Crazy World We Live: Catherine Coulson, The "Twin Peaks" Log Lady, Dies At Age 71

Monday, September 28, 2015

Catherine Coulson, The "Twin Peaks" Log Lady, Dies At Age 71

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Catherine Coulson, known for her role as the Log Lady in Twin Peaks, died Monday of cancer at age 71, KOBI reported.

In addition to her work in David Lynch's cult series, she was active in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for over 21 seasons. She also returned to her Log Lady roots with a cheeky turn on Psych as the Wood Woman, as well as appearing in a role on Portlandia with fellow Twin Peaks alum Kyle McLaughlin.

Coulson and her then-husband Jack Nance became friends with Lynch as he was making the 1977 film Eraserhead. Nance played the lead role, and Coulson was credited as assistant director and assistant camera. It was during the making of the movie that Lynch came up with the idea of a Log Lady, Coulson told HitFix in May.

"And then years later called me, I think it was like 12 years later, and said 'Are you ready to do the Log Girl?' And that's when I said I don't think she's really a girl anymore. So we called her the Log Lady.

And he put me in the pilot, and the rest is history."

Coulson, cradling a log, introduced viewers in 1990 to the isolated, moody town and its most infamous resident, Laura Palmer.

youtube.com

Though the series aired only for two seasons, it inspired countless pop culture references and its fan base grew from the release of VHS, DVDs, and its appearance on NetFlix. Showtime earlier this year announced it was working with Lynch on a revival of the show, featuring a number of the original cast members.

Last year, Coulson told Alternative Nation about connecting with a new generation of fans. Even 20 years after Twin Peaks aired, she said she still got stopped on the street.

"I have these little cards where I sign the autograph of the log, because that’s what I think people are really interested in, is the wood. So I gave them all little log cards, and they were very happy with that."