Madeline Kahn
Biography
Madeline Kahn was an American comedian, actress and singer who began on the stage before becoming known for film comedy. Born in Boston and raised in New York City, she made her Broadway debut in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1968 and later earned Tony nominations for In the Boom Boom Room in 1974 and On the Twentieth Century in 1978. Her feature film debut came in Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up, Doc? (1972), and she received Academy Award nominations for Paper Moon (1973) and Blazing Saddles (1974). She worked often with Mel Brooks, also appearing in Young Frankenstein (1974), High Anxiety (1977), and History of the World, Part I (1981). Other films included The Cheap Detective (1978), City Heat (1984), and Clue (1985). On television, she starred in Oh Madeline and won a 1987 Daytime Emmy, and she won a Tony Award in 1993 for her role in The Sisters Rosensweig.
57years old at death
- Born Boston
- Died New York City
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Madeline Gail Wolfson (birth name)Also credited as Madeline Gail Kahn
Movie Career
- Films
- 23
- Career span
- 26 years1972 to 1998
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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A role that slipped away
Lucille Ball, the star of the 1974 film Mame, dismissed Madeline Kahn from the part of Agnes Gooch because of artistic differences. Kahn later told Charlie Rose, in a 1996 interview, that she was fired.
A role that slipped away
Kahn left or was reportedly fired from the 1978 Broadway musical On the Twentieth Century early in its run, and understudy Judy Kaye took over the role of Lily Garland.
First role
Kahn's first professional lead came in 1968, when she performed in a special concert version of the operetta Candide marking Leonard Bernstein's 50th birthday.
A change of course
As a college student, Kahn earned money by singing while she waited tables at Bavarian Manor, a Hofbrau in New York's Hudson Valley. Musical comedy numbers were also part of her shows there.
A role that slipped away
In the musical How Now, Dow Jones, Kahn's role was cut before the production made it to Broadway in 1967.
Madeline Kahn movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Mel Brooks directed four of these films, Peter Bogdanovich three. Dom DeLuise appears in seven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Dom DeLuise's page
Cloris Leachman's page
Mel Brooks's page
John Hillerman's page
Liam Dunn's page
Marty Feldman's page
All films by Peter Bogdanovich
Box office
What Madeline Kahn's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.0 billion
16 of the 23 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 23 films: 16 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 5 figure not found.
- 16Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 5Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 86% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$363M36.2% of the total
- 2$120M11.9% of the total
- 3$86M8.6% of the total
- 4$85M8.4% of the total
- 5$76M7.6% of the total
- 6$66M6.6% of the total
- 7$38M3.8% of the total
- 8$32M3.2% of the total
$136 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 14% of the total
Awards
Three awards and honors, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emmy Awards | |||
| Daytime Emmy Award | Won | ||
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1993 | Best Actress in a Play | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 1993 | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.