Louise Lasser, star of ‘Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,’ dies at 87
Louise Lasser, best known for her roles in sitcoms like “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” has died at 87 of natural causes.
Actress Louise Lasser, best known for her comedic roles and her film collaborations with ex-husband Woody Allen, has died at the age of 87.
The actress died of natural causes at her home in New York City Monday, July 6, her best friend Susan Charlotte confirmed to USA TODAY.
Known for her title role in the late Norman Lear’s 1970s sitcom “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” and her marriage to Allen, Lasser is remembered for her successful career across film and television.
Born on April 11, 1939, in New York, Lasser began performing in musicals while in college at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. She left after three years to pursue acting in Manhattan, where she met Allen. The pair tied the knot in 1966 and split in 1970.
Lasser’s career took off in 1962, when she made her Broadway debut in the musical, “I Can Get It for You Wholesale.” She was also featured in Allen’s “The Laughmakers” that year.
She went on to appear in an episode of “The Doctors” in 1964 and Allen’s “What’s New Pussycat” in 1965 as her career took off. In 1966, Lasser voiced Suki Yaki in “What’s Up Tiger Lily?,” Allen’s rewrite of the Japanese spy flick.
Lasser later starred alongside Allen in the 1969 comedy-crime film “Take the Money and Run,” followed by and “Bananas” in 1971. They also appeared together in 1972’s “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask.”
Lasser’s biggest role was leading “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” from 1976-77, a satirical series parodying soap operas that aired all five weeknights and ran for two seasons. Lasser starred as Mary Hartman, a struggling Ohio housewife who wore pigtails, puffed-sleeved blouses and gingham, poking fun at the stereotypical American housewife at the time.
In 1976, Lasser was nominated at the Emmy Awards for special classification of outstanding program and individual achievement.” That same year, she also hosted “Saturday Night Live.”
After “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” ended, Lasser took on sitcoms “Taxi” and “It’s a Living.” In 1978, she wrote and starred in the movie “Just Me and You.” She also made a cameo in Allen’s “Stardust Memories” in 1980.
Lasser had other notable appearances in “Simon,” “Rude Awakening,” “Modern Love,” “The Night We Never Met,” “Wolves of Wall Street” and “National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers,” among many more. In more recent years, Lasser could be seen in three episodes of HBO’s “Girls.”
Her final TV credit was alongside her longtime partner Michael Citriniti in a 2018 movie called “Did You Know My Husband?” Charlotte, who wrote the teleplay, tells USA TODAY she and Lasser “loved working together” and added, “Louise was so proud of her work.”
Lasser is survived by Citriniti.