Catherine Burns was an American actress and writer, born on September 25, 1945, in New York City. Raised in Manhattan by parents of Polish and Irish descent, she attended Hunter College High School, Hunter College, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She began her acting career with a television debut in 1967, portraying Mary Warren in Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible."

She transitioned to Broadway with the production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in 1968, earning the Clarence Derwent Award for her performance. In film, she is best remembered for her acclaimed role as Rhoda in the coming-of-age drama "Last Summer" (1969), which brought her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She also appeared in the films "Me, Natalie" (1969) and "Red Sky at Morning" (1971), though her career in theatrically released movies was brief, with most subsequent work happening on television.

Her notable television roles included being the original Cathy Craig on the soap opera "One Life to Live," as well as guest appearances on popular series such as "The Mod Squad," "The Waltons," "Adam-12," "Emergency!," and "The Bionic Woman."

In addition to acting, she penned the children’s book "The Winter Bird" in 1971 and wrote several scripts for stage and television, including work for the CBS soap opera "Guiding Light" in 1989.

She later focused more on writing and lived with her husband Kenneth Shire after their marriage in June 1989, residing first in Manhattan and then in Bellingham, Washington. She died on February 2, 2019, at age 73, due to complications from surgical treatment for an aortic stenosis.