Actress, comedienne, television writer, performing arts teacher and director, and Woody Allen’s second wife, Louise Lasser, has sadly passed away at the age of 87.
Lasser was born in New York City on April 11, 1939. She died on Monday, July 6, at her home in Manhattan on the Upper East Side. She died of natural causes (per The Hollywood Reporter).
The star had been active in showbusiness since the early 1960s and was married to Allen from 1966 until 1970.
She was, perhaps, known best for her portrayal of the eponymous character on the short-lived satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” It was a role she played for a whopping 325 episodes from 1976 until 1977.
However, that was far from the only thing she was famous for.
Louise Lasser Had an Extensive Filmography
GettyIn addition to her role on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” Louise Lasser boasted an extensive filmography on both the big and small screens.
Movie-wise, she appeared in five directed by her ex-husband, Woody Allen. They were 1966’s “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?,” 1969’s “Take the Money and Run,” 1971’s “Bananas,” 1972’s “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask),” and 1980’s “Stardust Memories.”
Other notable credits included 1973’s comedy thriller “Slither,” 1998’s black comedy “Happiness,” 1999’s superhero parody “Mystery Men,” 2000’s psychological drama “Requiem for a Dream,” 2003’s black comedy “National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers,” and 2022’s coming-of-age black comedy “Funny Pages.”
On television, she also appeared in shows like soap opera “The Doctors,” and sitcoms “The Bob Newhart Show,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Taxi,” “Laverne and Shirley,” and “St. Elsewhere.”
Lasser also famously hosted “Saturday Night Live” in 1976. She opened the show with an iconic stream-of-consciousness monologue that deliberately and brilliantly mimicked the nervous breakdown of her eponymous character from “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”
As news of her passing began to circulate online, tributes for Lasser began to pour in en masse.
Fans Paid Tribute to Lasser Online
The internet is now teeming with tributes to Louise Lasser, following the sad news of her passing.
Arist and self-proclaimed journeyman actor Steven Weber took to Instagram to post one of the most touching tributes to the actress. He posted a picture of her and captioned his post, “Louise Lasser has left us. I had the privilege to work with her briefly on a film I wrote in 2001 called Club Land. A unique and wonderful comic presence. One of Woody’s all-time great on-screen/off-screen partners. Delightful, eccentric, authentic. Thank you, ma’am. #rip #louiselasser @woodyallenofficial #clubland #maryhartmanmaryhartman.”
One comment on the post reads, “I became a big fan while watching Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. She was incredible!”
Another comment says, “She was brilliant in a small underrated movie called Sing.”
Someone else said, “I’m so sorry to hear this. She was a brilliant comedic talent.”
On X, someone who had met Lasser commented, “Sad to hear that Louise Lasser has died at 87. I studied with her at the former Corner Loft Studio here in NYC for a couple of years. As an acting teacher, she was patient and compassionate.”
Another X user noted, “Louise Lasser was an Aries, a brilliant comedienne, and a treasured acting coach for so many NYers! May her memory be a blessing.”
“RIP Louise Lasser, the last of the main cast members of SLITHER,” said another individual on the same platform.
Finally, someone else on X said, “Sad to see. She was very funny with her always unexpected approach to dialogue. The first Woody Allen wife/muse and then famously Mary Hartman, a daily comedy soap opera almost unimaginable in this era. Rest in Peace.”
We’d like to send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Louise Lasser at this upsetting time. May she rest in eternal peace.
Louise Lasser’s filmography and some personal info was courtesy of IMDb.
