Bunny Levine, an actress known for her roles in the television series "Gilmore Girls" and the film "La La Land," has died at the age of 97. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday at her home in Tarzana, California, according to reports. Police responded to her residence and indicated that her death appeared to be from natural causes.
Levine, born in East Orange, New Jersey, on December 22, 1928, had a significant earlier career as a school librarian and teacher in Teaneck, New Jersey, for approximately 25 years. She did not embark on her Hollywood career until the late 1980s, when she was nearly 60 years old.
Her acting credits include appearances on popular television shows such as "Gilmore Girls," where she played Mrs. Thompson, and "Everybody Loves Raymond." She also featured in "Law & Order," "Ugly Betty," "Criminal Minds," "New Girl," and "Shameless," among others.
On the big screen, Levine had a role as a movie theater cashier in the 2016 musical "La La Land." Her film work also includes appearances in Adam Sandler's "You Don’t Mess With the Zohan" (2008), "Sandy Wexler" (2017), and "You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah" (2023). Levine continued to work into her mid-90s, with her final roles including a part in the last season of "The Upshaws" and Mrs. Polanski in the upcoming film "The Cure."
Levine's first professional acting credit was in the 1988 horror-comedy "Slime City." She attended East Orange High School and later graduated from Washington State University in 1951. After returning to New Jersey to work as an educator and raise her three children with her husband, Bernard, she moved to Los Angeles after his death in 2003. It was in Los Angeles that she began pursuing acting professionally, booking commercials and securing acting jobs.
Levine often spoke about her late start in acting, a passion she had held since childhood. She described finding happiness in pursuing her lifelong dream, telling the Daily Evergreen in March 2025, "I feel very blessed to have been able to get back to what I had always wanted since early memory. I wish that everyone could find that happiness."