Madeline Kahn

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9.7 Superb
14 votes

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Biography

Recent Role:
on Lucky Luke
Gender:
 
Born:
9-29-1942
Died:
12-3-1999 (Ovarian Cancer)
Birthplace:
Boston, Massachusettes
Birth Name:
Madeline Gail Wolfson
Hofstra graduate Madeline Kahn was trained for an operatic career, but found her most gainful employment in musical comedy and revue work. While reducing audiences to tears of laughter as a member of New York's Upstairs at the Downstairs satirical troupe, Kahn made her first appearance in the short-subject Bergman lampoon, The Dove (1968). She was "officially" discovered for films by director Peter Bogdanovich, who cast her as Ryan O'Neal's frowsy fiancee in What's Up, Doc? (1972). Kahn was nominated for Academy Awards for her portrayals of Southern doxy Trixie Delight in… More Bogdanovich's Paper Moon (1973) and Dietrich-like chanteuse Lilly Von Schtupp ("Oh, it's twue, it's twue, it's twue!") in Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles (1974). Madeline went on to co-star in Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974) and High Anxiety (1975), and made a return trip to the Bogdanovich fold in the disastrous At Long Last Love (1976). Her manic comedy style could be appealing, but, to paraphrase the late film encyclopedist Leslie Haliwell, it became a quickly overplayed hand. On Broadway, Kahn co-starred with Danny Kaye in Two by Two and was starred in the musical version of Twentieth Century, a grueling experience that all but destroyed her singing voice. Madeline won a Tony award for her non-musical performance in Wendy Wasserstein's The Sisters Rosenzweig in 1992. Kahn's TV projects include the 1983 sitcom Oh, Madeline (based on the British series, Pig in the Middle), a single season as George C. Scott's virago sister-in-law in Mister President (1987), and Cosby, the most recent project of comedian Bill Cosby, a sitcom that premiered in 1996. In 1995, Madeline Kahn was superbly cast as Martha Mitchell in Oliver Stone's Nixon and as a vituperative gossip columnist on the TV series New York News.

Temporay biography summary authored by Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    A lovely person. hide show

    I first saw her in her tv show "Oh Madeline" and thought she was really funny. Recently, I saw her in "Mixed Nuts" and she was good in that too. Something about her sing-songy voice and her deadpan humor was very appealing. She was a wonderful treat for this world.

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    kal_el_01 Added Jun 30, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    9.6 Superb
    Will be missed hide show

    The first time I saw her was in the Clue movie, and she immediately became one of my favorite actresses. The last time I saw her was on the Cosby Show and when she voiced Gypsy in A Bug's Life. I was really really sad when she died. Why do my favorite people keep dying?! WHY?!

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    BTRAV Added Feb 6, 2006 All my reviews
 

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