| Author | Message: Madeline Kahn :-( | Posted by: StageTS
On: 12/3/1999 at 10:20:15 PM GMT
Message #: 2555
See headers | Actress Madeline Kahn Dies at 57
By LUKAS I. ALPERT
.c The Associated Press
NEW YORK (Dec. 3) - Madeline Kahn, an Oscar-nominated actress-comedian best
known her daffy and lusty characters in ''Paper Moon'' and Mel Brooks farces
such as ''Blazing Saddles,'' died Friday of ovarian cancer. She was 57.
Ms. Kahn first acknowledged the illness publicly just last month, saying she
was undergoing ''aggressive treatment.'' She had been battling the disease
for the past year, said Jeff Schneider, a spokesman for the William Morris
agency.
Ms. Kahn made her film debut in ''Kiss Me Kate'' in 1965. She was nominated
for best supporting actress Academy Awards two years in a row: for her
portrayal of a floozy named Trixie Delight in the 1973 film ''Paper Moon''
and for her role as a saloon singer in ''Blazing Saddles,'' in 1974.
She won a Tony Award for best actress in 1993 with her role as ditsy Jewish
matron Gorgeous Teitelbaum in ''The Sisters Rosensweig.''
She was nominated for Tonys three other times: for ''In the Boom Boom Room''
in 1973; ''On the 20th Century'' in 1978; and ''Born Yesterday'' in 1989.
In addition to ''Blazing Saddles,'' Ms. Kahn also made notable performances
in Brooks' ''Young Frankenstein,'' ''High Anxiety'' and ''History of the
World: Part 1.''
She had most recently taken on the part of Pauline, a neighbor on the TV show
''Cosby.''
''Madeline was a performer of brilliance and a loyal and trusted friend to
everyone she encountered,'' said her husband, John Hansbury.
Ms. Kahn was born in Boston, and graduated from Hofstra University on Long
Island on a drama scholarship. She was also trained as an opera singer.
In ''Blazing Saddles,'' Ms. Kahn used her classically trained voice in her
amusing portrayal of a singer in the Wild West who helps Gene Wilder foil
Brooks' evil plan to do in the new sheriff in town.
''She is one of the most talented people that ever lived,'' Brooks once said.
''I mean, either in stand-up comedy, or acting, or whatever you want, you
can't beat Madeline Kahn.''
In announcing her battle with ovarian cancer, Ms. Kahn said she wanted her to
inform others about the illness.
''It is my hope that I might raise awareness of this awful disease,'' she
said, ''and hasten the day that an effective test can be discovered to give
women a fighting chance to catch this cancer in its earliest stage.''
AP-NY-12-03-99 2011EDT
Copyright 1999 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news
report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed
without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active
hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
| | Author | Message: Re: Madeline Kahn :-( | Posted by: RocketsTail
On: 12/4/1999 at 10:14:50 AM GMT
Message #: 2556
See headers | I just can't believe this! What a tragedy...thank you for informing us about
this, what a loss to the entertainment world, she was great. -eric
"This sense of humour of mine
It isn't funny at all
Oh but we sit up all night
Talking about it"
~Kate Bush
|
See other archives
|
