- Born
- Birth nameLainie Levine
- Height5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
- Actress and singer Lainie Kazan first made her mark with her Broadway debut in 1961 with the musical "The Happiest Girl in the World". The following year, she appeared in another musical "Bravo Giovanni". She eventually served as Barbra Streisand's understudy for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968) and when Streisand was unable to perform, due to a throat condition, Kazan took her place in both a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run. Always the tireless entertainer, Kazan has contributed her talents to an endless list of film and television projects roles, perhaps her most talked-about role is of the hilarious mom Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016). Recently she played a leading role in Tango Shalom (2021).
- IMDb mini biography by: Anthony Ronald Vario
- SpousePeter Daniels(February 28, 1971 - February 1989) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenJennifer Daniels
- ParentsBen LevineCarole Levine
- Natural brunette hair
- Seductive deep voice
- She teaches theater at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
- She appeared in the October 1970 issue of Playboy magazine.
- Formed a business partnership with Hugh Hefner, who created performance venues Kazan East and West to help nurture the singing aspect of her career.
- Understudied Barbra Streisand in the original Broadway production of the musical "Funny Girl".
- Revealed in an interview that she credits her acting teacher Ann Italiano as giving her inspiration, saying that she wanted to know everything her teacher knew. This was before her teacher married and became Anne Bancroft. [Palm Springs Life, September 2010].
- I get a sensual feeling from my own singing voice. When I am right, whether I'm moaning or winging it, I just fly. I soar. I get all caught up in myself. And baby, when that happens, you just know the audience has to be with me, having a ball.
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