Madeline Kahn

About Madeline Kahn

Madeline Gail Kahn, nee Wolfson, was a U.S. actress, comedienne, singer with a unique and inimitable style all her own. In fact, she was something of a one-woman natural force for uniqueness. The deftness with which she could combine sex appeal and hilarity was truly remarkable to see, usually in the form of sex-starved women who realize that too late and then try desperately to make up for lost time. She is best known for her comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and, more especially, Mel Brooks.

She followed her mother into the acting profession. She soon realized she had no talent for opera, and turned her thespian gifts in another direction. (Although in BLAZING SADDLES and other Mel Brooks vehicles, she certainly proved that she could heartily belt out a tune.)

Probably her best known roles are as the jaded, aging hooker Lilli von Shtupp in BLAZING SADDLES and Gene Wilder's "financier" Elizabeth in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. On television, she scored a recurring role in COSBY, Bill Cosby's second and less-successful sitcom.

Among her numerous awards and accolades, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in PAPER MOON, as well as an Emmy Award. She stood out from the pack in 1987 by winning an Emmy for an ABC Afterschool Special.