Gilda Radner

Actor

About

Birth Place

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Born

June 28, 1946

Died

May 20, 1989

Cause of Death

Ovarian Cancer

Biography

Filmography

Making Trouble: Three Generations of Funny Jewish Women (2007)

Haunted Honeymoon (1986)

Movers And Shakers (1985)

Livia Machado

The Woman in Red (1984)

It Came From Hollywood (1982)

Hanky-Panky (1982)

Photos & Videos

View All

First Family (1980) -- (Movie Clip) Meet A Nice Tall Average Blonde Guy

First Family (1980) -- (Movie Clip) The President Is Not A Depraved Half-Wit

Family & Companions

G E Smith

Husband

Guitarist. Married April, 1980, divorced 1982; conductor and lead guitarist with "Saturday Night Live" band from 1986-1995.

Gene Wilder

Husband

Actor; director. Married September 18, 1984 until Radner's death.

Bibliography

"It's Always Something"

Gilda Radner, Simon & Schuster (1988)

"Roseanne Roseannadanna's Hey, Get Back to Work Book"

Gilda Radner (1983)

Biography

This gifted comedy star with a flair for outlandish characterizations was born into a wealthy Detroit family. Radner took off early and found success as a comic in Canada, then on TV's "Saturday Night Live" as its premiere female star. With such characters as Roseanne Roseannadanna, Emily Litella and Baba Wawa, she became America's Sweetheart in the late 1970s. Radner met actor Gene Wilder while filming the movie "Hanky Panky," and they married in France on September 18, 1984. Her career was cut short by a long, painful and bravely waged battle with ovarian cancer, which she chronicled in her posthumously-published autobiography, "It's Always Something." Her last appearance was on the HBO TV comedy "It's Garry Shandling's Show" in 1988, playing herself. She was survived by her husband, who started the cancer support group Gilda's Friends (subsequently renamed Gilda's Club).

Filmography

Life Events

1972

Stage debut, "Godspell" in Toronto, Canada

1973

First film appearance in bit part in "The Last Detail"

1973

Joined Toronto's Second City comedy group

1974

Went to New York; wrote for and performed on on radio in "The National Lampoon Radio Hour"

1975

Off-Broadway debut, "National Lampoon Show"

1975

Television acting debut as regular on "Saturday Night Live"

1979

Film acting debut in "Mr. Mike's Mondo Video"

1979

Broadway acting debut in "Gilda Radner--Live From New York" (also co-writer)

1980

Wrote and starred in the concert film, "Gilda Live"

1986

Last feature film, "Haunted Honeymoon"

2003

On June 27th, Radner received a STAR on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Videos

First Family (1980) -- (Movie Clip) Meet A Nice Tall Average Blonde Guy First scene for Madeline Kahn as first lady Constance Link, with Gilda Radner as daughter Gloria, who’s just been thwarted by the Secret Service in what is apparently one of many inept attempts at a tryst, in writer-director Buck Henry’s First Family, 1980, starring Bob Newhart as the president.

First Family (1980) -- (Movie Clip) The President Is Not A Depraved Half-Wit Opening with Bob Newhart as president Manfred Link delivering a State Of The Union address, though from the oval office, William Sylvester the TV commentator, Roger Bowen the senator, Gilda Radner, whom we’ll learn is the president’s daughter, busted by the Secret Service, in writer-director Buck Henry’s First Family, 1980.

First Family (1980) -- (Movie Clip) Can I Deny Something? A forerunner of the walk-and-talk scenes known from The West Wing and other TV shows, Bob Newhart the president, Madeline Kahn the first lady, Fred Willard the aide Feebleman, Richard Benjamin the press secretary, Gilda Radner the daughter attempting another escape, in writer-director Buck Henry’s First Family, 1980.

Last Detail, The - (Original Trailer) Two shore patrolmen decide to show a prisoner a good time on his way to the brig in The Last Detail (1973) starring Jack Nicholson and Randy Quaid.

Family

Herman Radner

Father

Hotel proprietor. Died when Gilda was aged 14.

Henrietta Radner

Mother

Born 1905.

Michael Radner

Brother

Investor. Older; born c. 1941.

Companions

G E Smith

Husband

Guitarist. Married April, 1980, divorced 1982; conductor and lead guitarist with "Saturday Night Live" band from 1986-1995.

Gene Wilder

Husband

Actor; director. Married September 18, 1984 until Radner's death.

Bibliography

"It's Always Something"

Gilda Radner, Simon & Schuster (1988)

"Roseanne Roseannadanna's Hey, Get Back to Work Book"

Gilda Radner (1983)

About

Biography

Filmography

Photos & Videos

Family & Companions

Bibliography

Biography

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Writer (Feature Film)

Music (Feature Film)

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

Cast (Special)

Music (Special)

Life Events

1972

1973

1973

1974

1975

1975

1979

1979

1980

1986

2003

Videos

Movie Clip

Trailer

Family

Companions

Bibliography

TCM Emails