Jane Kaczmarek | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kaczmarek in 2014 | |
| Born | Jane Frances Kaczmarek (1955-12-21)December 21, 1955 (age 70) Greendale, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Jane Frances Kaczmarek (/kæzˈmærək/; born December 21, 1955)[1][2][3] is an American actress. Her role as Lois on theFox sitcomMalcolm in the Middle (2000–2006) earned her threeGolden Globe nominations and sevenPrimetime Emmy nominations. She also appeared as Linda Bauer inEqual Justice (1990–1991), Judge Trudy Kessler inRaising the Bar (2008–2009), Ann inFalling in Love (1984), Emily inThe Heavenly Kid (1985), and Gayle in6 Balloons (2018). She had recurring roles as Holly inCybill and as Maureen Cutler inFrasier. Kaczmarek was a replacement for the character of Bella in the Broadway production ofNeil Simon'sLost In Yonkers.
Kaczmarek was born inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Evelyn (née Gregorska), a teacher, and Edward Kaczmarek, aUS Department of Defense worker.[4][5][6] OfPolish descent,[7] she grew up inGreendale, a village outside Milwaukee, where she was raised a Roman Catholic.[8][9] Kaczmarek is a graduate ofGreendale High School.[10]
Kaczmarek appeared inSt. Elsewhere, and sitcomsFrasier andCybill. She was also a regular on the first eight episodes of the Showtime run ofThe Paper Chase, as Connie Lehman.
In 1999, Kaczmarek was cast to playLois in the sitcomMalcolm in the Middle, which premiered on January 9, 2000.[11]TV Guide dubbed her role in the series as a "true breakout; a femaleHomer Simpson", and critics hailed her for her comic talents.[12] Later, Kaczmarek would credit the show for bringing out her comedic side, saying, "[BeforeMalcolm] I couldn't even get auditions for comedies. I played very unfunny people."[13]
In September 2008, she appeared on stage inThe House of Blue Leaves at theMark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.[14]
In 2011, it was confirmed that Kaczmarek would make a vocal appearance as Red Jessica in the television seriesJake and the Never Land Pirates during its second season early 2012.[15]
Kaczmarek was the narrator in the 2011 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and PBS production ofWisconsin's Nazi Resistance: The Mildred Fish-Harnack Story, a documentary about the life of fellow Milwaukee nativeMildred Fish-Harnack who, in 1943, was the only American woman to ever be personally sentenced to death by order of Adolf Hitler for her role in the German Nazi Resistance Movement.[16]
In November 2012, she made a guest appearance on ABC'sThe Middle as Frankie Heck's (Patricia Heaton) dental teacher. In 2013, Kaczmarek guest starred on NBC's long-running legal drama,Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Suffolk County D.A. Pamela "Pam" James.[17]
Kaczmarek and formerMalcolm in the Middle co-starBryan Cranston reprised their roles as Lois and Hal respectively in an "alternate ending"featurette on theBreaking Bad DVD/Blu-ray box set that was released on November 26, 2013. In it, Hal wakes up from the nightmare that was the plot ofBreaking Bad, in a nod to the final scene fromNewhart.[18]
Kaczmarek married fellow Wisconsin native and actorBradley Whitford on August 15, 1992. They resided inPasadena, California with their three children.[19] Inspired by their own frequent red carpet appearances, in 2002 the couple founded the charity "Clothes off our Back", which auctioned outfits and accessories worn by celebrities at award ceremonies.[20] They were sometimes referred to as a celebrity "power couple".[21]
Kaczmarek underwent a hip replacement in April 2004, due to chronicarthritis.[22] She used anX-ray of her new hip for herEmmy campaign the following summer, advertising herself as "the only Emmy nominee with an artificial hip (except forAnthony LaPaglia)".[23]
In June 2009, the couple filed for divorce after almost 17 years of marriage.[24][25][26][27] The divorce was finalized in October 2010[28][29] and they sold their 1924 villa inSan Marino, California.[30]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Uncommon Valor | Mrs. Wilkes |
| 1984 | Falling in Love | Ann Raftis |
| 1985 | The Heavenly Kid | Emily Barnes |
| Door to Door | Katherine Holloway | |
| 1988 | D.O.A. | Gail Cornell |
| Vice Versa | Robyn Seymour | |
| 1989 | All's Fair | Linda |
| 1996 | The Chamber | Dr. Anne Biddows |
| Wildly Available | Rita Goodman | |
| 1998 | Pleasantville | David and Jennifer's mom |
| 2015 | The Boat Builder | Katherine |
| 2016 | Wolves at the Door | Mary |
| 2017 | CHiPs | Jane Lindel |
| 2018 | 6 Balloons | Gayle |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | St. Elsewhere | Sandy Burns | 3 episodes |
| Remington Steele | Barbara Troy Dannon | Episode: "Altared Steele" | |
| Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Penny | Episode: "Always Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth" | |
| 1983–84 | The Paper Chase | Connie Lehman | 8 episodes |
| 1984 | Hill Street Blues | Officer Clara Pilksy | 6 episodes |
| Something About Amelia | Mrs. Hall | Television movie | |
| Crazy Like a Fox | Julie Floyd | Pilot episode | |
| 1985 | Hometown | Mary Newell Abbott | 10 episodes |
| 1986 | The Right of the People | Alicia | Television movie |
| The Christmas Gift | Susan | ||
| 1987 | I'll Take Manhattan | Nina Stern | |
| The Three Kings | Dr. Paula Bolet | ||
| 1988 | American Playhouse | Susan Glaspell | Episode: "Journey Into Genius" |
| 1989 | Spooner | Gail Archer | Television movie |
| 1990–91 | Equal Justice | Linda Bauer | 22 episodes |
| 1993 | Big Wave Dave's | Karen Fisher | 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Monty | Nickerson | Episode: "Wild, Wild Willy and His O.K. Corral" |
| Law & Order | Janet Rudman | Episode: "Censure" | |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | Mary Reed | Episode: "Boys Will Be Boys" | |
| L.A. Law | Karen Gershon-woo | Episode: "Whose San Andreas Fault Is It, Anyways?" | |
| Without Warning | Dr. Caroline Jaffe | Television movie | |
| 1995 | Picket Fences | Janice Neiman | Episode: "Heroes and Villains" |
| 1995–99 | Party of Five | Helene Thompson | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Touched by an Angel | Bonnie Bell | Episode: "Out of the Darkness" |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | Nancy Gallagher | Episode: "Educating Mom" | |
| Apollo 11 | Jan Armstrong | Television movie | |
| 1996–97 | Cybill | Holly | 5 episodes |
| Frasier | Maureen Cutler | 2 episodes | |
| 1997 | The Practice | Pamela Boyd | |
| 1999 | Felicity | Carol Anderson | 5 episodes |
| 2000–06 | Malcolm in the Middle | Lois | 151 episodes American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a Television Series Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy(2000–01) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy(2001–03) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series(2000–06) Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series(2001, 2003) Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress – Comedy Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series |
| 2001–present | The Simpsons | Judge Constance Harm (voice) | 10 episodes |
| 2006–07 | Help Me Help You | Anne Hoffman | 6 episodes |
| 2008–09 | Raising the Bar | Judge Trudy Kessler | 23 episodes |
| 2010 | Reviving Ophelia | Marie Jones | Television movie |
| 2011 | Wilfred | Beth | Episode: "Pride" |
| 2011–12 | Whitney | Candi | 3 episodes |
| 2012–13 | The Middle | Sandy Armwood | 2 episodes |
| 2012–15 | Jake and the Never Land Pirates | Red Jessica (voice) | 12 episodes |
| 2013 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | D.A. Pam James | Episode: "Beautiful Frame" |
| 2014 | Phineas and Ferb | Denise (voice) | Episode: "Lost in Danville/The Inator Method" |
| Us & Them | Pam | 7 episodes | |
| 2014–17 | Playing House | Gwen Crawford | 7 episodes |
| 2015 | The McCarthys | Eileen | Episode: "Sister Act" |
| Big Time in Hollywood, FL | Dr. Moore | 2 episodes | |
| Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Coach Jackie (voice) | Episode: "Ultrahyperball" | |
| 2016 | The Big Bang Theory | Dr. Gallo | Episode: "The Sales Call Sublimation" |
| Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life | Cindy Barrett | Episode: "How to Survive Your Parents' Visit" | |
| 2018 | Animals. | Judge (voice) | Episode: "The Trial" |
| This Is Us | Mrs. Philips | Episode: "Katie Girls" | |
| 2019 | Trolls: The Beat Goes On! | Mom Cloud (voice) | Episode: "Don't Worry Be Peppy/Two's a Cloud" |
| Carol's Second Act | Phyllis | Episode: "Sick and Retired" | |
| Mixed-ish | Eleanor | Episode: "True Colors" | |
| 2023 | The Changeling | Callisto "Cal" | Episode: "The Wise Ones" |
| 2025 | Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair | Lois | Post-production |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Malcolm in the Middle | Nominated |
| TCA Awards | Individual Achievement in Comedy | Won | ||
| 2001 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Television Series: Musical or Comedy | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| TCA Awards | Individual Achievement in Comedy | Won | ||
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Television Series: Musical or Comedy | Nominated | ||
| Satellite Awards | Nominated | |||
| 2003 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Television Series: Musical or Comedy | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Television Series: Musical or Comedy | Won | ||
| 2005 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | Ovation Awards | Lead Actress in a Play | Good People[31] | Nominated |
The daughter of a defense department employee and a teacher, she grew up in a strict, Catholic household.
