Jane Kaczmarek
Edit
Enlarge Image
Early Life and Education
Jane Frances Kaczmarek was born on December 21, 1955, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Evelyn and Edward Kaczmarek. Her mother, Evelyn, was a schoolteacher, while her father, Edward, worked for the U.S. Department of Defense. Raised in Greendale, Wisconsin, Jane pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she earned a degree in theater arts in 1979. She later continued her passion for drama by studying at the Yale School of Drama, where she became involved with the university’s theater company.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 21 Dec, 1955
- Age
- 64 yrs
- Occupations
- Television actor
Film actor
Stage actor
Voice actor
Show all facts
- Citizenship
- United States of America
- Birth Place
- Milwaukee
- Education
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
Yale School of Drama - Gender
- Female
- Description
- American actress
- Spouse
- Bradley Whitford[1992-2009]
- Net Worth 2021
- 9 million
People Mentioned in This Biography
Early Career and Television Work
Following her education, Kaczmarek began appearing on television in the early 1980s. One of her first roles was as Margie Spoleto in the TV movie For Lovers Only. She gained traction in the late 1980s with roles in dramas such as The Paper Chase: The Second Year, Hill Street Blues, and Equal Justice, where her portrayal of Linda Bauer brought her considerable acclaim and led to additional television opportunities. Her early film appearances include supporting roles in Falling in Love (1984) and The Heavenly Kid (1985).
Breakthrough with Malcolm in the Middle
In the 1990s, Kaczmarek remained active on television, appearing in shows such as Law & Order, Picket Fences, Frasier, Touched by an Angel, The Practice, and Party of Five. Her roles in Cybill and Felicity helped pave the way for her to land her most iconic role as Lois Wilkerson, the spirited and strict mother in the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Her performance resonated with audiences, earning her widespread recognition and critical praise.
For her portrayal of Lois, Kaczmarek received seven Primetime Emmy nominations, three Golden Globe nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, two Television Critics Association Awards, the American Comedy Award, and the Family Television Award. In 1998, she appeared in the film Pleasantville, playing the mother of Tobey Maguire’s character alongside Reese Witherspoon.
