Lainie Kazan

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lainie Kazan first rose to prominence through sultry nightclub performances before earning recognition as a respected performer across stage and screen. Her career has encompassed appearances in cabarets, playhouses, broadcast programs and motion pictures alike. After completing her studies at Hofstra University, she makes regular trips back to New York to see her mother, who continues to reside in the same apartment from Kazan’s childhood.

Early attention came as a singer when she stepped in for Barbra Streisand during a Broadway run of Funny Girl, delivering both a matinee and an evening show that quickly generated offers for variety programs and television spots. She appeared on The Dean Martin Show twenty-six times, a record tally, before landing her own NBC variety series. That success prompted her to open two venues in 1976—Lainie’s Room in Los Angeles and Lainie’s Room East in New York. By 1980 she had shifted primary focus to acting while continuing to sing only on a sporadic basis.

Her first film role arrived through college friend Francis Ford Coppola, who cast her in One From the Heart; subsequent parts included leading turns in Lust in the Dust and Disney’s The Journey of Natty Gann. A Golden Globe nomination followed her depiction of a Jewish mother in My Favorite Year, and her screen résumé also lists Beaches and Harry and the Hendersons. An Emmy nomination recognized her guest work on St. Elsewhere, while a Cable Ace nomination honored her performance in Paper Chase. She has further contributed to the stage with productions such as Plaza Suite, A Little Night Music, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and, most recently, Nunsense in Boston.

Alongside screen and theater commitments, Kazan maintains a national touring schedule of nightclub engagements. A two-week stint at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill drew capacity crowds, one stop among many. Her charitable involvement has added to her standing; during the 1996-97 season she was named Woman of the Year by B’nai Brith in Atlanta and joined Sarah Brightman at the annual AIDS Project Los Angeles benefit.

As of 1998 she appears on Fox’s Beverly Hills 90210 and in the feature The Cemetery Club opposite Danny Aiello. She makes her home in Los Angeles with her daughter and continues to expand her credits in both film and live performance.