Rosanne Katon

About Rosanne Katon

Rosanne Katon (born February 5, 1954) is an American nude model, actress, comedian and activist. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its September 1978 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Mario Casilli.

Katon was born in New York City to a Jamaica-born father. She had several acting credits before appearing in Playboy (including a Broadway lead role in Godspell, and a featured role in the parody of women in prison movies, Women Behind Bars and leading roles in two Cirio Santiago action films released in 1976, Ebony, Ivory & Jade (in which she received top billing) and The Muthers (playing opposite former Playboy centerfold, Jean Bell). In 1984 she married Richard Walden, The Waldens have two children, including a son who is autistic and an expert cellist. The family is featured in the 2007 documentary Autism: The Musical which won the 2007 Emmy for Best TV Documentary Special (HBO).

Beginning in the mid-1970s, Katon worked steadily in Hollywood, including a stint on Grady, the short-lived spin-off of the hit sit-com, Sanford and Son. However, the shapely actress was often typecast in sex kitten roles in R-Rated comedies such as Chesty Anderson, U.S. Navy (1976), Lunch Wagon (1981) and Bachelor Party (1984). This was solidified by her appearance as the September 1978 Playboy centerfold. Notable exceptions to this rule were a recurring role opposite Denzel Washington]on the medical drama St. Elsewhere and her appearance in two award-winning UCLA student films, Julie Dash's "Illusions" (1982) (in which she played a singer who doubles for a white actress in 1940s Hollywood) and S. Torriano Berry's "Rich" (playing the supportive girlfriend of the title character).

At one point, Katon segued into the world of stand-up comedy, even appearing in Playboy's June 1991 pictorial "Funny Girls," which covered female comedians.

In 1984, Katon married Richard M. Walden, who is the president and chief executive officer of Operation USA, an international organization that supplies relief to Third World areas in need such as Rwanda, Cambodia and, more recently, tsunami-ravaged Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Indonesia; and to Hurricane Katrina-areas of Louisiana and Mississippi. Rosanne is an active participant with Operation USA serving on its Advisory Board. The relief group is based in California.

Performances
Playboy Playmate: September 1978