Portrait of Madeline Kahn

Madeline Kahn

Acting

Biography

Madeline Gail Kahn (née Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian 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 starred as Madeline Wayne on the short-lived sitcom Oh Madeline (1983–84) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1987 for an 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).

Born: September 29, 1942

Place of Birth: Chelsea, Massachusetts, USA

Filmography

2022
Who Done It: The Clue Documentary

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

2020
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault

as (archive footage)

2018
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

as Self (archive footage)

2014
2013
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

as Self (archive footage)

2010
Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days

as Self (uncredited) (archive footage)

2009
2007
The Pixar Story

as Gypsy (voice) (archive footage)

2006
Legends

as Elizabeth (archive footage) (uncredited)

2006
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays

as Gorgeous Teitelbaum (segment "The Sisters Rosensweig")

2005
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd

as Pat Nixon (archive footage)

2001
Back in the Saddle

as Self (archive footage)

1999
Judy Berlin

as Alice Gold

1998
A Bug's Life

as Gypsy Moth (voice)

1996
Cosby

as Pauline Fox

1996
London Suite

as Sharon Semple

1996
1996
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein

as Elizabeth (archive footage)

1995
Nixon

as Martha Mitchell

1995
New York News

as Nan Chase

1994
Mixed Nuts

as Blanche Munchnik

1994
The World of Jim Henson

as Self (archive footage)

1992
Lucky Luke

as Esperanza

1992
Lucky Luke

as Esmeralda

1991
1990
Betsy's Wedding

as Lola Hopper

1990
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!

as Self (archive footage)

1990
Road to Avonlea

as Pigeon Plumtree

1987
Mr. President

as Lois Gullickson

1987
Sesame Street: Sing Along

as Special Appearance

1986
An American Tail

as Gussie Mausheimer (voice)

1986
Wanted: The Perfect Guy

as Ellie Coleman

1986
My Little Pony: The Movie

as Draggle (voice)

1985
Clue

as Mrs. White

1985
The Comedy Factory

as Violet Kingsley

1984
City Heat

as Caroline Howley

1983
Oh Madeline

as Madeline Wayne

1983
Yellowbeard

as Betty

1983
Group Madness

as Self / Mrs. Yellowbeard

1983
Reading Rainbow

as Self - Narrator (voice)

1982
Slapstick of Another Kind

as Eliza Swain / Lutetia Swain

1982
Scrambled Feet

as Madeline

1981
1980
First Family

as Mrs. Link

1980
Wholly Moses

as The Witch

1980
Happy Birthday, Gemini

as Bunny Weinberger

1980
Fridays

as Self

1980
Simon

as Dr. Cynthia Mallory

1979
The Muppet Movie

as El Sleezo Patron

1978
The Cheap Detective

as Mrs. Montenegro

1977
High Anxiety

as Victoria Brisbane

1976
The Muppet Show

as Self - Special Guest Star

1975
Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

1975
At Long Last Love

as Kitty O'Kelly (Kathy Krumm)

1974
Young Frankenstein

as Elizabeth

1974
Blazing Saddles

as Lili Von Shtupp

1973
Adam's Rib

as Doris

1973
Paper Moon

as Trixie Delight

1972
ABC Afterschool Special

as Ellie Coleman

1972
Harvey

as Nurse Ruth Kelly

1972
What's Up, Doc?

as Eunice Burns

1968
The Dove

as Sigfried

1968
The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Nominee

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Performer/Winner

1956
Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Nurse Ruth Kelly

1944
Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Nominee