Installment 6
Madeline Kahn
born: September 29, 1942
died: December 10, 1999
cause of death: ovarian cancer diagnosed in 1998
known for: being the funniest jewish woman ever...actress and comedienne
little-known fact: had a degree in speech therapy (which is funny considering all the speech impediments her characters had), her performance of Lili von Shtupp is ranked as #74 in the top 100 greatest performances of all time
i just wish i had known her. she is easily in my list of people i would like to have a conversation with. she's also in my list of people whose movies i watch simply because they are in them. maybe you've seen some? my favorites are blazing saddles, what's up doc, and young frankenstein. she was enchanting, charming. every interview i've read of her portrays her as a kind and joyful woman...it seems that once someone met her, they were an immediate and loyal fan (except, evidently, for lucille ball who actually fired her...jealous?). i think she had a greater impact on the evolution of comedy (especially for women) than she has been recognized for.
you were brilliant, madeline. a genius of your craft...
and star of the my favorite sesame street clip of all time...
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