Why Karen Sue Trent (Penny Woods) Quit Acting - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

CosmicCharlie · 07-29-2023, 06:29 PM

She did 14 episodes in Leave It To Beaver
In her very last role, she played a young girl sinking in quicksand on The Rifleman, which ultimately soured her desire to keep performing because of injuries she sustained. (15 years old +-)

As the Pictures show being dragged out of the quick sand by her breast may have been the injury +-

side note:
Garden of Eden / 1954 / 6 years old
The only child actress to ever have a major role in a naturist film.
War widow and pre-teen daughter leave home of tyrannical father-in-law in Florida, get lost on a detour, and find shelter at a nudist colony.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0872155/

stevea · 07-29-2023, 07:43 PM

There are some really odd things about the first photo, which seems to be doctored in some way. Maybe whatever is going on is the reason for Jerry Mathers' odd expression.

In the next three photos Karen Sue is with actor Johnny Crawford.

YeahIGuess · 07-20-2024, 11:54 AM

The online obit for Karen Sue Trent is NOT for this actor. It is for a woman born Karen Sue Alkire who married Richard Trent in 1970. Unfortunately, IMDb and other sites (including this one) echo this. She may in fact be gone, but this obituary isn't for her. Anyone who died in the last 30 years or so probably has an online obituary, though.

TJ · 07-20-2024, 01:28 PM

I removed her from our 2022 In Memoriam post. It didn't really make much sense for the online obituary to not mention any of her acting credits. I could maybe see it if she didn't have good memories from her time in Hollywood. Her last credit was an episode of The Rifleman in 1963.

stevea · 07-20-2024, 02:59 PM

This sounds like the Ray Fulmer (from Hazel's last season) story, where Wikipedia and IMDb have him supposedly dead, but he's also allegedly still alive and lives on in obscurity. Another person by that name died.

Karen Sue Trent has no Wikipedia article, but IMDb has her as departed.

1960'sTVfan · 07-20-2024, 07:07 PM

The on line obit for Karen Sue Trent mentions nothing about having an acting career. And the photo in the obit doesn't much resemble her although people's looks can change over the years. Born in 1948 so the age sounds about right, that would have made her about age 13-14 when she appeared in those Leave It To Beaver episodes.

Ray Fulmer is said to have passed away in 2013 at age 79.

YeahIGuess · 07-30-2024, 01:17 AM

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38684541495...3Avlp_homepage

Apparently, Karen Sue Trent was in a New York production of the play 'Six Characters in Search of an Author,' as listed in the Internet Off-Broadway Database. It ran for 57 performances from December, 1955 to February, 1956. I've never seen the play, so I don't know how demanding the part is. She looks about 8 in the picture, which would be correct for the showings.

Poolpro · 09-04-2024, 04:46 PM

You said that the injury may have occurred when she was being pulled from the quicksand and the rope was under her breasts. I just watched the episode and the rope was tied around Chuck Connors' waist. He pulled Mark and Lorrie from the quicksand with his hands so that shouldn't be how the injury occurred. I did read that she was injured in this scene causing her to quit acting but it's unknown as to what the injury was.

Topcatto · 02-11-2026, 11:42 AM

Is this the same Karen Sue Trent? The photos left and center are from the 1962 & 1963 yearbooks of John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA, and the one on the right is from a 1964 Burbank High School yearbook (different school/same town). The photos were found on Ancestry - all under the name "Karen Trent".

MichaelMartinD · 02-11-2026, 06:38 PM

Sure looks like the same girl to me.

Topcatto · 02-11-2026, 08:25 PM

On Ancestry, I found records to the 1980s but nothing after that. I did not find any government record of death or obituary. So, she still may be living though she would be around 77 or 78 years old.

Topcatto · 02-13-2026, 10:32 AM

Why was the Penny character discontinued/phased out? There were 8 or 9 episodes in season 4 (1960-61) and then only 2 in season 5 (1961-62). The last two aired in January 1962.

stevea · 02-13-2026, 11:23 AM

Didn't she decide to leave acting after the accident on The Rifleman?

Topcatto · 02-13-2026, 11:39 AM

That show of the Rifleman aired in April of 1963 - over a year later.

Topcatto · 02-13-2026, 09:45 PM

Recently I've been reading about this mystery at several social media sites - "Whatever happened to Karen Sue Trent" - and it piqued my curiosity. For the last few days, I've been using my internet "sleuthing" skills trying to find her - if indeed she was still alive. And unless I've made a blunder or run into some unfortunate coincidence, she is alive, age 78 and living in Florida.

07-29-2023, 06:29 PM	#1
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,416	Why Karen Sue Trent (Penny Woods) Quit Acting She did 14 episodes in Leave It To Beaver In her very last role, she played a young girl sinking in quicksand on The Rifleman, which ultimately soured her desire to keep performing because of injuries she sustained. (15 years old +-) As the Pictures show being dragged out of the quick sand by her breast may have been the injury +- side note: Garden of Eden / 1954 / 6 years old The only child actress to ever have a major role in a naturist film. War widow and pre-teen daughter leave home of tyrannical father-in-law in Florida, get lost on a detour, and find shelter at a nudist colony. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0872155/ Attached Images

07-30-2024, 01:17 AM	#7
YeahIGuess Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jun 29, 2024 Posts: 4	Karen Sue Trent, Off-Broadway Star https://www.ebay.com/itm/38684541495...3Avlp_homepage Apparently, Karen Sue Trent was in a New York production of the play 'Six Characters in Search of an Author,' as listed in the Internet Off-Broadway Database. It ran for 57 performances from December, 1955 to February, 1956. I've never seen the play, so I don't know how demanding the part is. She looks about 8 in the picture, which would be correct for the showings.

09-04-2024, 04:46 PM	#8
Poolpro Member First Time Poster Join Date: Sep 04, 2024 Posts: 1	She wasn't injured where you think. You said that the injury may have occurred when she was being pulled from the quicksand and the rope was under her breasts. I just watched the episode and the rope was tied around Chuck Connors' waist. He pulled Mark and Lorrie from the quicksand with his hands so that shouldn't be how the injury occurred. I did read that she was injured in this scene causing her to quit acting but it's unknown as to what the injury was.

02-11-2026, 11:42 AM	#9
Topcatto Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2026 Location: USA Posts: 9	Is this the same Karen Sue Trent? The photos left and center are from the 1962 & 1963 yearbooks of John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA, and the one on the right is from a 1964 Burbank High School yearbook (different school/same town). The photos were found on Ancestry - all under the name "Karen Trent". Attached Images

07-29-2023, 07:43 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,168	There are some really odd things about the first photo, which seems to be doctored in some way. Maybe whatever is going on is the reason for Jerry Mathers' odd expression. In the next three photos Karen Sue is with actor Johnny Crawford.

07-20-2024, 11:54 AM	#3
YeahIGuess Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jun 29, 2024 Posts: 4	The online obit for Karen Sue Trent is NOT for this actor. It is for a woman born Karen Sue Alkire who married Richard Trent in 1970. Unfortunately, IMDb and other sites (including this one) echo this. She may in fact be gone, but this obituary isn't for her. Anyone who died in the last 30 years or so probably has an online obituary, though.

07-20-2024, 01:28 PM	#4
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,648	I removed her from our 2022 In Memoriam post. It didn't really make much sense for the online obituary to not mention any of her acting credits. I could maybe see it if she didn't have good memories from her time in Hollywood. Her last credit was an episode of The Rifleman in 1963.

07-20-2024, 02:59 PM	#5
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,168	This sounds like the Ray Fulmer (from Hazel's last season) story, where Wikipedia and IMDb have him supposedly dead, but he's also allegedly still alive and lives on in obscurity. Another person by that name died. Karen Sue Trent has no Wikipedia article, but IMDb has her as departed.

07-20-2024, 07:07 PM	#6
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,045	The on line obit for Karen Sue Trent mentions nothing about having an acting career. And the photo in the obit doesn't much resemble her although people's looks can change over the years. Born in 1948 so the age sounds about right, that would have made her about age 13-14 when she appeared in those Leave It To Beaver episodes. Ray Fulmer is said to have passed away in 2013 at age 79.

02-11-2026, 06:38 PM	#10
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 573	Sure looks like the same girl to me.

02-11-2026, 08:25 PM	#11
Topcatto Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2026 Location: USA Posts: 9	On Ancestry, I found records to the 1980s but nothing after that. I did not find any government record of death or obituary. So, she still may be living though she would be around 77 or 78 years old.

02-13-2026, 10:32 AM	#12
Topcatto Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2026 Location: USA Posts: 9	Why was the Penny character discontinued/phased out? There were 8 or 9 episodes in season 4 (1960-61) and then only 2 in season 5 (1961-62). The last two aired in January 1962.

02-13-2026, 11:23 AM	#13
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,168	Didn't she decide to leave acting after the accident on The Rifleman?

02-13-2026, 11:39 AM	#14
Topcatto Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2026 Location: USA Posts: 9	That show of the Rifleman aired in April of 1963 - over a year later.

02-13-2026, 09:45 PM	#15
Topcatto Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 11, 2026 Location: USA Posts: 9	Recently I've been reading about this mystery at several social media sites - "Whatever happened to Karen Sue Trent" - and it piqued my curiosity. For the last few days, I've been using my internet "sleuthing" skills trying to find her - if indeed she was still alive. And unless I've made a blunder or run into some unfortunate coincidence, she is alive, age 78 and living in Florida.