Madeline Kahn (1942-1999)

"It`s acceptable for men to act the fool. When women try, they`re considered aggressive and opinionated."

For my first post, I decided to highlight one of my favorite actresses:  the impeccable Madeline Kahn.  For those of you not familiar with this stunning example of an all-around performer, she is definitely someone to discover.  Her work is polished, fresh, and refreshingly quirky.  Her career on Broadway and film was unfortunately cut short by ovarian cancer, which caused her death at age 57.  She is definitely one of my favorite comedic actresses.  I've posted a video here of a scene from one of her movies, Blazing Saddles, in which she brilliantly plays the blond saloon bombshell Lily von Stupp.  For future reference, I will also be posting links to find other examples of my highlighted "person of culture"s work on Amazon.com.  Check her out as Mrs. White in Clue: The Movie, the neurotic and controlling Eunice Burns in the hilarious What's Up Doc?, and featured in the Carnegie Hall concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle. And you simply cannot pass up seeing her as Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein and as Victoria Brisbane in the Alfred Hitchcock parody High Anxiety.  She's always good for a laugh!