Chris Chase


Chris Chase, also known by the stage name Irene Kane, was an American model, film actress, writer, and journalist. Her best-known role was in Killer's Kiss. She later wrote advice books and co-authored several celebrity autobiographies. Her younger brother is Nobel Prize winner Paul Greengard.

Life and career

Born to Pearl and Benjamin Greengard in New York City in 1924, Irene Greengard was a model for Vogue. In the mid-fifties photographer Bert Stern, who had photographed her for this magazine, introduced her to film director Kubrick when he was looking for the female lead in Killer's Kiss. She took the professional name Irene Kane, and went on to appear in several Broadway productions.

Marriage

On June 3, 1962, Kane married Michael Chase, an educational television producer, and the son of playwright Mary Chase. She took her husband's surname professionally as well as legally. As Chris Chase, she moved into journalism, working at the New York Times, and writing advice books on weight loss and getting into film acting. Chase and her husband were seriously injured in a car accident near Poughkeepsie, New York in April 1975.
After a short stint at CBS Morning News, Chase joined CNN in 1980 and stayed until 1986, serving as the first anchor of Media Watch in 1985. She co-authored several celebrity autobiographies, including books by Rosalind Russell, Betty Ford, and Alan King Name Dropping. She co-authored a biography of Josephine Baker with Baker's son, Jean-Claude Baker.

Death

She died of pancreatic cancer on October 31, 2013 at her home in New York City, aged 89. She was survived by her husband, siblings, and extended family.

Acting

Films and television