Madeline Kahn Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wolfson

Madeline Gail Wolfson was born in Boston, to Paula Kahn and Bernard Wolfson. Once she graduated from college, she started to pursue acting. She decided, at that point in time, to take her mother's last name.


Madeline's parents divorced when she was still a toddler. She has two half siblings, one from her father and the other from her mother. Her siblings' names are Jeffrey and Robyn.

Answer: Young Frankenstein

In this hilarious movie, Madeline played Dr. Frederick Frankenstein's fiancee, Elizabeth. Frederick was headed to Transylvania to get his inheritance. His grandfather had recently passed away and left his home to Frederick. Frederick was attempting to say goodbye to Elizabeth, but she kept turning him away. She was headed to a party and wouldn't let him kiss, hug, or even touch her. Frederick was pulling off on the train, he blew her a kiss and she even dodged that. Frederick fell in love with his assistant, Inga. Elizabeth came to visit and fell in love with Frederick's creation. She did not hesitate to let the creature touch her.

"Young Frankenstein" was released in 1974. It had a stellar cast including Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, and Cloris Leachman among others. This is one of my all time favorite movies due to the comedy and the cast. I saw the musical version of the film in 2010 and it was true to the movie.

Answer: Paper Moon

Madeline played the role of Trixie Delight in this 1973 movie. It was the story of a con artist, played by Ryan O'Neal, who befriended a young girl. The girl, Addie Loggins (played by Tatum O'Neal), had just lost her mother. Addie thought Moses was her father, but Moses denied it. Addie soon discovered Moses was a con man and joined him in his scams. Moses met an exotic dancer, Trixie Delight, on their journey to Addie's aunt's house. It was clear that Addie was jealous of Moses and Trixie's relationship. Moses caught Trixie in bed with another man and left her behind.

This was Madeline's first of two nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The second was for the Mel Brooks directed movie "Blazing Saddles". Madeline's co-star, Tatum O'Neal won the Academy Award that year. Tatum was at that point in time the youngest person to win an Academy Award.

Answer: A Bug's Life

The movie was a Disney and Pixar collaboration. Flik, a member of an ant colony, set out to find warrior bugs to help defeat the grasshoppers. The ants had to gather food for the grasshoppers every season, but due to an accident all the food was lost. Flik ventured out and found what he thought were warrior bugs. They were, in actuality, a circus performance group. Flik brought the bugs back to the colony and, shortly after, the performers learned what they were there for. The performing bugs did reluctantly help the ants get rid of the grasshoppers. They built a large bird out of tree parts and leaves, that they used to scare the grasshoppers away.

The movie had a stellar cast including Kahn, who voiced the part of Gypsy Moth. She was the magician's assistant in the circus bugs' performance act. Gypsy was also the wife of Manny, the Praying Mantis. The film also featured the talents of Dave Foley and Brad Garrett. The film was released in 1998.

Answer: Speech Therapy

Madeline attended Hofstra University in the Village of Hempstead, New York. She attended the university on a scholarship which she received for drama. While at the university she studied drama, music, and speech therapy. According to Wikipedia, Madeline changed her major a few times. She graduated in 1964, with a degree in speech therapy.

I can only imagine how this degree helped her in her acting career. It must have come in very handy when she had to master a certain speech pattern for her many roles.

Answer: Mrs. White was blamed for the mysterious death of her husband.

Madeline played the role of Mrs. White in this all star comedy movie. All the guests were being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy. In one scene, the guests were having dinner in the dining hall and the lights went out. The lights were turned back on and we saw the dead Mr. Boddy. The movie was hilarious and had several different endings.

The film starred Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, and Lesley Ann Warren, to name a few. The movie was released in 1985 and was directed by Jonathan Lynn. This is still one of my all time favorite movies, just because of the comic workings of the cast. The female leads alone were enough for me to see the movie over and over again. When I first heard of the movie being made I wondered how they were going to pull it off. I didn't understand how they could make a movie based on a board game. The director, along with the stellar cast, pulled it off, in my opinion.

Answer: Teacher

Madeline briefly taught school in Levittown, New York. She then started her acting career with a role in the musical "Kiss Me, Kate". She was one of the chorus girls. Madeline had several stages roles before her big screen debut in 1972. Madeline, along with Ryan O'Neal, starred in "What's Up, Doc?".

This was the first of two times Madeline worked with Ryan. The second for Madeline and Ryan was in "Paper Moon".

Answer: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother

This was the third movie Madeline did with Gene Wilder. Madeline played a wannabe opera singer. Jenny, along with Sgt. Orville Stanley Sacker, helped Sigerson Holmes solve a case. Sgt. Orville Stanley Sacker was played by Marty Feldman, another comic genius.


Madeline, to me, was at the top of her game in the movies around this time period. She was always surrounded by comic genuis, whether it be Mel Brooks or Gene Wilder. She excelled at any role she was in. I truly believe she should have been a bigger star. She had impeccable comic timing and a great singing voice as well.

Answer: Wife

Betty was Captain Yellowbeard's wife in this hilarious comedy from 1983. Betty and Captain Yellowbeard had a son together, Dan. Betty did not tell Captain Yellowbeard that he had a son because she thought he would never get out of prison. Captain Yellowbeard went to get a treasure map he had left with his estranged wife. She told him she had burned the original, but had it tattooed on their son's head before she did. The reluctant father and son set out to find the treasure.

Betty had all these romantic memories of Captain Yellowbeard and herself. She would describe a romantic evening they had together. Captain Yellowbeard would then say how it wasn't romantic, that he'd raped her. It was just funny the way they both interpreted the same event. The comic workings between Madeline and Graham Chapman were nothing short of genuis. This movie had a stellar cast of comic geniuses. I always felt it should have been more of a success.

Answer: Ovarian

Sadly, Madeline passed away from ovarian cancer in 1999. Shortly before she passed she married her long time companion. Madeline and John Hansbury were married a very short two months before the cancer took her. Madeline was only 57 years old when she passed away.

She left behind a legacy to be proud of. Her works, in my opinion, were some of the best of the genre. I love sitting down and watching her performance in "Yellowbeard" or "Young Frankenstein". She is dearly missed by all of her fans and will never be forgotten.