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IMDbPro

Madeline Kahn(1942-1999)

  • Actress
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,000541
Madeline Kahn
Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:30
Mixed Nuts (1994)
18 Videos
49 Photos
Madeline Kahn was born Madeline Gail Wolfson of Russian Jewish descent on September 29, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, to Freda Goldberg (later known as Paula Kahn), who was still in her teens, and Bernard B. Wolfson, a garment manufacturer. She began her acting career in high school and went on to university where she trained as an opera singer and starred in several campus productions, ultimately earning a doctorate in her chosen field.

Kahn's best-known work came in Paper Moon (1973) with Ryan O'Neal, which was followed the next year by Mel Brooks's outrageous Blazing Saddles (1974) as Lili Von Shtupp, a cabaret singer who was obviously based on Marlene Dietrich's performance in Destry Rides Again (1939). Kahn was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in both movies. In 1998, she lent her voice to the character of "Gypsy" in A Bug's Life (1998).

On December 3, 1999, Madeline Kahn died of ovarian cancer in New York City, after a yearlong or so battle, during part of which time she was a cast member of Cosby (1996), aged 57.
BornSeptember 29, 1942
DiedDecember 3, 1999(57)
BornSeptember 29, 1942
DiedDecember 3, 1999(57)
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 5,000541
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars

Photos49

Madeline Kahn in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Madeline Kahn in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Madeline Kahn in Yellowbeard (1983)
Madeline Kahn in Paper Moon (1973)
Madeline Kahn and Tatum O'Neal in Paper Moon (1973)
Madeline Kahn, Tatum O'Neal, P.J. Johnson, and Ryan O'Neal in Paper Moon (1973)
Madeline Kahn in The George Burns Special (1976)
Madeline Kahn and Gilda Radner in First Family (1980)
Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
Madeline Kahn in Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)
Mel Brooks and Madeline Kahn in High Anxiety (1977)
Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Ron Carey, and Howard Morris in High Anxiety (1977)

Known for

Tatum O'Neal and Ryan O'Neal in Paper Moon (1973)
Paper Moon
8.1
  • Trixie Delight
  • 1973
Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, and Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein (1974)
Young Frankenstein
8.0
  • Elizabeth
  • 1974
Clue (1985)
Clue
7.2
  • Mrs. White
  • 1985
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blazing Saddles
7.7
  • Lili Von Shtüpp
  • 1974

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • Bill Cosby, Madeline Kahn, Doug E. Doug, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, and Phylicia Rashad in Cosby (1996)
    Cosby
  • Xavier Pritchett in Little Bill (1999)
    Little Bill
    • (voice)
  • Judy Berlin (1999)
    Judy Berlin
  • Denis Leary, David Foley, Hayden Panettiere, and Joe Ranft in A Bug's Life (1998)
    A Bug's Life
    • (voice)
  • A Bug's Life (1998)
    A Bug's Life
    • (voice, as Madeliene Kahn)
  • London Suite (1996)
    London Suite
  • For Love Alone: The Ivana Trump Story (1996)
    For Love Alone: The Ivana Trump Story
  • Madeline Kahn, Mary Tyler Moore, Gregory Harrison, Melina Kanakaredes, Kelli Williams, and Joe Morton in New York News (1995)
    New York News
  • Anthony Hopkins in Nixon (1995)
    Nixon
  • Mixed Nuts (1994)
    Mixed Nuts
  • Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, and Ryan Dillon in Sesame Street (1969)
    Sesame Street
  • Monkey House (1991)
    Monkey House
  • Dominic Barto, Ron Carey, Bo Greigh, and Fritz Sperberg in Lucky Luke (1992)
    Lucky Luke
  • For Richer, for Poorer (1992)
    For Richer, for Poorer
  • Avonlea (1990)
    Avonlea

Soundtrack

  • Mel and His Movies (2012)
    Mel and His Movies
  • Saturday Night Live (1975)
    Saturday Night Live
    • (uncredited)
  • Great Performances (1971)
    Great Performances
  • Jim Henson and Kathryn Mullen in Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly! (1990)
    Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
    • (uncredited)
  • Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
  • Jim Henson in Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie (1988)
    Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie
  • Frank Oz and Jim Henson in Sesame Street: Sing Along (1987)
    Sesame Street: Sing Along
    • (uncredited)
  • Comic Relief (1986)
    Comic Relief
  • Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)
    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
  • Clue (1985)
    Clue
    • (uncredited)
  • All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds
  • Madeline Kahn in Oh Madeline (1983)
    Oh Madeline
  • Madeline Kahn and Jerry Lewis in Slapstick of Another Kind (1982)
    Slapstick of Another Kind
  • The Great Gonzo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Fozzie Bear in The Muppet Show (1976)
    The Muppet Show
  • The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
    The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
    • (uncredited)

Videos18

A Bug's Life
Clip 1:35
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
Clip 1:25
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
Clip 1:41
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
Clip 1:50
A Bug's Life
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:08
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 3:26
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:54
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 3:56
Trailer
High Anxiety
Trailer 2:42
High Anxiety
Betsy's Wedding
Trailer 1:23
Betsy's Wedding
Young Frankenstein
Trailer 2:39
Young Frankenstein
Mixed Nuts
Trailer 2:30
Mixed Nuts

Personal details

Edit
    • September 29, 1942
    • Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA
    • December 3, 1999
    • New York City, New York, USA(ovarian cancer)
    • John HansburyOctober 10, 1999 - December 3, 1999 (her death)
    • (Stepparent)
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared (in chorus line; her Broadway debut) in "Kiss Me Kate" on Broadway.
  • Publicity listings
    • 3 Articles
    • 1 Pictorial

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    According to Mel Brooks, she was--contrary to her screen image--quite shy and reserved in real life.
  • Quotes
    Actually, I hold a degree in speech therapy. I was going to get my doctorate but acting got in the way. Pity, I always thought I'd like to do something dignified.
    • Often appeared in Mel Brooks films

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