Beginning your career in a cult horror film isn’t a bad place to start, right? Harley Jane Kozak’s breakout role can be considered as the supporting role of Diane in The House on Sorority Row, a part that saw her get stabbed to death by the killer through a car sunroof. When The House on Sorority Row hit theaters in 1983, it staggered to finish in the top 12 during its opening week but has since gone on to become a slasher classic. What followed next for Harley was a string of recurring roles on television shows that took up most of her time from 1983 to 1989. These appearances include frequent spots on “Guiding Light,” “Knightwatch” and “Santa Barbara.” In 1989, she also held a small role in the iconic rom-com When Harry Met Sally.
Ms. Kozak continued with recurring television roles, as seen on “Bringing Up Jack,” “Chicago Hope,” “Harts of the West” and “You Wish,” but eventually she’d return to the genre that gave her a start in Hollywood. In 1990, Harley starred as Molly Jenkins in Arachnophobia, a creature-feature horror-comedy that became a break-out hit for Buena Vista Studios and was the #2 movie during its opening week. While she pursued out of genre projects, Harley would go on to book a string of lead roles in science fiction films including The Android Affair (1995), Magic in the Water (1995) and Dark Planet (1997).
So, where is Harley Jane Kozak now?
Her career slowed when the new millennium kicked off, but you’ll read why in a minute. She continued to act in short films, independent productions and web-series, but what readers will find most interesting is her third return to horror. Harley briefly appears as a therapist in rape-revenge sequel I Spit on Your Grave: Vengeance is Mine (2015). Now, the reason her acting career appears to be on the back-burner is because Ms. Kozak has become quite the successful writer. Since 2004, she’s written 12 original novels, some of them even lending themselves to our favorite genres. They’ve all been well received and you can find her full catalogue of novels here: https://www.harleyjanekozak.com/novels.php.
