Louise Lasser (April 11, 1939 – July 6, 2026) was an American actress, television writer, and performing arts teacher and director. She is known for her portrayal of the title character on the soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Lasser made her Broadway debut in the musical I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1962). She was married to Woody Allen from 1966 until 1970 and acted in several of his early films including Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1971). Lasser hosted Saturday Night Live in 1976 and had guest roles on The Bob Newhart Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, Laverne and Shirley, and St. Elsewhere.
Profile Summary
| Date of Birth | April 11, 1939 |
| Place of Birth | New York City, U.S. |
| Date of Death | July 6, 2026 (aged 87) |
| Place of Death | New York City, U.S. |
| Education | Brandeis University |
| Occupations | Actress; Television Writer; Teacher; Director |
| Spouse | Woody Allen (m. 1966; div. 1970) |
Early life and Education
Born in New York City, Lasser was the only child of Paula Lasser (née Cohen) and Sol Jay Lasser. Her father wrote and published the Everyone’s Income Tax Guide series in the 1970s and 1980s. Louise did not fully embrace her Jewish heritage until later in life. Her mother’s emotional instability led to a 1961 suicide attempt that was thwarted by Louise herself. Her mother vowed to never forgive Lasser for her actions; after divorcing her husband, she committed suicide in 1964. Sol Jay Lasser later also died by suicide.
Lasser studied political science at Brandeis University for three years.
Age
Louise was born on April 11, 1939 in New York City, U.S.
Personal life
Lasser married Woody Allen in 1966. Although the couple divorced in 1970, she appeared in five of his films from 1966 to 1980. She said of working with Allen, “I think he’s very talented, and really funny, and really serious”. She lived in Manhattan, and ran the Louise Lasser Acting Studio on the Upper East Side.
In the spring of 1976 in Los Angeles, Lasser was arrested at a charity boutique, and police found $6 worth (88 milligrams) of cocaine in her purse. Authorities were called after Lasser’s American Express card was denied and Lasser refused to leave without possession of a $150 dollhouse. Lasser was initially apprehended for two unpaid traffic tickets (one for jaywalking), but the officers then found the drug in her handbag. Lasser claimed the cocaine had been given to her several months earlier by a fan. Ultimately, Lasser was ordered to do six months in counseling, which was easily satisfied because she was already seeing an analyst. A fictionalized version of the dollhouse incident was also incorporated into Mary Hartman’s first season.
Death
Lasser died at her home in Manhattan, on July 6, 2026, at the age of 87. She was survived by her longtime partner, film producer Michael Citriniti.
Legacy and influence
Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman offers “Kitchen Sink Theater of the Absurd” featuring a Candide-esque TV-watching housewife who, in one signature episode, brings a sick neighbor a bowl of chicken soup, only to have him fall asleep and drown in it. “I have actually taken a human life with my chicken soup,” Mary laments. While some called the production ahead of its time, Lasser pointed out that this post-Watergate, existential satirical comedy-drama also reflects its time period perfectly.
As author Claire Barliant writes: “For some, the 1970s…was a descent into chaos, a dissolution of self, but also a kind of awakening….The Seventies’ nervous breakdown coincides with women’s lib and a strengthening gay rights movement…. [Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman] is relevant today because it entertains but still shocks, because the social commentary and satire and bravery of the show are as fresh as ever.” Moreover, Lasser as the series’ figurehead aptly embodies both the insanity and enlightenment of the epoch.
In 2000, Lasser appeared on a panel with her former Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman cast and crew members at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. The seminar, entitled Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: Reunion, Reunion, was moderated by Steven A. Bell and taped for the museum archives.
In 2004 and 2007, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was ranked No. 21 and No. 26 on TV Guide’s Top Cult Shows Ever.
Awards and recognition
In 1967, Lasser became the first woman to win a Clio Award for Best Actress in a Commercial. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble for her participation in the film Happiness.
Net Worth
Like many esteemed character actors of her era, Lasser’s exact lifetime net worth was not publicly disclosed
