Table of Contents
Karen Kline (Linda Hunt's Wife)
Karen Kline is a retired licensed psychotherapist from Davis County, Utah, who spent her working life helping people through some of their hardest moments — quietly, consistently, and entirely without the desire for recognition.
Long before her name appeared in celebrity searches, she was building a career on her own terms, in a field that demands empathy, patience, and genuine human connection. She is not an actress. She has never walked a red carpet. But she is married to one of Hollywood’s most respected and distinctive performers, Oscar-winning actress Linda Hunt, and that connection has made the world curious about who Karen Kline really is.
The two women have been together since 1978. They began sharing a home in 1987 and officially married in September 2008 in West Hollywood, California — during the brief window when same-sex marriage was legal in the state. That is more than four decades of partnership, built long before any public ever took notice.
When Karen appeared on CBS Sunday Morning alongside Linda, she was asked what first drew her to her future wife. Her answer said everything about who she is. She did not mention Linda’s talent. She did not mention the Oscar. She said she was struck by Linda’s corduroys. That detail has stayed with people who know the story. It is small, honest, and entirely unimpressed by fame. It is also a perfect introduction to Karen Kline.
This article covers everything that is publicly known about her life — her reported birth on April 26, 1944, her upbringing in Utah, her path to becoming a licensed psychotherapist, her retirement, and the private but lasting life she has built with Linda Hunt in their renovated 1919 Craftsman bungalow in Hollywood, California.
It also addresses the questions readers search for most, including her age, height, net worth, and her relationship with one of the most iconic figures in American television. No verified report of Karen Kline’s death exists — searches suggesting otherwise appear to stem from curiosity about the couple’s current status, not from any confirmed event.
| Full Name | Karen Kline |
| Date of Birth | April 26, 1944 (reported; not confirmed by primary source) |
| Place of Birth | Davis County, Utah, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus (based on reported birth date) |
| Profession | Retired Licensed Psychotherapist |
| Education | Davis High School, Davis County, Utah (reported, graduated 1962); college/university not publicly confirmed |
| Height | Not publicly confirmed; visibly taller than Linda Hunt (4 ft 9 in) |
| Spouse | Linda Hunt (married September 2008, West Hollywood, California) |
| Relationship Start | 1978 (began living together in 1987) |
| Children | None |
| Pets | Three dogs (shared with Linda Hunt) |
| Father | Orville Ronald (reported; unconfirmed) |
| Mother | Viva Honor Rominger Billhymer (reported; unconfirmed) |
| Siblings | Not publicly available |
| Residence | Hollywood, California, United States |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$3 million (estimated; not officially confirmed) |
| Social Media | None — no verified accounts on any platform |
Who is Karen Kline?
Karen Kline is a retired American licensed psychotherapist best known as the wife of Academy Award-winning actress Linda Hunt. Born on April 26, 1944, in Davis County, Utah, she built her career helping people through mental health and emotional challenges before retiring. She and Linda Hunt have been together since 1978 and officially married in September 2008 in West Hollywood, California.
Early Life and Childhood
Where Was Karen Kline Born and Raised?
Karen Kline was reportedly born on April 26, 1944, in Davis County, Utah — a detail that appears consistently across multiple biography sources, though no primary document has confirmed it. It is worth noting that clearly, so readers understand the difference between reported and verified.
Davis County in the 1940s and 1950s was a world away from Hollywood. It was a close-knit, working-class community in northern Utah — the kind of place where neighbors knew each other by name, where life moved at a steady pace, and where ambition meant building something real, not becoming famous. There were no cameras, no red carpets, and no culture of celebrity. Just ordinary, grounded life.
That environment mattered. Growing up in a community like that leaves a mark. The values formed in those early years — privacy, hard work, meaningful contribution — are the same values that define Karen’s adult life decades later. The connection between where she came from and who she became is not a coincidence.
Karen Kline's Parents and Family Background
Her father is reported to be Orville Ronald and her mother Viva Honor Rominger Billhymer. Both names appear across several biography sources, but like her birth date, neither has been confirmed by any primary document or official record. They are included here as reported details, not established facts.
What is clear is that the family lived a modest, grounded life in Utah — far removed from anything resembling celebrity culture. Karen has never spoken about her parents in any public interview or setting. No photographs, no mentions, no family stories shared with the press. That silence is consistent with how she has handled every other aspect of her personal life.
As for siblings — no information has ever been made public. Karen has never confirmed or denied having brothers or sisters. No names, no details, and no public record connects her to any sibling. That part of her story remains entirely private, and it likely always will.
Growing Up Away from the Spotlight
Some people grow up dreaming of fame. Karen Kline was clearly not one of them. Everything known about her early life points to a girl who was shaped by quietness — by a community that valued work over attention, and people over performance.
That pattern never changed. The same woman who grew up in a modest Utah town, far from any entertainment industry, would later build a career as a licensed psychotherapist — a profession defined by listening, not talking. And when her wife Linda Hunt became a household name through television, Karen did not follow her into the spotlight. She stepped back, as she always had.
This is not someone who discovered privacy after brushing against fame. This is someone who never wanted the spotlight in the first place. The roots of that choice go all the way back to Davis County in the 1940s — and they have held firm ever since.
Education
Karen Kline's School Years
According to one biography source, Karen attended Davis High School in Davis County, Utah, and reportedly graduated in 1962. It is important to be transparent here — this detail comes from a single source and has not been independently confirmed by any official record or primary document. No other schooling records from her early years have ever been made public.
What that graduation year does tell us, if accurate, is something worth noting. A student finishing high school in 1962 in northern Utah was entering a world that looked very different from today. Options for women in higher education existed but were far from guaranteed. That Karen went on to build a full professional career in a demanding mental health field says something about her drive and her seriousness of purpose — even if the specific steps that got her there remain undocumented.
No photographs, yearbook mentions, or school records connected to Karen’s early education have surfaced in any public source.
Path to Becoming a Psychotherapist
After high school, Karen pursued studies in psychology or a closely related field. The specific college or university she attended has never been made public — and Karen herself has never spoken about her academic background in any interview or public setting.
What is known is the outcome. She became a licensed psychotherapist, which is not a title anyone simply acquires. The path to licensure in the United States requires, at minimum, a master’s degree in psychology, counseling, or a related discipline, followed by thousands of hours of supervised clinical work before a state license is granted. That is years of committed academic study and hands-on experience with real people facing real struggles.
The institution may be unknown. The effort behind the credential is not. Karen built expertise the slow, serious way — through training, supervision, and practice — long before she ever became known to the public for any other reason.
Professional Licensing
Karen Kline worked as a licensed psychotherapist throughout her career — a fact confirmed consistently across all available sources, including the Wikipedia article on Linda Hunt, which refers to her directly as “psychotherapist Karen Kline.” That reference matters. It is not a claim from a celebrity gossip site. It is the label attached to her name in an encyclopedic source.
A psychotherapy license in the United States requires graduate-level education, supervised clinical hours, and passage of a state licensing examination. The specific licenses, certifications, or professional memberships Karen held have never been publicly disclosed. No employer names, practice locations, or specialty areas have been confirmed either.
What can be said with confidence is this — she earned the credential legitimately, practiced the profession for many years, and has since retired. The details of that career belong to the people she helped, and those stories are not for public consumption.
Career as a Psychotherapist
A psychotherapist works with people who are going through difficult times — emotional struggles, mental health challenges, personal loss, stress, trauma, or relationship problems. The work happens in private sessions, built on trust, careful listening, and a genuine desire to help someone find their way through. It is not a glamorous profession. It is a quiet one, and it demands real human skill.
Karen Kline's Professional Life
Karen built her career as a licensed psychotherapist well before her name became connected to anyone famous. She was already an established professional when she met Linda Hunt in 1978 — which means her identity was never defined by that relationship. She had her own work, her own clients, and her own professional reputation.
No employer names, practice locations, or client specialties have ever been confirmed publicly. Karen kept her professional life entirely separate from Linda’s world of film sets and press events — no crossover, no publicity, no interviews about her work. Some sources mention that her practice may have touched areas like anxiety and addiction support, but these details have not been verified by any confirmed source and should be read with caution.
What does hold up is the broader picture. Psychotherapy is demanding work. It requires showing up fully for people who are often at their lowest points. It requires patience, emotional steadiness, and the ability to hold space for someone else’s pain without making it about yourself. Every account of Karen as a person — composed, warm, grounded, private — fits that profile exactly. The career and the character match.
Retirement
Karen Kline is retired from her psychotherapy career, though no specific year has ever been publicly confirmed. By the time she and Linda began appearing more visibly in public — around 2013 and 2014 — Karen was already being introduced and described as a retired therapist. That places her retirement sometime before that period, though the exact timing remains unknown.
Her exit from the profession was handled the same way she handled everything else in her working life. Quietly. No announcement, no farewell profile, no public statement. She simply stepped away when the time came.
The people she helped over the years are her real professional legacy — and those stories will never be told publicly, as they should not be. That kind of discretion is not a limitation. It is the entire point of the work she chose to do.
Karen Kline's Net Worth
Karen Kline’s net worth is estimated at approximately $3 million. That figure appears across several celebrity biography websites, but it has never been officially confirmed by any primary source. Karen has never disclosed her financial details publicly — not once, in any interview or public setting. So the number should be treated as an estimate, not a fact.
That said, it is not an unreasonable estimate. Licensed psychotherapy is a well-compensated profession in the United States, particularly for someone who built a full private-practice career over many years. A long, steady career in the mental health field — practiced seriously and without interruption — can absolutely produce that kind of financial outcome over time. The estimate may be close to accurate. It may not be. Without a confirmed source, no one outside Karen’s private life truly knows.
What is confirmed is that she has never used her connection to Linda Hunt to build any kind of public financial profile. Her money, like everything else about her, remains her own business.
Linda Hunt's Net Worth
Linda Hunt’s net worth is estimated at approximately $12 million, built over more than five decades of consistent work across film, television, and stage. This figure is widely cited across entertainment and biography sources, though it has not been officially confirmed either. It remains the most established and consistently referenced estimate available.
Her long-running role as Henrietta “Hetty” Lange on the CBS series NCIS: Los Angeles — which ran from 2009 to 2023 — was a significant source of income during that period. Beyond television, her career includes her Academy Award-winning performance in The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), extensive stage work, voice narration including the God of War video game series, and documentary narration work spanning many years.
The two women’s finances are presented separately here because they are separate people with separate professional histories. Their combined lifestyle tells a clearer story than any single number does.
Their Shared Lifestyle
Numbers aside, the way Karen and Linda actually live tells its own story. The couple resides in a renovated 1919 Craftsman bungalow in Hollywood, California — a historic, character-filled home that they have made entirely their own over the years.
In September 2014, they opened the home to reporters and photographers, giving one of their very few public glimpses into their private world. Journalists covering the feature described it as a “jewel-box” — warm, personal, thoughtfully designed, and full of charm without any trace of celebrity excess. The renovation is reported to have been overseen by architect Linda Brettler, though this detail comes from a single source and has not been independently confirmed.
Karen herself mentioned during press coverage of the home that they had previously bought another Craftsman-style property with a dark interior — and lasted just six months there before moving on. The current home, by contrast, clearly suited them both. It reflects exactly the kind of life they have chosen — comfortable, grounded, and entirely on their own terms.
Family
Karen Kline's Parents
Her father is reported to be Orville Ronald and her mother Viva Honor Rominger Billhymer. Both names appear across multiple biography sources and are cited consistently enough to include here — but neither has been confirmed by any primary document, official record, or statement from Karen herself.
Karen has never spoken about her parents in any public interview or setting. Not once. No stories, no mentions, no photographs shared with the press. Whatever her relationship with her family looked like growing up in Davis County, Utah, it has remained entirely her own private matter. That is consistent with every other aspect of how she handles her personal life.
The names are included here as reported details only. Readers should understand the difference between what has been widely reported and what has been officially confirmed — and in this case, only the former applies.
Siblings
No information about Karen’s siblings has ever been made public. She has never confirmed or denied having brothers or sisters. No names, no relationships, and no biographical details connecting her to any sibling appear in any verified source.
This is not an oversight or a gap in research. It is a deliberate silence — entirely consistent with how Karen has handled every personal detail throughout her adult life. Her family background, beyond the reported names of her parents, remains completely private.
Some readers search specifically for information about Karen Kline’s brother or other family members. At present, nothing verifiable exists on that front. Any source claiming to name her siblings should be read with significant caution, as no confirmed record supports those claims.
Linda Hunt's Family Background
Linda Hunt grew up in Westport, Connecticut, raised by her father Raymond Davy Hunt (1902–1985), who worked as vice president of Harper Fuel Oil, and her mother Elsie Doying Hunt (1903 – date of death not fully confirmed), who was a piano teacher. Elsie Doying Hunt was Linda Hunt’s mother, about whom little public information is available beyond these basic details.
Linda’s upbringing in Connecticut was a world away from the entertainment industry, much like Karen’s childhood in Utah. Neither woman came from a Hollywood background. Both found their way to Los Angeles through their own paths — Linda through a theatrical career that began in the early 1970s, and Karen through a professional life in mental health. That shared quality of building something real, from scratch, on their own terms, may be one of the quieter foundations of their lasting partnership.
Karen Kline and Linda Hunt — Relationship and Marriage
Karen Kline Met Linda Hunt
Karen and Linda Hunt first met in 1978 — a time when Linda was still working her way up in the theater world, years before any Oscar, and long before millions of television viewers would come to know her face. There was no fame to be attracted to. No red carpet. No household name. Just two people who found each other.
In 2013, Karen made a rare public appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, and she was asked what first caught her attention about Linda. Her answer has stayed with everyone who heard it. She did not mention Linda’s talent. She did not mention her voice, her ambition, or her extraordinary career. She said:
“I was kind of struck by Linda’s corduroys.”
That single line tells you more about their relationship than any profile ever could. It was never about celebrity. It was never about achievement or status. It was grounded, honest, and entirely real — from the very first moment.
Life Together Before Marriage
Karen and Linda began living together in 1987 — nine years after they first met, and more than two decades before they would legally marry. They did not wait for public approval. They did not wait for cultural permission. They simply built a life together, quietly and steadily, in Hollywood, California, while the world around them slowly caught up.
Through the years that followed, Linda’s career grew significantly. The NCIS: Los Angeles role brought her to a new generation of fans. The press attention grew. None of it changed how Karen and Linda lived at home.
Linda Hunt has spoken about their relationship with warmth and humor in interviews. On the subject of their age gap — Karen is six years younger — Linda once said:
“Karen’s six years younger, but I forgive her daily.”
It is the kind of joke that only comes from a relationship built on deep comfort and real affection. Light, easy, and entirely unforced.
Karen Kline and Linda Hunt's Wedding
Karen and Linda married in September 2008 in West Hollywood, California. The timing was significant. That year, California had legalized same-sex marriage, opening a brief legal window that the couple chose to step through — after more than 30 years of partnership.
It was not a headline moment. There was no grand public announcement, no celebrity coverage of the ceremony, no magazine spread. It was a quiet, meaningful formalization of a commitment that had already existed for decades. The legal certificate simply gave a name to what had always been true.
The couple has no children. That has been confirmed across multiple sources, and both women have spoken about it openly without any sense of loss or regret attached. What they do share their Hollywood home with is three dogs — a detail both have mentioned with obvious affection in the rare interviews where their private life has come up.
Their marriage remains one of the longest-standing relationships in Hollywood, built not on publicity but on something far quieter and far more durable.
Personal Life and Privacy
Karen Kline Stays Out of the Public Eye
Privacy is not something Karen stumbled into after marrying someone famous. It has been her default setting her entire adult life. She has not attended Linda Hunt’s red carpet events. She has not given press interviews about her personal life, beyond one brief appearance on CBS Sunday Morning in 2013. She has no verified presence on Instagram, X, Facebook, or any other social media platform. Any account claiming to be her should not be treated as authentic.
This was never a reaction to Linda’s fame. The pattern was already there — in the quiet Utah upbringing, in the private therapy career, in the decades of shared life that passed almost entirely without public documentation. Karen simply does not want the spotlight. She never did.
One more thing worth stating clearly — no verified report of Karen Kline’s death exists. Searches around obituaries or her current status appear to stem from general public curiosity about the couple, not from any confirmed event. At present, nothing suggests otherwise.
Their Home — The 1919 Hollywood Craftsman
The clearest window into Karen and Linda’s private world came in September 2014, when the couple opened their home to reporters and photographers. What the press found was a renovated 1919 Craftsman bungalow tucked into a historic neighborhood in Hollywood, California — a one-story home full of warmth, character, and carefully chosen detail.
Journalists covering the feature described it as a “jewel-box” — small in footprint but rich in personality, blending classic architectural elements with a lived-in, personal feel. It reflected exactly the kind of life both women have always chosen. Comfortable, thoughtful, and entirely without pretension.
Karen mentioned during that same period that they had previously purchased a different Craftsman-style property — one with a dark interior that simply did not suit them. They lasted six months before moving on. The current home stuck. It became their long-term sanctuary, and by all accounts, it remains so at present.
Television Credits
| Year | Title | Role / Type | Notable Detail |
| 1980 | Popeye | Film — small role | Film debut; directed by Robert Altman |
| 1982 | The Year of Living Dangerously | Film — Billy Kwan | Male character role; directed by Peter Weir |
| 1983 | Academy Award — Best Supporting Actress | Award | First person to win Oscar for playing opposite-sex character |
| 1984 | The Bostonians | Film | Merchant Ivory production |
| 1984 | Dune | Film | Directed by David Lynch |
| 1985 | Silverado | Film — saloon hostess | Western ensemble cast |
| 1989 | She-Devil | Film | Based on Fay Weldon novel |
| 1990 | Kindergarten Cop | Film | Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| 1994 | Prêt-à-Porter (Ready to Wear) | Film | Directed by Robert Altman |
| 1995 | Pocahontas | Animation — Grandmother Willow (voice) | Disney animated feature |
| 1997–2002 | The Practice | Television — Judge Zoey Hiller (recurring) | Legal drama series |
| 2005 | Auschwitz: The Nazis and the "Final Solution" | Documentary — narrator | Television miniseries |
| 2005–onward | God of War (video game series) | Voice narration | Ancient Greek mythology themed series |
| 2009–2023 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Television — Henrietta "Hetty" Lange | 14 seasons; CBS; two Teen Choice Awards |
| 2018 | Solo: A Star Wars Story | Film — voice role | Star Wars franchise |
FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Karen Kline
Key questions answered about Linda Hunt's wife, her career, and her private life
Who is Karen Kline?
Born on April 26, 1944, in Davis County, Utah, she built a full career in mental health before retiring. She and Linda Hunt have been together since 1978 and married in September 2008 in West Hollywood, California.
How old is Karen Kline?
This birth date is widely cited across biography sources but has not been confirmed by any primary document. She is six years younger than her wife Linda Hunt, who was born on April 2, 1945 — a fact Linda has referenced with humor in interviews.
How tall is Karen Kline?
Based on photographs, she appears noticeably taller than her wife Linda Hunt, who stands 4 feet 9 inches (145 cm) tall. No specific measurement for Karen has ever been reported or confirmed.
Is Karen Kline related to Kevin Kline?
Kevin Kline is a well-known American actor famous for films including A Fish Called Wanda. No public record, biography source, or credible reporting has ever established any family relationship between the two. The shared last name is a coincidence.
What is Karen Kline's net worth?
Her financial details have never been publicly disclosed. The estimate circulates across several celebrity biography websites and reflects a reasonable outcome from a full career as a licensed psychotherapist. It should be treated as an approximation only.
What is Linda Hunt's net worth?
Her long-running role as Hetty Lange on NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023) was a major income source. This figure is widely cited but not officially confirmed. It remains the most consistently referenced estimate across credible biography sources.
What is Linda Hunt's height?
Her height is the result of hypopituitary dwarfism, a condition she was diagnosed with as a teenager. Despite this, she built one of the most respected acting careers in Hollywood history, winning an Academy Award and starring in a major network series for 14 seasons.
What is Linda Hunt's disability?
The condition results in significantly shorter stature. Linda has spoken openly about it throughout her career. It did not prevent her from winning an Academy Award or starring in NCIS: Los Angeles for 14 seasons as the iconic Hetty Lange.
Who is the short woman on NCIS?
Linda stands 4 feet 9 inches tall and became one of the most recognizable faces on American television through that role. She is also the wife of retired psychotherapist Karen Kline, whom she married in September 2008.
When did Karen Kline and Linda Hunt get married?
Their wedding took place during the brief period when California had legalized same-sex marriage. The couple had already been together since 1978 and living together since 1987 — making their official marriage a formalization of a decades-long commitment rather than a new beginning.
Do Karen Kline and Linda Hunt have children?
This has been confirmed across multiple sources, and both women have spoken about it openly. The couple shares their Hollywood home with three dogs. Having children was never a publicly discussed part of their life together.
Is Karen Kline still alive?
Searches around her obituary or current status appear to stem from general public curiosity about the couple, not from any confirmed event. At present, nothing in any credible source suggests otherwise. Any claim about her passing should be treated with significant caution unless confirmed by a verified outlet.
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