Karen Carpenter Height, Weight, Age, Family, Boyfriends, Facts

May 2024 · 4 minute read
Karen Carpenter Quick Info
Height5 ft 4 in
Weight45 kg
Date of BirthMarch 2, 1950
Zodiac SignPisces
Hair ColorDark Brown

Karen Carpenter was an American singer and drummer who was one-half of the vocal and instrumental duo named The Carpenters along with her older brother Richard Carpenter. She gained acclaim for her musical talent both from her contemporaries as well as the critics and was also named as one of the Rolling Stone‘s 100 greatest singers of all time. She also struggled with eating disorders which later led to an increased awareness of anorexia and body dysmorphia.

Born Name

Karen Anne Carpenter

Nick Name

K.C., Freckle Face

Age

She was born on March 2, 1950.

Died

At the age of 32, Karen Carpenter passed away on February 4, 1983, in Downey, California, United States due to “emetine cardiotoxicity due to or as a consequence of anorexia nervosa.”

Resting Place

Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park, Westlake Village, California, United States

Sun Sign

Pisces

Born Place

Grace New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States

Nationality

American

Education

Karen Carpenter studied at Downey High School from where she graduated in the spring of 1967 and received the John Philip Sousa Band Award. Later, she attended California State University, Long Beach as a music major and performed in the college choir along with her brother.

She had also taken tap dancing and ballet lessons.

Occupation

Singer, Drummer

Family

Manager

Karen Carpenter was managed by –

Genre

Pop, Easy Listening, Soft Rock, Jazz

Instruments

Vocals, Drums

Labels

A&M Records

Build

Slim

Height

5 ft 4 in or 162.5 cm

Weight

45 kg or 99 lbs

Boyfriend / Spouse

Karen Carpenter had dated –

  • Bill Hudson
  • Tony Danza
  • Mark Harmon
  • Frankie Chavez (1964)
  • Mike Curb (1973-1974)
  • Alan Osmond (1973)
  • Terry Ellis (1975)
  • John Adrian (1976-1977)
  • Steve Martin (1977)
  • Tom Bähler (1978-1979)
  • Thomas Burris (1980-1983) – On August 31, 1980, she got married to real-estate developer Thomas James Burris in the Crystal Room of The Beverly Hills Hotel. She wanted to have children but her husband had undergone a vasectomy and was against the decision to get an operation to reverse it. This affected their marriage and she finally filed for divorce on October 28, 1982. The failure of her marriage had an adverse effect on the artist and one of her friends said the marriage was “the straw that broke the camel’s back. It was absolutely the worst thing that could have ever happened to her”.

    • Race / Ethnicity

    White

    Karen Carpenter was of English, German, Irish, Dutch, Scottish, and Welsh descent.

    Hair Color

    Dark Brown

    Eye Color

    Dark Brown

    Sexual Orientation

    Straight

    Distinctive Features

    Karen Carpenter Favorite Things

    Source – Wikipedia, IMDb

    Karen Carpenter Facts

  • Her first words were “bye-bye” and “stop it”, the latter spoken in response to Richard.
  • She had won 3 Grammy Awards.
  • Karen Carpenter was a huge fan of Matt Monro, Spike Jones and His City Slickers, Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, and Ella Fitzgerald.
  • She was good friends with Petula Clark, Dorothy Hamill, Olivia Newton-John, and Dionne Warwick.
  • She enjoyed collecting Disney memorabilia.
  • Karen Carpenter has been ranked at number #29 on VH1’s “100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll” list.
  • Her funeral took place on February 8, 1983, at the United Methodist Church in Downey, California, and was attended by around one thousand mourners.

    • Featured Image by White House photo by Knudsen, Robert L. / Executive Office of the President of the United States / Public Domain

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