Lauren Chapin, best known for playing Kathy “Kitten” Anderson on Father Knows Best, has died at 80, according to TMZ.
The classic sitcom (1954–1960) followed the Anderson family, led by Jim (Robert Young) and Margaret (Jane Wyatt), and became one of the defining family shows of the 1950s. Chapin starred throughout its six-season run and returned for a 1977 reunion special.
She began her career with a small role in A Star Is Born and later appeared in projects including Lux Video Theatre, General Electric Theater, The Amorous Adventures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza (1976), Scout’s Honor (1980), and the 2016 drama School Bus Diaries.
Beyond acting, Chapin managed artists — including her daughter, singer Summer Healy-Chapin — worked in retail, authored two books, and helped raise over $2 million for underprivileged and abused children.