Famous Wisconsinites
Selected Famous Natives and Residents (alive and dead)
Selected Famous Natives and Residents (alive and dead)
Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Kaczmarek - Actress; was born Jane Frances Kaczmarek on December 21, 1955 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Kaczmarek grew up in Greendale, a small village outside Milwaukee, where she was raised a Roman Catholic.
Kaczmarek graduated from Greendale High School (The Panthers) and then went on to major in theater at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. During her senior year of college, Kaczmarek taught high school seniors and once said, "that being a teacher is the hardest job there is."
While at the UW, she met fellow Wisconsinite, Tony Shalhoub (Monk), who encouraged her to go into acting. She followed Shalhoub in enrolling at Yale University and performed in the Yale Repertory Company. She earned her master's degree from Yale School of Drama in 1982.
Kaczmarek married fellow Wisconsin native and actor Bradley Whitford (The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) on August 15, 1992.
They lived in Los Angeles with their three children, and both were active with charity. Kaczmarek is the founder of "Clothes Off Our Back" which auctions celebrity clothing for children's charities.
In June 2009, the couple filed for divorce after almost 17 years of marriage and the divorce was finalized in October 2010.
Kaczmarek has appeared on Broadway, in numerous movies, and in over 40 television roles.
Kaczmarek is best known for her role as Lois Wilkerson in the sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle" which had a six year run starting in January 9, 2000.
Kaczmarek would later credit the show for bringing out her comedic side, claiming that before [Malcolm], "I couldn't even get auditions for comedies.
I played very unfunny people."
For her performance as Lois, Kaczmarek was nominated for seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, holding the record of receiving the most Emmy nominations
in this category without ever winning. She also earned three Golden Globe Award nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, and garnered two Television Critics' Association
Awards and the American Comedy Award and Family Television Award in 2001.
For more information on Jane Kaczmarek, visit Wikipedia.
Jane Kaczmarek
Above: Kaczmarek with Bryan Cranston in "Malcolm in the Middle".
Above: Kaczmarek returning to her alma-mater. Theater students at Greendale High School are treated to a trip down memory lane with Kaczmarek.
Above: Kaczmarek during her celebrity interview on the red carpet at the Max Factor Salutes Hollywood Fashion talks about the "Clothes on Our Back" that she founded.
