Bunny Levine, a prolific character actress with numerous television and film credits, died on Thursday, August 20, at the age of 97. Her death occurred in her sleep at her home in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to NBCLA, which cited the Los Angeles Police Department's response to a report of an unresponsive person. Police indicated that her death appeared to be from natural causes.
Levine's career in entertainment spanned decades, beginning in the late 1980s after she had previously worked as a school librarian for over 20 years. Born on December 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, Levine's early interest in performing led her to initially major in Theater Arts in college before switching to a different degree. After raising her children, she returned to her passion for acting, attending classes and auditions.
"Acting is always what I wanted to do, but it wasn't practical," Levine previously told Mel Magazine. "I wasn't a good young leading lady. I'm short and a little character-y."
Her first professional acting credit was the 1988 horror comedy Slime City. This was followed by roles in the 1990 film Cadillac Man and guest appearances on television shows such as As The World Turns and Law & Order in the late 1990s. She continued to build her resume through the 2000s with roles in Everybody Loves Raymond, where she played a friend of Ray Romano's mother, and notably as Mrs. Thompson on Gilmore Girls in 2004.
Levine's television work included guest spots on Ugly Betty, Private Practice, General Hospital: Night Shift, Community, Criminal Minds, 2 Broke Girls, Raising Hope, Southland, The Middle, New Girl, and The Mindy Project. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed 2016 film La La Land, playing a movie theater cashier. The film received six Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Emma Stone and Best Director for Damien Chazelle.
Her acting credits extended into the 2020s, with roles in Shameless in 2021 and the comedic drama Thelma in 2024. Her acting work was set to continue through 2026 with projects including the movie The Cure and the short film Achiever.
Levine relocated from New York to Los Angeles after the passing of her husband, Bernard, in 2003, which facilitated her increased booking of acting roles in commercials and other projects.
