Actress Kate McNeil

Kate McNeil in Kane & Abel

In 1985, only having done a soap opera, a low-budget comedy and a horror film, Kate McNeil was cast in a featured role in the television miniseries Kane & Abel. Based on a novel by Jeffrey Archer, the miniseries deals with the intertwining stories of two men: Abel Rosnovski (played by Peter Strauss) and William Lowell Kane (played by Sam Neill).Kate McNeil portrays Florentyna Rosnovski, the daughter of Peter Strauss's character.

Kate McNeil's character in Kane & Abel shows up near the end of the second segment of the three part miniseries. She is then featured heavily throughout the final section. Though the miniseries begins in 1901, Florentyna Rosnovski does not appear until the 1950s and she continues on through the 1960s. Her plotline concerns her falling in love with the son of her father's rival, something that her father cannot accept.

All in all, Kane & Abel offered Kate McNeil some very good exposure and I'm sure it helped to raise her profile. The following year she co-starred in a TV movie called Vital Signs and took part in another popular miniseries, North & South Book II.

Here are some images of Kate McNeil in Kane & Abel:

Kate McNeil in Beach House

In 1982, Kate McNeil appeared in her first feature film, a low-budget teen comedy called Beach House. The movie was about two groups of teenagers from different backgrounds, one from New York City and the other from Philadelphia, who must share the same the beach house due to a mix-up.

Let me begin by saying that I watched the movie and enjoyed it. I thought it was fun and not to be taken too seriously as some people that have reviewed the film have certainly done. Yes, the film has no budget and is admittedly a bit of a mess. However, Beach House has a good vibe, lots of humor and some fun characters. Plus, Kate McNeil in a two-piece swimsuit! She looks great in the film and somehow winds up right in the middle of the bizarre climax of the movie.

The following year, The House on Sorority Row was released and offered Kate McNeil the chance to take the starring role in a feature film. Beach House, however, remains a great little movie and a delightful start to Kate McNeil's film career.

Here are some pics of Kate McNeil in Beach House:

Kate McNeil on Diagnosis Murder

In 1996, Kate McNeil made a guest appearance on an episode of Diagnosis Murder, a murder mystery show which starred real-life father and son Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke. In the episode titled 'Murder Murder' Kate McNeil plays a dual role of twins Jennifer and Joan. Jennifer is married to a wealthy man named Bill Stratton (played by the legendary Robert Vaughn), but he is quickly murdered in the episode's introductory sequence. While Dick Van Dyke and his cohorts are investigating Bill Stratton's death, they discover that Jennifer Stratton has a twin named Joan. When Jennifer turns up dead due to an apparent suicide, Dick Van Dyke and company must race to find the truth.

Here are some pics of Kate McNeil on Diagnosis Murder:

Kate McNeil on Bodies of Evidence

Kate McNeil on Bodies of Evidence with Craig Bierko and Ken Foree

In 1992 and 1993, Kate McNeil played Nora Houghton on the CBS detective drama Bodies of Evidence. Check out the Bodies of Evidence page and stay tuned for more updates and forthcoming episode guide!

Kate McNeil in A Walton Easter

In 1997, Kate McNeil co-starred in A Walton Easter, the final of three 1990s Waltons reunion movies, preceded by A Walton Wedding in 1995 and A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion in 1993. The first TV movie saw Kate McNeil's character Janet Gilchrist getting engaged to John-Boy Walton (played by Richard Thomas) and the second movie was all about their wedding. In A Walton Easter, Janet and John-Boy are about to have their first child and experience some marital difficulties when John-Boy decides he wants to move back to rural Virginia from New York City.

Here's a positive review of A Walton Easter from The Tuscaloosa News: