s and 1980s. Her breakthrough performance came in 1977, as Deborah in Jamais je ne t'ai promis un jardin de roses (1977). She was nominated for an Academy Award in 1995 for Apollo 13 (1995). She starred in the TV series Associées pour la loi (1999), but her contract stipulated that she cannot work later than 6 pm, so she can be home with her husband, She currently works in Film and Television (2015). Bruce Abbott, son Tyler Abbott (b. October 17, 1990), and stepson Dalton Abbott (b. October 4, 1989).
