Bunny Levine, 'Gilmore Girls' and 'La La Land' Actress, Dies at 97
Bunny Levine, the character actress who found a second career playing memorable small roles in "Gilmore Girls," "La La Land" and dozens of other TV shows and films, has died at 97.
Levine died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Tarzana, California, on Thursday, Aug. 20, her manager, Brandon Kjar, confirmed. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to her home that morning after receiving a report of an unresponsive person, and police said her death appeared to be from natural causes.
A Career That Began After Retirement
Born Bernice Utal on Dec. 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, Levine developed an interest in acting and performing at a young age, taking part in school and local theater productions. Rather than pursuing acting professionally right away, she earned master's degrees from New York University and Columbia University and spent 25 years working as a school librarian while raising her three children.
After retiring, Levine began taking acting classes and auditioning for roles. Her acting career accelerated further following the 2003 death of her husband, Bernard Levine, after which she moved to Los Angeles to pursue performing full time. Kjar described her to The Hollywood Reporter, saying, "She was a great and fearless actress and such a nice lady."
A Prolific Run of Guest Roles
Levine went on to build an extensive résumé of television guest appearances spanning more than two decades, including roles on "Law & Order," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Ugly Betty," "Private Practice," "Criminal Minds," "2 Broke Girls," "Raising Hope," "Southland," "New Girl," "Community," "The Mindy Project" and "Fuller House."
On "Gilmore Girls," Levine played Mrs. Thompson, a landlord who upsets Luke, played by Scott Patterson, by informing him he has to move his boat out of a garage she owns because she's moving into a nursing home and renting the property to someone else. She also played Mrs. McCurdy on "Shameless" and Hilda on "Everybody Loves Raymond."
In film, Levine appeared in the 2016 Oscar-winning musical "La La Land" as a movie theater cashier, alongside several collaborations with Adam Sandler, including "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," "Sandy Wexler" and "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah." She remained active well into her nineties, appearing in "The Invisible Raptor," "Sacramento" and "Thelma," and according to The Hollywood Reporter, she was still auditioning for roles as recently as this past June.
Family Remembers Her Legacy in Education and Performance
In a statement shared by her family, Levine was remembered for the impact she had both in and out of the entertainment industry: "Bunny inspired affection and admiration in many people with her work in education and performance." The statement continued, "She acted in numerous TV and film roles and also co-founded, with her adored husband of 53 years, Bernie Levine, the Actors Connection in New York City," noting the couple used the organization to support other actors advancing their careers.
Levine is survived by her children, Marty, Francie and Joe, and her grandchildren, Robin and Jeffrey.
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