Lainie Kazan (born Lainie Levine; May 15, 1940) is an American actress, singer and classical composer. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for St. Elsewhere and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for My Favorite Year. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in My Favorite Year (1982). Kazan played Maria Portokalos in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise. She also played Aunt Freida on The Nanny.
Early life Kazan was born Lainie Levine in Brooklyn, the daughter of Carole (née Kazan) and Ben Levine. She is of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewish descent, with Russian and Turkish roots. Some of her grandparents lived in Jerusalem before moving to Manchester, England, and settling in Brooklyn. Kazan has described her mother as "neurotic, fragile and artistic." Kazan attended Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School with Barbra Streisand, for whom she would later understudy. She graduated in 1956. Kazan studied theatre at HB Studio and graduated from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, in 1960. While at Hofstra, Kazan appeared in school musicals written and directed by a classmate, director Francis Ford Coppola, as well as actor James Caan.
Career Kazan made her Broadway debut in 1961 with the musical The Happiest Girl in the World. She appeared the following year in another musical, Bravo Giovanni, and understudied Barbra Streisand for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1964). When Streisand could not perform due to a throat condition, Kazan took her place in a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run. Her popularity increasing, Kazan posed nude for the October 1970 issue of Playboy, which was reused in Pocket Playboy #4, issued in 1974. Her appearance in the magazine opened the door for her to headline and operate two different Playboy Jazz Clubs. Overseen by Hugh Hefner, the clubs were named Lainie's Room West and Lainie's Room East, each on opposite coasts, with the first one located in Los Angeles and the other in Manhattan. Her Playboy photographs inspired the look of Jack Kirby’s superheroine Big Barda.
Along with appearing in numerous supper clubs across the country, Kazan guest-starred on Dean Martin's variety series 26 times. Other television work includes a recurring role as Aunt Frieda on the Fran Drescher sitcom The Nanny, the mother of Kirstie Alley's character on Veronica's Closet, and various guest roles, including one on St. Elsewhere that resulted in an Emmy nomination. Her other television work has included The Paper Chase, Columbo, Touched by an Angel, and Will & Grace.
Kazan played Maria Portokalos, the mother of Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise. Following the first film in the franchise, Kazan was featured in My Big Fat Greek Life, a short-lived series based on the film series. Other recent film work includes the mother of Adam Sandler’s character in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Although the scene was deleted in the feature film, it is included on the DVD in the special features section. Kazan appeared as singer Ava St. Clair with Kevin James in two episodes of The King of Queens.
A life member of The Actors Studio, Kazan returned to Broadway to re-create her film role for the musical adaptation of My Favorite Year, earning a Tony Award nomination for her performance. She completed a stint in The Vagina Monologues. She has appeared in regional productions of A Little Night Music, Man of La Mancha, Gypsy, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Hello, Dolly!, and Fiddler on the Roof. In 1984, she made a guest appearance on the Faerie Tale Theatre episode “Pinocchio” as Sophia the Blue Fairy.
In the Ugly Betty episode "Fire and Nice," Kazan played Dina Talercio, the mother of Bobby (Adam Rodriguez), who becomes the character's brother-in-law. In 2010, Kazan joined the cast of Desperate Housewives for season 7. She played the role of Mrs. Maxine Rosen, a self-employed business owner and neighbor to Susan Delfino.
Personal life After meeting musical director-arranger Peter H.B. Daniels on the Broadway musical Funny Girl, in which Kazan was a cast member and he was associate orchestra conductor, the two began a five-year relationship. They married sometime after the 1971 birth of their daughter Jennifer. The marriage did not endure, and Kazan was single again by 1976. Daniels died in 1989. Kazan also revealed that she had casually dated singer-songwriter Bob Dylan starting in the 1970s and that the relationship continued on and off for fifteen years.
In the 1970s, Kazan was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Since then, she has dedicated time to public education about DVT.
Beginning in 2012, Kazan became an adjunct professor at UCLA, teaching acting classes and directing her students in drama-department productions. She has served on the boards of the Young Musicians Foundation, AIDS Project LA, B'nai B'rith, the California Jazz Foundation, and her alma mater, Hofstra University.
On April 9, 2016, Kazan was injured in a head-on traffic collision. Kazan was driving her car when the collision occurred in Sherman Oaks, California, which necessitated hospitalization.
In December 2017, outside a California supermarket, Kazan was arrested for shoplifting. Prosecutors reached a plea deal with her.
In a 2022 Vanity Fair article, Kazan gave an interview alleging incidents of the late comic actor Jerry Lewis sexually harassing her.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1968Dayton's DevilsLeda MartellLady in CementMaria Baretto1971Romance of a HorsethiefEstusha1982One from the HeartMaggieMy Favorite YearBelle Carroca1985Lust in the DustMarguerita VenturaThe Journey of Natty GannConnie1986The Delta ForceSylvia Goldman1987Harry and the HendersonsIrene MoffittMedium RareHelga Costas1988Out of the DarkHooker / NancyBeachesLeona Bloom1989EternityMother BerneiceUncredited199129th StreetMrs. Lainie Pesce1992I Don't Buy Kisses AnymoreSarah Fishbine1993The Cemetery ClubSelma1996Love Is All There IsSadie CapomezzoMovies Money MurderSylviaThe AssociateCindy Mason1997Allie & MeCamille Alexander1998The Big HitJeanne ShulmanPermanent MidnightJune StahlUncreditedThe Unknown CyclistRachel1999KimberlyHannaMike & Spike MovieEstelle Kazan2000What's Cooking?Ruth 'Ruthie' SeeligBrunoSister Mary PerpetuaAlso known as The Dress CodeThe CrewPepper Lowenstein2002My Big Fat Greek WeddingMaria PortokalosEight Crazy NightsOdaSinging voice2003Broadway: The Golden AgeHerselfDocumentaryA Good Night to DieDianeGigliMother Susie2004Red Riding HoodGrandma2005Whiskey SchoolHedy Seligman2007Bratz: The MovieBubbieAlso known as BratzBeau JestMiriam Goldman2008You Don't Mess with the ZohanGail2009Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!!Shirley Hirsch2010Expecting MaryLillian Littlefeather2012Divorce InvitationElaine Lipnicks2013Finding JoyGloriaGrowing DefiantLesliecameo appearance 2015Pearly GatesMilliePixelsMickey Lamonsoff2016My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2Maria Portokalos2018The Amityville MurdersNona2021Tango ShalomLeah Zlotkin2023My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3Maria Portokalos
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1962Car 54, Where Are You?Girl at BarEpisode: "Je T'Adore Muldoon"1965Ben CaseyDellaEpisode: "Why Did the Day Go Backwards?"1969The Dean Martin ShowElla11 episodes1977The Bobby Vinton ShowEdna19 episodes1978A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig StorySophie TuckerTelevision filmColumboValerie KirkEpisode: "Make Me a Perfect Murder"1980A Cry for LoveTina WeathersbyTelevision film1983Sunset LimousineJessie Durning1984The Jerk, TooCard PlayerObsessive LoveMargaret Chase1985–1986The Paper ChaseRose Samuels15 episodes1986Tough CookiesRita6 episodes1987Karen's SongClaire Steiner13 episodes1987–1988St. ElsewhereFrieda Fiscus3 episodes1988The Van Dyke ShowBunnieEpisode: "Fatal Condo"1989Hägar the HorribleHelgaVoice, television short1990Earthday BirthdayVoice, television film1992Beverly Hills 90210Rose ZuckermanEpisode: "Down and Out of District in Beverly Hills"1993Tales from the CryptMrs. GrafungarEpisode: "People Who Live in Brass Hearses"1994AnimaniacsMollyVoice, episode: "Pigeon on the Roof"1995Murder, She WroteAnna GrimaldiEpisode: "Crimson Harvest"Prince for a DayRoseTelevision film1995–1998The NannyAunt Freida4 episodes1998Safety PatrolMrs. DayTelevision film1998Touched by an AngelDoris BernsteinEpisode: "Deconstructing Harry"2001Will & GraceAunt HoneyEpisode: "Moveable Feast: Part 1"2002Touched by an AngelAunt MegEpisode: "The Princeless Bride"Returning LillyDanaTelevision film2003My Big Fat Greek LifeMaria Portokalos7 episodes2005The Engagement RingAlicia Rosa AnselmiTelevision film2006Living with FranCookie (Fran's mom) 1 episode2007The King of QueensAva St. Clair2 episodes2008Boston LegalJudge Paula SternEpisode: "Dances with Wolves"2010Medium RareHelga CostasEpisode: "Episode #1.1"'Til DeathDonna3 episodesDesperate HousewivesMaxine Rosen5 episodes2012Modern FamilyEleanorEpisode: "New Year's Eve"2013JessieWanda WinkleEpisode: "Throw Momma From the Terrace"Grey's AnatomyCatherine "C.J." JacksonEpisode: "Two Against One"2014RuPaul's Drag RaceHerselfEpisode: "Glamazon by Colorevolution"2018Young & HungrySusie LowensteinEpisode: "Young and Third Wheel"Fuller HouseIrma Episode: "Angels' Night Out"
Stage work YearTitleRoleVenue1960Kittiwake IslandJenny WrenMartinique Theatre, Off-Broadway1961The Happiest Girl in the WorldTheodoraMartin Beck Theatre, Broadway1962Bravo GiovanniLa Contessa, SingerBroadhurst Theatre, Broadway1964Funny GirlShowgirl, Vera; standby Fanny BriceWinter Garden Theatre, Broadway1973SeesawGittel MoscaFisher Theater, Detroit1980Show BoatperformerWolf Trap, VirginiaNational Theatre, DC1986Hello, Dolly!Dolly Levi GallagherClaridge Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City1988The RinkAnnaCoconut Grove Playhouse, Florida1992My Favorite YearBelle Steinberg CarrocaVivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway1994The Government InspectorAnna, The Governor's WifeLyceum Theatre, Broadway1994Fiddler on the RoofGoldeUS national tour2001The Vagina MonologuesperformerWestside Theatre, Off-Broadway2006Bermuda Avenue TriangleTess LaRuffaDuPont Theater, WilmingtonBrentwood Theater, Los Angeles
Other
Leave It to Jane (1959, Off-Broadway) Man of La Mancha (1972, Westbury Music Fair) Gypsy (1992, Westbury Music Fair) Rags (2006, World AIDS Day benefit concert)
Discography Lainie Kazan (1966) SE-4385 MGM Records (original studio album) Right Now (1966) SE-4340 MGM Records (original studio album; with sleeve notes by Dean Martin) Love Is Lainie (1967) SE-4496 MGM Records (original studio album) The Love Album (1967) SE 4451 MGM Records (original studio album) The Best of Lainie Kazan (1969) SE-4631 MGM Records (compilation album) The Chanteuse is Loose (1977) LK515 Lainie & Co. (original Live album) Body & Soul (1995) 65126 MusicMasters (original studio album) In the Groove (1998) 65168 MusicMasters (original studio album)
As guest vocalist With Benny Carter Benny Carter Songbook Volume II (MusicMasters, 1997)
References
External links