LAINIE KAZAN AN EVENING OF SONG AS ONLY LAINIE CAN SING THEM

"Lainie's voice is like fine wine, sparkling and mellow...it keeps flowing--smooth and tasty." -LENA HORNE   "Lainie slays me. Supremely sexy, knowing, and worldly wise, these are the songs she was born to sing. How wonderful to have her recording again." -BETTE MIDLER

LAINIE KAZAN Bioqraphy Brooklyn-born Lainie Kazan is an entertainer who has excelled as an actress and a singer. Long known as a sexy, sultry and outspoken nightclub chanteuse, Kazan switched gears several years ago and is now concentrating on acting. Today she moves easily from singing to soldout concert dates and showrooms to acting in roles for both the big screen and television. She is most excited about a triumphet return to the New York stage, in rehearsals for a Broadway musical version of "My Favorite Year," reprising her Golden Globe nominated performance in the film. The show will be launched at Lincoln Center in November. Last fall she co-starred in the 20th Century Fox release "29th Street," with Danny Aiello, as the put-upon wife and mother who bears witness to the constant battle between her husband (Aiello) and her adult son (played by Anthony LaPaglia). "She also appeared in "I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore," opposite Jason Alexander. Both are currently available on videocassette. Concurrently she has several 'hot' projects in the wings, including a recurring role on the highly successful Fox Television series "Beverly Hills 90210."' In addition, she's currently co-starring with Diane Ladd, Olympia Dukakis and Aiello (again) in "The Cemetary Club," due out at Christmas. Most recently she took on one of the greatest female roles in musical/theater of all time stepping into the shoes of "Gypsy," first at the Valley Forge Music Fair in Pennsylvania then at the Westbury Music Fair in Long Island. Critics applauded her and audiences were standing-room-only. This past November she made a splashy two week appearance to standing-room-only audiences at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill with her popular one-woman singing showcase. She went on to headline with Mickey Rooney and Joel Grey in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, respectively. As a young singer of considerable renown, Kazan got her big break when she understudied Barbra Streisand in the Broadway production of "Funny Girl." She replaced Streisand for one matinee and one evening performance; the reviews were electrifying. Lainie's rising popularity led to a flood of offers which further lead to numerous successful nightclub stints. Her debut in the Persian Room at the Plaza Hotel in New York earned SRO crowds and rave reviews. She went on to guest star on every top variety and talk show on network television (including "The Dean Martin Show" for an unequalled 26 times) which later led to her own NBC variety special. Kazan has recorded four albums for MGM Records, receiving the NARAS New Artist of the Year Award for her debut album. In 1976, she opened the popular Lainie's Room at the LA Playboy Club, followed by a Lainie's Room East in New York the following year. In 1980 she closed both rooms due to her growing acting career. Yet she has always managed to find the time-to keep singing in top show-rooms and theatre productions throughout the U.S. Rekindling an earlier college friendship with Francis Ford Coppola helped to make yet another significant change in Ms. Kazan's life. When Coppola saw Lainie's show at the Fairmont in San Francisco, he was prompted to offer her a role in "One From the Heart." She went on to star in Paul Bartel's cult-classic "Lust in the Dust," with Tab Hunter and Divine, Disney's "The Journey of Natty Gann" and "Delta Force" with Shelly Winters. In 1984, she received a Golden Globe nomination and unanimous critical, acclaim for her true-to-life portrayal of the ultimate Jewish mother in "My Favorite Year," with Peter O'Toole. Other memorable film roles for the versatile actress were the box-office smash "Beaches," and steven Spielberg's hit "Harry and the Hendersons" with John Lithgow. Television audiences have seen Kazan in a wide variety of memorable performances. She received an Emmy Award nomination for her work on NBC's "St. Elsewhere," where she played Howie Mandel's eccentric mother. She won an ACE (Association of Cable Excellence) nomination for her role in the Showtime series "Paper Chase," with John Houseman. She also starred in the CBS sitcom "Tough Cookies," with Robby Benson and in Fox Television's "Karen's Song," with Patty Duke. She's guest-starred in a number of popular television series including "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Hotel" (the pilot episode with Betty Davis), "To Close For Comfort" and "Amazing Stories" (where she played George Gershwin). In addition, she starred as the 'Good Blue Fairy' in Shelly Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre production of "Pinocchio," plus numerous television movies including "Sunset Lainie Limousine" with John Ritter and "Obsessive Love" with Yvette Mimieux. Lainie's contributions to the American theatre have been numerous. She originated the role of Gittel Mosca in "Seesaw" and the role of Crystal in the musical version of Clare Booth Luce's "The Women." She has also performed in New York in "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris," "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" and "Gypsy." Her dramatic stage vehicles include "Plaza Suite," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe," "House of Blue Leaves, " Orpheus Descending" and "A Little Night Music" among many others. She recently appeared in the smash musical "Nunsense" in Boston. Besides all her film, stage and television projects, Kazan continues to tour the country in top nightclubs. Her Cinegrill engagement in just one of many she plans on doing this season. Always a supporter of various charities, last season she received the "Woman of the Year" award from B'nai Brith in Atlanta, GA. Lainie's also there on most occasions to support AIDS benefits, telethons and non-profit organizations throughout the USA. A recent appearance at the annual AIDS Project Los Angeles gala, where she teamed in song with Sara Brightman, brought the house down. The New York Times chimed in "she stole the show." Kazan's alma mater Hofstra University in New York will be establishing an endowment scholarship fund in Lainie's name. Lainie will next toil before cameras in "Cemetery Club" with Diane Ladd, Ellen Burysten, Danny Aiello and Olympia Dukakis. For the future, Lainie, who is a lifelong and active member of The Actors Studio, will continue to juggle her acting career with her singing. An avid yoga enthusiast, she resides in LA with her daughter Jennifer. She frequently returns to New York to visit family and friends and is especially close to her mother, Carole, who still lives in the same apartment in Brooklyn where Lainie grew up.

Now Available On Music Masters Jazz Label Distributed by BMG Music Sample (401k .wav) | Sample (140k .aiff)

Special Attractions | Dance | Visual Theatre | Theatre | | E-Mail | Booking/Performance Information | This site developed and maintained for Arthur Shafman International, Ltd. by Performing Arts Network. ©1996-99, All rights reserved.