Kate Whitaker

Kate was born and grew up in Philadelphia. She was young when her father died. Kate was a very good tennis player, and played on the tennis circuit. When she was 18, her mom decided to move to Knots Landing when she found out her brother Greg was sick. Kate immediately took to “uncle Greg”, who was amazed at how much she looked like his deceased daughter Mary Francis. Kate won a tennis scholarship to a college she wanted to attend in the east, but her mother lied and said she didn’t get it. Steve Brewer came to Knots Landing, and Kate befriended him. She found out he was her brother, and they grew very close. Kate blamed Claudia for setting him up to be killed, and Claudia tried to kill herself. Kate was very angry with Claudia and knew it was a stunt.

Kate continued to grow close to Greg and looked to him as a father figure. She liked Paige, and wanted to see them together. Kate eventually made up with Claudia, but refused to move back in with her. One day at a barbecue, Gary was playing ball with the twins and accidently bumped into her, breaking her arm. It was the end of her tennis career. Feeling guilty, Gary gave her a job at the ranch. Claudia was upset, as she wanted Kate to work at the Sumner Group. Kate and Gary became friends. He was starting his company “Tidal Energy” and Kate fell in love with oceanographer Dr. Joseph Barringer, who was a partner in the company. Both Kate and Joseph were rather new to relationships, and a bit awkward, but eventually moved in together.

Claudia didn’t like Joseph, and wanted Greg to get him a job in Maine. Greg wanted Tidal Energy to fold, so he agreed to lure Joseph away, but instead had him offered a job in La Jolla, so Kate wouldn’t lose her boyfriend. Joseph discovered that the prototype he had made for Tidal Energy had a major design flaw in it, and he would have to start over from scratch. Kate thought he should tell Gary, as Gary had all his money invested in the company. Joseph didn’t, and Kate was disappointed that he could do such a thing. Joseph accepted the job in La Jolla, and told Gary he quit. Gary was livid, as it that would wipe him out financially. Joseph asked Kate to go with him, but she couldn’t, having seen his true colors.

Vanessa Hunt, an old friend of Kate’s showed up and asked to stay with her. Kate began to feel uncomfortable with the way Vanessa was mooching off of her and using her. Gary sold the ranch, and Kate took a job in the mail room of the radio station where Anne worked. One day Vanessa stopped by to borrow money from Kate. Vanessa sucked up to Anne, and the next think Kate new, Vanessa had gotten the job as Anne’s assistant, which Kate had wanted.

Kate and Alex Barth started a flirtation and began to date. She wasn’t aware that Alex was sleeping with both her mother and Vanessa. Kate finally slept with Alex, and decided to move in together. Kate asked Vanessa to leave, but Vanessa stalled. Then Kate found Alex and Vanessa in the shower together, and kicked them both out. Upset, she took up Claudia’s invitation to stay with her for a few days. In the meantime, Val, who had gone to Florida to investigate Greg for the biography she was writing, was kidnapped. Not knowing where she was, Gary went to Florida, and Kate took care of the twins for him. Gary came back reporting that Val had been killed in a car accident. With Val dead, Kate began to help Gary with the twins, and grew very close to him. She soon found herself in love. She wanted a relationship with Gary, but he claimed he wasn’t ready. Still, he was attracted to her, and sometimes they would start to kiss until Gary stopped it.

Gary took a job as the contractor overseeing the building of a sports arena for inner-city youth. He gave Kate a job as his assistant, and they grew closer still. Kate kept bringing up the idea of a relationship, but he kept saying it made him feel like he was cheating on Val. He kept running to her though, whenever he needed help or comfort. Kate finally got sick of the mixed-signals Gary was sending her, and decided to leave town. Realizing he was going to lose her, Gary finally admitted to Kate that he wanted her, and they started a relationship. They were only together for a few days when Val, who wasn’t dead, escaped from her kidnappers and came back to town. Gary was ecstatic, and Kate was really upset. Val told Kate that if she had been dead, Kate was who she would have wanted Gary and the twins to be with. Brokenhearted, Kate left town to start over.

Kate found herself pregnant, but decided not to tell Gary. She had a daughter, Molly, and raised her by herself. Kate somehow met Brian Cunningham, and they fell in love. Kate and Brian returned to Knots Landing to visit Greg and Abby. Both Gary and Val figured out that Molly was his daughter. Brian and Kate decided to get married. They told Abby the good news – and also that Kate was pregnant again — Abby was going to be a grandmother!!! Today Kate and Brian are very happily married and living in Knots Landing.

Parents:
Claudia and ???
Whitaker

Siblings:
Steve Brewer

Spouse:
Brian Cunningham

Significant
Relationships:
Dr. Joseph Barringer
Alex Barth
Gary Ewing

Children:
Molly Whitaker

Profession:
Tennis Player
Ranch Hand
Clerk at Radio Station
Assistant at Gary’s Contracting Company