Biography

Karen Kristal was born on August 18, 1925 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She was married to Hilly Kristal. She died on May 20, 2014 in New York, New York, USA.

Was the legal owner of CBGB's in NYC throughout the club's entire existence (since 1973), her name was on the liquor license, and she designed the club's iconic logo. She apparently signed the business over to her ex-husband in 2005 though she has no recollection of signing the documents.

She wasn't named in the will of ex-husband Hilly Kristal. He left her nothing. Their son was left $100,000 in a trust. Their daughter was named co-executor of the will and left all of Hilly's tangible property including over $3 million.

Son is Mark Dana Kristal and daughter is Lisa Kristal Burgman.

Her real name was Sara Rebecca but she began going by "Karen" after she married Hilly Kristal because she thought the name would help her acting career. She continued to go by "Karen Kristal" even after their divorce in the late 1960s, to have the same last name as her children.