Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life by William V. Madison
She could act and sing and make people laugh. She had an unmistakable voice and on-stage style. She was gone too early but entertainers the world over – and millions of fans – will always remember Madeline Kahn for her timeless contributions. Is it possible to think of Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein without smiling?
In a new biography, Madeline Kahn: Being the Music, A Life by William V. Madison (University Press of Mississippi, May 2015), the life of a comic genius comes into the spotlight. There’s a lot you might not know; for instance, did you realize that Kahn remained uncertain of her ability throughout her life? She would wonder why people were laughing; she often thought they were laughing at her rather than with her.
Not enough people remember her performances in The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother and Judy Berlin, and she deserves applause for her Tony-winning performance in The Sisters Rosensweig on Broadway. The book also includes interviews with Kahn’s family, friends and colleagues. Lily Tomlin, Carol Burnett, and Gene Wilder all weigh in and later, Wilder offered a quote in reference to Being the Music, A Life:
“Madeline Kahn is the best comic or dramatic actress, the best singer–serious or comic–and the best I’ve worked with, or known in my life.”
Above all, Madison reminds us that Kahn loved to sing, and continued to accept offers for operatic engagements even after she was cemented as a Hollywood star. Kahn told a friend her ongoing ambition was to simply “be the music.” Toss in her unique stage presence – clear and prominent in everything that she did – and her remarkable gift for comedy, and you get one of the most gifted individuals who ever performed.
Madeline Kahn may have left us too early. But she’s still making people laugh and listen to her music.
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