Madeline Kahn

Biography

Madeline Kahn was born on September 29, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. She began her acting career in high school and went on to college where she starred in several campus productions ultimately gaining her doctorate in her chosen field. Her finest years came in 1973's Paper Moon with Ryan O'Neal which was followed the next year by Blazing Saddles as Lili Von Shtupp, a saloon singer. She was so delightful in both that Madeline was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress in both movies. In 1998, Madeline lent her voice as Gypsy in the wildly popular animated film, A Bug's Life. On December 3, 1999, Madeline died of ovarian cancer in New York, a disease from which she suffered for about a year. The accomplished stage and screen actress was just 57.