Cast & creator
Madeline Kahn
Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Saturday Night Live, Great Performances
Madeline Gail Kahn (née Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian and singer, known for comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including What's Up, Doc? (1972), Young Frankenstein (1974), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World, Part I (1981), and her Academy Award–nominated roles in Paper Moon (1973) and Blazing Saddles (1974). Kahn made her Broadway debut in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1968, and received Tony Award nominations for the play In the Boom Boom Room in 1974 and for the original production of the musical On the Twentieth Century in 1978. She starred as Madeline Wayne on the short-lived sitcom Oh Madeline (1983–84) and won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1987 for an ABC Afterschool Special. She received a third Tony Award nomination for the revival of the play Born Yesterday in 1989, before winning the 1993 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the comedy The Sisters Rosensweig. Her other film appearances included The Cheap Detective (1978), City Heat (1984), Clue (1985), and Nixon (1995).
Also known as: Madeleine Kahn, Madeliene Kahn, Madeline Gail Wolfson
65
film credits
29
television credits
94
1944–2022 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (94)
Showing 94 of 94 credits
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Great Performances
Self
1971
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
1944
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968
Tony Awards
Self - Nominee
1956Tony Awards
Self - Performer / Winner
1956Tony Awards
Self - Presenter
1956
Intimate Portrait
Self
1993
The Carol Burnett Show
Self
1967
ABC Afterschool Special
Ellie Coleman
1972
Reading Rainbow
Self - Narrator (voice)
1983
A Bug's Life
Gypsy Moth (voice)
1998
The Muppet Show
Self - Special Guest Star
1976
My Little Pony
1986
Road to Avonlea
Pigeon Plumtree
1990
Fridays
Self - Guest Host
1980
Cosby
Pauline Fox
1996
Legends
Elizabeth (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006
The Comedy Factory
Violet Kingsley
1985
New York News
Nan Chase
1995
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest
1996
Young Frankenstein
Elizabeth
1974
Clue
Mrs. White
1985
The Muppet Movie
El Sleezo Patron
1979
Little Bill
1999
Blazing Saddles
Lili Von Shtupp
1974
Adam's Rib
Doris
1973
An American Tail
Gussie Mausheimer (voice)
1986
Mr. President
Lois Gullickson
1987
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Nurse Ruth Kelly
1951
Lucky Luke
Esperanza
1992Lucky Luke
Esmeralda
1992
The Pixar Story
Gypsy (voice) (archive footage)
2007
What's Up, Doc?
Eunice Burns
1972
Mixed Nuts
Blanche Munchnik
1994
London Suite
Sharon Semple
1996
Nixon
Martha Mitchell
1995
Paper Moon
Trixie Delight
1973
High Anxiety
Victoria Brisbane
1977
The Cheap Detective
Mrs. Montenegro
1978
My Little Pony: The Movie
Draggle (voice)
1986
Yellowbeard
Betty
1983
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special
(archive footage)
1999
City Heat
Caroline Howley
1984
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
Jenny Hill
1975
Betsy's Wedding
Lola Hopper
1990
Oh Madeline
Madeline Wayne
1983
At Long Last Love
Kitty O'Kelly (Kathy Krumm)
1975
Slapstick of Another Kind
Eliza Swain / Lutetia Swain
1982
The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
1994
History of the World: Part I
Empress Nympho
1981
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Estie Del Ruth
1976
Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting
Self (archive footage)
2019
The AGFA Mystery Mixtape Vault
(archive footage)
2020
For Richer, for Poorer
Billie
1992
Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On!
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2004
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
Self (archive footage)
2013
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
Gorgeous Teitelbaum (segment "The Sisters Rosensweig")
2006
Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie
Self
1988
Harvey
Nurse Ruth Kelly
1972
Screwball Comedies... Remember Them?
Self
1972
Who Done It: The Clue Documentary
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2022
Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff
Self
1985
Back in the Saddle
Self (archive footage)
2001
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd
Pat Nixon (archive footage)
2005
Wholly Moses
The Witch
1980
Kurt Vonnegut's Monkey House
Grace Anderson
1991
Sesame Street: Sing Yourself Silly!
Self (archive footage)
1990
Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days
Self (uncredited) (archive footage)
2010
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Self
1992
Making History: Mel Brooks on Creating the World
Self (archive footage)
2009
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self
1988
For Love Alone: The Ivana Trump Story
Sabrina
1996
First Family
Mrs. Link
1980
Wanted: The Perfect Guy
Ellie Coleman
1986
Making Frankensense of Young Frankenstein
Elizabeth (archive footage)
1996
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Schoolteacher
1973
Judy Berlin
Alice Gold
1999
Simon
Dr. Cynthia Mallory
1980
Musical Mel: Inventing The Inquisition
Self (archive footage)
2009
Blaze of Glory: Mel Brooks' Wild, Wild West
Self (archive footage)
2014All-Star Party for Burt Reynolds
Self
1981
Sesame Street: Sing Along
Special Appearance
1987
The Dove
Sigfried
1968
They call me Lucky Luke - Ma Dalton
Esperanza
1991
Happy Birthday, Gemini
Bunny Weinberger
1980
AGFA Mystery Mixtape #4: Follow Your Own Star
Self
2020
The Last Impresario
Self (archive footage)
2014
Group Madness
Self / Mrs. Yellowbeard
1983
Scrambled Feet
Madeline
1982
Mel Brooks: Unwrapped
Self (archive footage)
2018
Anyone Can Whistle: Live at Carnegie Hall
Cora Hoover Hooper
1995
Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book
Narrator (voice)
1993