Lenny Baker, Lou Jacobi & Helen Hanft

Helen Hanft Born April 4, 1934 The Bronx, New York, U.S. Died May 30, 2013 (aged 79) New York, New York, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1960–2013 Helen Hanft (April 4, 1934 – May 30, 2013) was an American actress. Life and career Hanft was born in The Bronx, the eldest of three daughters born to Esther and Benjamin Hanft. Her father was a prominent public relations executive for several national Jewish organizations. Hanft was persuaded by her father to audition for the High School of Performing Arts, now part of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and she won admission. Hanft started her theatrical career in the early 1960s during the Golden Age of experimental theater at such venues as La MaMa E.T.C. and Caffe Cino, and in a few years she became known as "the Ethel Merman of off-off Broadway" for her comedic talent. She often played eccentric, flamboyant, raunchy characters in many successful plays like Tom Eyen's Why Hanna's Skirt Won't Stay Down, The White W**** and the Bit Player (she also appeared in the Cannon Films version of the play), Areatha in the Ice Palace, My Next Husband Will Be a Beauty, Give My Regards to Off Off Broadway, Women Behind Bars, Italian American Reconciliation, and The Neon Woman (the last co-starring Divine). She had great success in the David Rabe play In the Boom Boom Room at Joseph Papp's Public Theater. She appeared in many Off-Off Broadway plays by Tom Eyen. and Stephen Holt. She appeared in "The Dirty Little Girl with the Paper Flower in Her Hair Is Demented", "Who Killed My Bald Sister Sophie", "Reety in Hell", "The Kitty Glitter Story", "Stoop", "Bambi Levine, Please Shut Up!", and as Judy Garland dying in her bathroom in "London Loo". She appeared as herself in two documentary features, Beautiful Darling about Candy Darlng, and I Am Divine, about the life of the performer Divine. In the middle 1970s Hanft began appearing in movies, sometimes in cameo roles, including the Woody Allen films Manhattan (1979), Stardust Memories (1980), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) and Allen's segment from New York Stories (1989). She was also a favorite of Paul Mazursky, who cast her in Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976) and Willie & Phil (1980). Other film appearances include Arthur (1981), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Moonstruck (1987), License to Drive (1988), Coming to America (1988) and Used People (1992). In the late 1990s she began appearing on episodes of Law & Order, while continuing to make the occasional stage appearance in New York City. Personal life Her husband, William Landers, predeceased her, as did her younger sister, Alice. She is survived by her other sister, Sarah Comma. Death Helen Hanft died on May 30, 2013 of a post-surgical intestinal blockage, in Manhattan.

Leonard “Lenny” Baker (January 17, 1945 – April 12, 1982) was an American actor of stage and film and screen best known for his Tony Award-winning performance in "I Love My Wife" in 1977. Biography Early years Baker was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Bertha and William Baker. A 1962 graduate of Brookline High School, he received his college degree from Boston University, and performed in regional theater. He spent several summers at the O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut. Career Baker appeared Off Broadway in plays such as Conerico Was Here to Stay, Paradise Gardens East, The Year Boston Won the Pennant, and Summertree, debuting on Broadway in 1974 in The Freedom of the City, performing in repertory in Secret Service and Boy Meets Girl, and in Pericles, Prince of Tyre, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Henry V and Measure for Measure with the Joseph Papp New York Shakespeare Festival. He devoted himself to the production of new plays at The O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference where he worked with Werner Liepolt and many other young playwrights. He was highly praised by critics Clive Barnes and Walter Kerr and won the Tony Award for his performance in "I LOVE MY WIFE" In the course of his career Baker appeared in a number of television shows, such as Kojak, Starsky and Hutch, The Rockford Files, and Taxi. Far and away most prominent amongst his film roles, which included The Hospital and The Paper Chase, was Next Stop, Greenwich Village, for which he was widely praised by critics and for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Personal life Baker's career was cut short by illness. Throat problems led to him leaving the cast of the pre-Broadway show Broadway, Broadway in 1978, and his final television performances were in 1979. He died on April 12, 1982 of cancer, He had two brothers, Alan and Malcolm. Work Stage Broadway The Freedom of the City – Alvin Theatre, 1974 Secret Service – Playhouse Theatre, 1976 – Henry Dumont Boy Meets Girl – Playhouse Theatre, 1976 – Robert Law I Love My Wife – Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 1977 – Alvin Off Broadway Conerico Was Here to Stay – Fortune Theatre, 1969 – Young Man Summertree - Players Theatre, 1969 - Young Man Paradise Gardens East – Fortune Theatre, 1969 – Brother The Year Boston Won the Pennant – Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, 1969 – Dillinger/Peabody Barbary Shore – Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, 1973 – Mike Lovett Pericles, Prince of Tyre – Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, 1974 – Thailard/Knight of Ephesus/Boult The Merry Wives of Windsor – Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, 1974 – Abraham Slender Henry V – Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, 1976 – Dauphin Measure for Measure – oseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, 1976 – Lucio Television The Teaching, 1970 – Samuel Golden Pueblo, 1973 – Ensign T.L. Harris Kojak: "Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die", 1974 – Joyce Harrington Sunshine: "White Bread and Margarine", 1975 – Jinx Secret Service – Henry Dumont, 1977 The Rubber Gun Squad, 1977 – Eddie Starsky and Hutch: "Ninety Pounds of Trouble", 1979 – Damon The Rockford Files: "Only Rock 'n' Roll Will Never Die" Parts 1 and 2, 1979 – Ronny Martz Taxi: "Latka's Revolting", 1979 – Baschi Film The Hospital, 1971 – Dr. Schaefer A.W.O.L., 1972 – Sidney Feitel Malatesta's Carnival of Blood, 1973 – Sonja The Paper Chase, 1973 – William Moss Next Stop, Greenwich Village, 1976 – Larry Lapinsky