Catherine E. Coulson

Catherine E. Coulson (October 22, 1943 – September 28, 2015) was an American stage and screen actress. She worked behind the scenes on various studio features, magazine shows, and independent films, as well as acted in theater and film since the age of 15. Coulson is best known for her role as Margaret Lanterman, the enigmatic Log Lady, in the David Lynch TV series Twin Peaks. She was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, and grew up in Southern California. Coulson earned a BA degree at Scripps College and a MFA at San Francisco State University. She met Lynch in 1971 and performed various behind the scenes functions during the filming of his low-budget classic Eraserhead (1977). Coulson also appeared in Lynch's short film The Amputee (1974).