Table Of ContentPraise for Madeline Kahn
“Madeline Kahn is remembered for her roles in Blazing Saddles, Paper Moon, and
Young Frankenstein, and in his groundbreaking and definitive new biography,
William V. Madison captures the complex and rich life of an artist striving for
more in the glamorous, hard-knocks world of show business. Madison proves
a gifted and sensitive biographer, and Madeline Kahn: Being the Music is an ad-
dictive read. A riveting and unforgettable portrait.”
—Christina haag
actress and new York Times bestselling author of Come to the edge: a love Story
“Despite the great brio of her iconic comic roles, there was always something
poignant and enigmatic about Madeline Kahn. In his wonderfully researched
and sensitive biography, William V. Madison examines the threads that made
her so fascinating and gives her a well-deserved place in the history of great
comic actresses.”
—Charles BusCh
actor and playwright, The Tale of the allergist’s Wife and The divine Sister
“With the devotion of an ardent fan and the astute thoroughness of a scholar,
William V. Madison charts the star-crossed life and career of one of the greatest
comedic actresses of the twentieth century. This is a marvelous book that I will
love reading again and again.”
—Wendy la Wless
new York Times bestselling author of Chanel Bonfire
“A lot of us have been waiting a long, long time to find out the real story of this
precious, unique talent who left us far too soon. William Madison’s biography
of Madeline Kahn comes as a kind of gift. With great sensitivity, he captures
the poignancy and the humor that went hand-in-hand in creating one of the
great comic personas of the late twentieth century.”
—eriC Myers
author of Uncle Mame: The life of Patrick dennis
“Madeline Kahn balked at attempts to biographize her in her lifetime, so she
might not even read William V. Madison’s haunting new book were she alive
today. But for everyone else who followed her career, and for everyone who
found her an enigmatic delight on stages and screens, the book is a resonant
must-read, evoking its subject and the golden age of theater and film in which
she lived. Madison manages to combine scholarship, a critical eye, and just
enough gossip to make this a book worthy of its subject—appropriately enter-
taining and profoundly incisive at the same time.”
—toM shales
Pulitzer Prize–winning television critic
“A fine biography, worthy of Madeline’s unique talent and contribution.”
—roBert Klein
new Faces of 1968, The Sisters Rosensweig, and Mixed nuts
“Madeline Kahn is the best comic or best dramatic actress, the best singer—
serious or comic—and the best I’ve worked with, or known in my life.”
—gene Wilder
Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and The adventures of Sherlock holmes’ Smarter Brother
“Madeline was bright, committed, thoughtful, and one of the most remarkable
actresses I have ever worked with. Her work was character driven, not just for
laughs, which made her unique on stage and on film. William V. Madison’s
biography captures Madeline’s complexity and finely documents her career
and personal life.”
—Jane alexander
actress, author, former chairman of the national endowment for the arts, and wildlife conservationist
“Bids to become the surprise biography of the year. A great untold story in-
triguingly revealed. Superbly researched, digs deep into the life and times of its
subject and captures her essence. Madison also expertly weaves in one sensitive
analysis after another of what has happened to acting and actors; to American
film, theater, television, and comedy the last half-century plus—and why.”
—dan rather
journalist and author
M a d e l i n e K a h n
hollyWood legends series
Carl rollyson, general editor
M a d e l i n e
Kahn
Being the Music • A Life
W i l l i aM V . M a d i s o n
University Press of Mississippi • Jackson
www.upress.state.ms.us
Designed by Peter D. Halverson
The University Press of Mississippi is a member of the Association of
American University Presses.
Copyright © 2015 by William V. Madison
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First printing 2015
∞
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Madison, William V.
Madeline Kahn : being the music, a life / William V. Madison.
pages cm. — (Hollywood legends series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-61703-761-0 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61703-762-7
(ebook) 1. Kahn, Madeline. 2. Actors—United States—Biography. I. Title.
PN2287.K15M34 2015
791.4302’8092—dc23
[B]
2014042232
British Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
C o n t e n t s
Introduction ........................................... 3
Part i: 1942–69
-7-
1. Childhood ........................................... 9
2. A Shoeshine and a Smile: Bernie Wolfson .................. 12
3. The Manumit School (1948–53) .......................... 14
4. Life with Stepfather: Hiller Kahn (1949–58) ................. 17
5. Hofstra (1960–64) ..................................... 25
6. The Graduate: Green Mansions (1964) and Upstairs at the
Downstairs (1965–66) .................................. 32
7. Pink-Slipped: How Now, Dow Jones (1967) ................... 41
8. We’ve Never Seen You: New Faces of 1968 ................... 43
9. Cigars and Lavaliers: De Düva and Candide (1968). ............ 47
10. Only Make-Believe: Promenade and Show Boat (1969) ........ 54
Part ii: the 1970s
-59-
11. “Educated Shrieks”: La Bohème (1970) .................... 61
12. The City Slickers’ Goodtime Hour: Comedy Tonight (1970) ..... 64
13. The Man Who Came to Dinner: Two by Two (1970–71) ....... 66
14. The Eunice Burns: What’s Up, Doc? (1972) .................. 73
15. Bon Voyage: Missing Candide (1971) ...................... 79
16. Honky-Tonk Parade: Paper Moon (1973) ................... 83
VI
17. Gooch’s Lament: Mame and Other Curiosities (1972–73) ...... 90
18. It’s Twue: Blazing Saddles (1973–74) ...................... 95
19. The Half-Vision of What I Might Be: Boom Boom Room (1973) .. 99
20. Sweet Mystery: Young Frankenstein (1974) .................103
21. Down in the Dumps in the Hollywood Hills: At Long Last
Love (1975) .........................................109
22. If You Loved as I Do: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter
Brother (1975) .......................................119
23. What a Dog: Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976). .124
24. Live from New York: Saturday Night Live (1976) .............128
25. So Glad We Had This Time Together: The Carol Burnett
Show (1976) ........................................131
26. Prelude to a Train Wreck: Marco Polo Sings a Solo and She
Loves Me (1977) ......................................135
27. The Drug Rumor .....................................140
28. Dames in Distress, Pigs in Space: High Anxiety, The Cheap
Detective, and the Muppets (1977–78) .....................143
29. Train Wreck: On the Twentieth Century (1978) ...............150
Part iii: the 1980s
-173-
30. Annus Horribilis: Simon; Happy Birthday, Gemini; Wholly Moses!;
and First Family (1980) ................................175
31. It’s Good to Be Somebody’s Mother: A Little Off-Broadway and
History of the World, Part I (1980–81) ......................181
32. Slipshod: Slapstick (Of Another Kind) (1982–84) ..............185
33. The Safe Place: Santa Fe (1982–83) ......................189
34. Madness and Mourning: Yellowbeard (1983) ................195
35. Breaking into Television: Scrambled Feet (1983) .............197
36. A Banana Boat to Nicaragua: Oh Madeline (1983–84) .........202
37. Aftermath: City Heat, Ludlam, and Beyond (1984–85) ........214
38. The Black Widow: Clue (1985) ..........................219
39. You’d Be Surprised: Chameleon (1986), “Wanted: The Perfect
Guy” (1987), and Mr. President (1987–88) ..................224
40. Back to Broadway: Born Yesterday (1988–89) ...............233
41. At First Glance: John Hansbury .........................241
VII
Part iV: the 1990s
-243-
42. The Trouble with Auteurs: Betsy’s Wedding (1990) and Shadows
and Fog (1992) .......................................245
43. An International Guest Star: Avonlea (1991), For Richer, for
Poorer and Lucky Luke (1992), and Monkey House (1993). . . . . . .249
44. Calling on Dolly: Hello, Dolly! (1992) ......................253
45. Simply Gorgeous: The Sisters Rosensweig (1992–93) ...........259
46. The Mother of All Lawsuits (1993) .......................270
47. Mixed Bags: Mixed Nuts (1994) and Anyone Can Whistle (1995) ..272
48. Idle Tongues: New York News, Saturday Night Live, For Love Alone,
and London Suite (1995–96) .............................275
49. Do You Love Me, Pauline?: Cosby (1996–99) ...............281
50. Enlightenment in the Dark: Judy Berlin (1999) ..............289
51. Loving Madeline .....................................297
Epilogue ...............................................303
Acknowledgments .......................................308
Notes .................................................311
Stage, Screen, and Television Roles and Recordings .............324
Index .................................................329
