Sheri Moon Zombie and Karen Black in "House of 1000 Corpses."

Sheri Moon Zombie and Karen Black in “House of 1000 Corpses.”

Karen Black, who rose to fame in “Easy Rider” but became known to horror fans for her roles in “Trilogy of Terror,” “Burnt Offerings,” and “House of 1000 Corpses,” died Wednesday due to complications from cancer. She was 74 years old.

During her career, Black appeared in over 100 films, including “Nashville” and “Five Easy Pieces,” co-starring with Jack Nicholson. She displayed a knack for quirky characters, from her tripped-out prostitute in “Easy Rider,” to the demented matriarch of the murdering clan of “House of 1000 Corpses.” Director Rob Zombie posted his condolences and a photo of him, Black and his wife Sheri Moon Zombie on the set of the film on his Twitter account.

Rob Zombie ‏@RobZombie
Our friend Karen Black has died. she will be very very missed. pic.twitter.com/5K7kgCJfZa”

From Rob Zombie's Twitter

From Rob Zombie’s Twitter

She received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award for “Five Easy Pieces,” but perhaps the role Black was most known for amongst horror fans was in an anthology called “Trilogy of Terror,” where she was terrorized by a small African doll come to life. The closing shot of Black at the end, with jagged teeth, sent chills through fans, and became one of the most iconic images in horror movies.

She is survived by her fourth husband, Stephen Eckelberry, as well as a son and daughter.

SPOILER ALERT – if you haven’t seen “Trilogy of Terror,” don’t watch this ending of the film.

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