Madeline Kahn was an American actress.
Biography[]
Born in Madeline Wolfson in Boston, Massachusetts, she grew up studying Drama, Music and speech therapy before becoming an operatic singing waitress and later making her Broadway debut in 1968. That same year she made her screen debut, and would receive two Academy Award nominations for comedies; Paper Moon and Blazing Saddles.
Though primarily a comic actress, Kahn originated a number of roles on stage, including Chrissy in In the Boom Boom Room (for which she received a Tony nomination) and provided voices for An American Tail and A Bug's Life.
Kahn passed away in 1999.
Singing[]
Balancing her career as a comic actress, Kahn made her stage debut in the ensemble of Kiss Me, Kate and appeared in such revues as Just For Openers and Below the Belt before playing her first major musical role as Cunegonde in Candide.
As well as playing established roles in Show Boat and She Loves Me, Kahn also sang a number of songs onscreen, including "I'm Tired" in Blazing Saddles, "I'm Simply Crazy Over You" in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother and "Feet" in The Muppet Show. She made her final musical appearance as Cora in Anyone Can Whistle.
Film[]
Blazing Saddles (1974)[]
- I'm Tired (contains solo lines)
Young Frankenstein (1974)[]
- Oh, Sweet Mystery of Life (solo)
- Battle Hymn of the Republic (solo)
At Long Last Love (1975)[]
- Well Did You Evah!
- Down In The Depths On The 90th Floor (solo)
- Most Gentleman Don't Like Love (contains solo lines)
- A Picture Of Me Without You (contains solo lines)
- From Alpha To Omega (duet)
- Friendship
- You're The Top
- Find Me a Primitive Man (solo)
- At Long Last Love (contains solo lines)
- I Loved Him (But He Didn't Love Me)(duet)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)[]
- The Kangaroo Hop (contains solo lines)
- I'm Simply Crazy Over You (solo)
- You Don't Love As I Do (contains solo lines)
- Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball): Singing at the Party; I Want You Now; Very Sexy Wine (contains solo lines)
Slapstick of Another Time (1982)[]
- Lonesome No More (solo)
Television[]
The Muppet Show (1977)[]
- Feet (solo)
Saturday Night Live (1977)[]
- Silver Balls & Golden Pins (solo)
- Autumn in New York (solo)
- Ain't Got No Love (solo)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1986)[]
- The Moment Has Passed (solo)
Stage[]
Kiss Me, Kate (1965)[]
- Another Op'nin', Another Show
- We Sing of Love (Cantiamo D'Amore)
- Too Darn Hot
- Kiss Me, Kate" (Reprise = Finale)
Just For Openers (1965)[]
- Just For Openers
- The Dolly Sisters (contains solo lines)
- Anyone Who's Anyone (contains solo lines)
- America the Beautiful (solo)
- You're a Big Boy Now
- The Matinee (duet)
- Let's Abolish Holidays
- Just For Openers (reprise)
Below the Belt (1966)[]
- New York Is A Festival of Fun (contains solo lines)
- Questions (contains solo lines)
- Fashion Show (duet)
- Ronald Reagan (contains solo lines)
- 7 More Questions (contains solo lines)
- And A Messenger Appeared (contains solo lines)
- Das Chicago-Song (solo)
- Camp (contains solo lines)
- International Monopoly (contains solo lines)
- And A Few More Questions
- Finale: Best Wishes
New Faces of 1968 (1968)[]
- Luncheon Ballad (contains solo lines)
- Das Chicago Song (solo)
- Die Zusammenfugung (contains solo lines)
Candide (1968)[]
- The Best of All Possible Worlds (contains solo lines)
- Oh Happy We (duet)
- Glitter and Be Gay (solo)
- You Were Dead, You Know (duet)
- Pilgrims' Procession
- My Love (contains solo lines)
- I Am Easily Assimilated (contains solo lines)
- Finale: Act I (contains solo lines)
- Quiet (contains solo lines)
- The Venice Gavotte
- Make Our Garden Grow (contains solo lines)
Promenade (1969)(originated the role)[]
- Unrequited Love (contains solo lines)
- Bliss (contains solo lines)
- The Clothes Make the Man (contains solo lines)
- The Cigarette Song (contains solo lines)
- Crown Me (contains solo lines)
- Why Not (contains solo lines)
- Czardas (duet)
- Listen, I Feel (solo)
Show Boat (1969)[]
- Make Believe (duet)
- Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (contains solo lines)
- You Are Love (duet)
- Finale (Wedding Scene)(contains solo lines)
- Why Do I Love You? (contains solo lines)
- Can't Help Lovin' Dat (reprise)(solo)
- After the Ball (contains solo lines)
Two by Two (1970)(originated the role)[]
- The Golden Ram (solo)
She Loves Me (1977)[]
- No More Candy (solo)
- Three Letters (duet)
- I Don't Know His Name (duet)
- Will He Like Me? (solo)
- Mr. Novack, Will You Please? (duet)
- Dear Friend (solo)
- Where's My Shoe? (duet)
- Vanilla Ice Cream (solo)
- Finale (duet)
On the Twentieth Century (1978)(originated the role)[]
Mildred Plotka[]
- Indian Maiden's Lament (duet)
Lily Garland[]
- Veronique (contains solo lines)
- Never (contains solo lines)
- This Is The Day (duet)
- Our Private World (duet)
- I've Got it All (duet)
- Sextet/Sign Lilly Sign (contains solo lines)
- Babette (solo)
- Lily, Oscar (duet)
- Finale
Hello, Dolly! (1992)[]
- I Put My Hand In (solo)
- Put On Your Sunday Clothes (contains solo lines)
- Motherhood March (contains solo lines)
- Dancing (contains solo lines)
- Before the Parade Passes By (contains solo lines)
- Hello, Dolly! (contains solo lines)
- So Long, Dearie (solo)
- Finale Act II (contains solo lines)
Company (1993)[]
- Company (contains solo lines)
- The Little Things You Do Together (contains solo lines)
- Getting Married Today (contains solo lines)
- Side by Side by Side/What Would We Do Without You?
- Poor Baby (contains solo lines)
- Finale Ultimo
Anyone Can Whistle (1995)[]
- Me and My Town (contains solo lines)
- Miracle Song (contains solo lines)
- A Parade in Town (solo)
- I've Got You to Lean On (contains solo lines)
- The Cookie Chase (contains solo lines)
Albums[]
Man of La Mancha (1972)[]
- I'm Only Thinking of Him (contains solo lines)
- Finale Ultimo: The Impossible Dream (reprise)
Gallery[]
Just For Openers.
Below the Belt.
Servant in Promenade.
Lili Von Schtupp in Blazing Saddles.
Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein.
Kitty O'Keilly in At Long Last Love.
Jenny Hill in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.
Saturday Night Live.
Amalia Balash and Georg Nowack in She Loves Me.
Eliza Swain and Wilbur Swain in Slapstick of Another Time.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Mrs. Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
Amy in Company.
Cora Hoover Hooper in Anyone Can Whistle.