Madeline Kahn
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Madeline Gail Kahn (born Madeline Gail Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedienne, voice actress, and singer, known for comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks; including What's Up, Doc? (1972), Young Frankenstein (1974), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World, Part I (1981), and her Academy Award nominated roles in Paper Moon (1973) and Blazing Saddles (1974).
Kahn made her Broadway debut in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1968, and received Tony Award nominations for the play In the Boom Boom Room in 1974 and for the original production of the musical On the Twentieth Century in 1978. She went on to star as Madeline Wayne on the short-lived ABC sitcom Oh Madeline (1983–84) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1987 for ABC Afterschool Special. She received a third Tony Award nomination for the revival of the play Born Yesterday in 1989, before winning the 1993 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the comedy The Sisters Rosensweig. Her other film appearances included The Cheap Detective (1978), City Heat (1984), Clue (1985) and Nixon (1995).
Filmography
Movie | Year | Roles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
De Düva (The Dove) | 1968 | Sigrid | Short film |
What's Up, Doc? | 1972 | Eunice Burns | |
Paper Moon | 1973 | Trixie Delight | |
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler | 1973 | Schoolteacher | |
Blazing Saddles | 1974 | Lili Von Shtupp | |
Young Frankenstein | 1974 | Elizabeth | |
At Long Last Love | 1975 | Kitty O'Kelly | |
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother | 1975 | Jenny Hill | |
Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood | 1976 | Estie Del Ruth | |
High Anxiety | 1977 | Victoria Brisbane | |
The Cheap Detective | 1978 | Mrs. Montenegro | |
The Muppet Movie | 1979 | El Sleezo Patron | |
Simon | 1980 | Dr. Cynthia Mallory | |
Happy Birthday, Gemini | 1980 | Bunny Weinberger | |
Wholly Moses! | 1980 | The Witch | |
First Family | 1980 | Mrs. Constance Link | |
History of the World, Part I | 1981 | Empress Nympho | |
Slapstick of Another Kind | 1982 | Eliza Swain / Lutetia Swain | |
Yellowbeard | 1983 | Betty | |
Scrambled Feet | 1983 | ||
City Heat | 1984 | Caroline Howley | |
Clue | 1985 | Mrs. White | |
My Little Pony: The Movie | 1986 | Draggle | Voice |
An American Tail | 1986 | Gussie Mausheimer | Voice |
Betsy's Wedding | 1990 | Lola Hopper | |
Mixed Nuts | 1994 | Mrs. Munchnik | |
Nixon | 1995 | Martha Mitchell | |
A Bug's Life | 1998 | Gypsy | Voice |
Judy Berlin | 1999 | Alice Gold |