Challen Cates

==Personal life==
Challen Cates was born in the very scenic and beautiful Roanoke, Virginia. She grew up on a farm where she developed a passion for riding horses, wine tasting (her family has a winery), reading, and photography. “I was riding horses before I could walk.” Her father was a photographer, as well as a winemaker, which led to Challen doing print work and commercials as a child, finding yet another passion, however it took her awhile to realize that it could be more than fun, it could be her career.
This realization came after she had a large guest-starring role on the NBC TV show In the Heat of the Night, in 1991 while she was living in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I played a witness to a murder who lived in a run down trailer in rural Georgia. When I asked a friend to have a demo made for me the editor said ‘she’s good but too bad about her accent.’ Guess he thought it was real.”
Her pursuing of this career was not unwrought with trials, she found herself as the “second choice” to many of the roles she tried out for in the early years. The frustration led to her giving up acting after the birth of her first son. Her retirement was short-lived however because soon she found herself working more and more.
==Career==
In her career she has worked with several notable names such as; Betty White, Dick Van Dyke, Carol O’Conner, William Forsythe, John Slattery, Eva Longoria, Roseanne, Cybil Shepherd, Alan Rosenberg, Marie Osmond, Jane Lynch, Heather Locklear, Gloria Reuben, Robert Forster, Maureen McCormick, Jon Cryer, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jerry Springer, Rick Springfield, Barbara Hershey, Gary Sinise, Alex Rocco, Brendan Sexton III, Matthew Gray Gubler, James Brolin, and most recently on Nickelodeon's new hit show Big Time Rush... Erik Estrada and Fabio.
Along with several award-winning independent film credits, her recent film and T.V. credits include appearances in Desperate Housewives, Passions, The Dukes of Hazzard II, Footsteps, Spanky's Hustle, Bull Run, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Murder 101, Monk and Lifetime's Missing. Currently she plays the role of “Mrs. Knight,” mother to the hockey-playing, reluctant boy band member “Kendall” on Big Time Rush, one of Nickelodeon's newest breakout hit T.V. shows. The show focuses on the tale of four hockey players from Minnesota who find themselves in Hollywood, CA recording an album as a new hot boy band.
Currently, Challen lives happily in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and two young children who, along with acting, are the loves of her life.
==Filmography==
Television	Television 	Television 	Television
Year 	Show 	Role 	Episode
1995 	Cybill 	Nancy 	Death and Execs
2006 	Criminal Minds 	Dr. Jesson 	The Fisher King (1)
2006 	CSI: NY 	Stacie Avida 	Cool Hunter
2007 	Desperate Housewives 	Samantha Lang 	Dress Big
2000-2001 	Diagnosis Murder 	Abby Chadway 	Deadly Mirage (1)
2000-2001 	Diagnosis Murder 	Lily Wilson 	The Unluckiest Bachelor in L.A.
 	Getting Personal 	Margie 	Midnight Milo
1997 	High Tide 	Rachel 	Up And Away
2004 	LAX 	Amani's Lawyer 	Abduction
1995 	Maybe This Time 	Gwyneth 	Maybe This Time
2003 	MISSING 	Catherine O'Malley	Two Ep: Basic Training/M.I.A.
2005 	Monk 	Sheryl Thorn 	Mr. Monk Goes to Vegas
1995 	Partners 	Denise 	Why are the Blumenthals Living in My House?
2007 	Passions 	Dr. Jonas 	9 Episodes
2000 	Pensacola: Wings of Gold	Miss Staples 	Busted
1996 	Roseanne 	Cindy Kenner 	Morning Becomes Obnoxious
2009 	Sanctuary 	Woman 	Hero
2009-???? 	"Big Time Rush" 	Mrs. Knight 	Reg. Series
== External links ==
IMDb: Challen's Page
Personal fan Site: Fan Site
Category:Actors