Lainie Kazan was born on May 15, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York City. She is an American actress and singer.

Kazan made her Broadway debut in The Happiest Girl in the World in 1961, followed by Bravo Giovanni (1962).

She appeared in television series The Nanny, Veronica's Closet St. Elsewhere, The Paper Chase, Touched by an Angel, and Will & Grace.

She has also appeared in regional productions of A Little Night Music, Man of La Mancha, Gypsy, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Hello, Dolly!, and Fiddler on the Roof.

Her movie credits include One from the Heart (1982), My Favorite Year (1982), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), The Cemetery Club (1993), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Gigli (2003), Whiskey School (2005), Bratz: The Movie (2007) and Beau Jest (2007).

Filmography

• Beau Jest (2008)
• "In the Motherhood" (2007) TV series
• Bratz (2007)
• "The King of Queens" (2 episodes, 2007)
• "Living with Fran" (1 episode, 2006)
• The Engagement Ring (2005) (TV)
• Whiskey School (2005)
• Red Riding Hood (2004)
• "The Guiding Light" (1 episode, 2003)
• Gigli (2003)
• A Good Night to Die (2003)
• "My Big Fat Greek Life" (7 episodes, 2003)
• Tempted (2003) (TV)
• Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
• "Touched by an Angel" (2 episodes, 1998-2002)
• My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
• "Will & Grace" (1 episode, 2001)
• "Strong Medicine" (1 episode, 2001)
• The Crew (2000)
• Bruno (2000)
• If You Only Knew (2000)
• What's Cooking? (2000)
• Kimberly (1999)
• "The Nanny" (4 episodes, 1995-1999)
• The Unknown Cyclist (1998)
• Permanent Midnight (1998)
• The Big Hit (1998)
• Safety Patrol (1998) (TV)
• "Veronica's Closet" (1 episode, 1997)
• Allie & Me (1997)
• The Associate (1996)
• "Life's Work" (2 episodes, 1996)
• Love Is All There Is (1996)
• Movies Money Murder (1996)
• Prince for a Day (1995) (TV)
• "Courthouse" (1 episode, 1995)
• "Murder, She Wrote" (1 episode, 1994)
• "Tales from the Crypt" (1 episode, 1993)
• The Cemetery Club (1993)
• I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore (1992)
• 29th Street (1991)
• "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1 episode, 1991)
• Earthday Birthday (1990)
• Out of the Dark (1989)
• Hägar the Horrible (1989) (TV) (voice)
• Eternity (1989)
• Beaches (1988)
• "The Van Dyke Show" (1 episode)
• "St. Elsewhere" (3 episodes, 1987-1988)
• "Karen's Song" (1987) TV series
• "Hotel" (2 episodes, 1983-1987)
• Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
• "Amazing Stories" (1 episode, 1987)
• Medium Rare (1987)
• "Tough Cookies" (1986) TV series
• "The Paper Chase" (9 episodes, 1985-1986)
• The Delta Force (1986)
• Twisted Sister: Come Out and Play (1986) (V)
• The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
• Lust in the Dust (1985)
• "ABC Weekend Specials" (1 episode, 1985)
• Obsessive Love (1984) (TV)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1984)
• The Jerk, Too (1984) (TV)
• Sunset Limousine (1983) (TV)
• Hotel (1983) (TV)
• "Too Close for Comfort" (1 episode, 1983)
• My Favorite Year (1982)
• One from the Heart (1982)
• A Cry for Love (1980) (TV)
• Columbo: Make Me a Perfect Murder (1978) (TV)
• A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story (1978) (TV)
• "Greatest Heroes of the Bible" (1 episode, 1978)
• Dancing in the Wings (1977) (TV)
• "Baretta" (1 episode, 1976)
• "When Things Were Rotten" (2 episodes, 1975)
• Romance of a Horsethief (1971)
• Lady in Cement (1968)
• Dayton's Devils (1968)
• "Ben Casey" (1 episode, 1965)
• "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1 episode, 1962)