Laraine Newman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laraine Newman
Newman in 2011
Born	(1952-03-02) March 2, 1952 (age 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress comedian writer
Years active	1975–present
Known for	Saturday Night Live
Spouse(s)	Chad Einbinder ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2016)​
Children	2, including Hannah Einbinder

Laraine Newman (born March 2, 1952) is a famous American actress, comedian, and writer. She was one of the very first cast members of the popular TV show Saturday Night Live (SNL). She joined SNL when it started in 1975 and stayed until 1980.

Laraine became interested in acting and comedy while in high school. After graduating, she even studied mime in Paris for a year! Later, she helped start a comedy group called The Groundlings in Los Angeles. She was first hired by Lorne Michaels, who created SNL. In 2017, she and the other original SNL cast members were honored in the Television Hall of Fame.

You might have seen her in movies like Coneheads and The Flintstones. She is also a well-known voice actor in many animated films, including Pixar's Finding Nemo, WALL-E, Up, and Inside Out. In 2021, she released her memoir, May You Live in Interesting Times, as an audiobook.

Laraine is the younger sister of writer and musician Tracy Newman. Her children, Hannah Einbinder and Spike Einbinder, are also actors and comedians.

Laraine Newman's Early Life and Family

Laraine Newman was born on March 2, 1952, in Los Angeles, California. Her family is Jewish, and she is the youngest of four children. She even has a twin brother named Paul! Her sister, Tracy Newman, is a television writer who has won an Emmy Award.

Laraine went to Beverly Hills High School and finished there in 1970. She married actor and writer Chad Einbinder in 1991. They were married for 25 years and have two children, Spike and Hannah. Both of her children have followed in her footsteps and become actors and comedians.

A song called "Never Let Her Slip Away" by Andrew Gold was written about Laraine. They were a couple at the time, and the song became a big hit in the UK in 1978.

Becoming a Performer

Laraine Newman started taking improv classes when she was just 15 years old. After high school, she tried out for several acting schools in England, but she wasn't accepted. So, she decided to go to Paris to study mime with the famous Marcel Marceau for a year.

When she was 19, Laraine came back to the United States and moved to Los Angeles. She briefly worked at a secretarial school, but she was determined to keep performing. She became a founding member of The Groundlings, a very important comedy improv group. At the same time, she also worked for a booking agent who handled rock bands.

Laraine says that comedians like Eve Arden, Madeline Kahn, and Richard Pryor were her biggest inspirations. She felt they helped her understand "The Art of Play" and led her into her comedy career.

Starring on Saturday Night Live

In 1974, Lorne Michaels saw Laraine's talent with The Groundlings and hired her for a Lily Tomlin TV special. Just a year later, in 1975, she became one of the original cast members of NBC's Saturday Night Live. She was on the show for five years, until 1980.

During her time on SNL, Laraine became good friends with her co-star Gilda Radner. The show became an instant success, and Laraine quickly became famous. She even recalled meeting John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York City, who introduced themselves to her!

Laraine has said that she wasn't always great at improvising on the spot. However, when she played a character, like an angry Jewish poet, a flight attendant, or a British groupie, she felt "free." She loved how the audience reacted to her characters, making her feel connected to them.

Famous Characters on Saturday Night Live

Laraine Newman is well-known for creating several memorable characters on SNL. One of her most famous roles was Connie Conehead, a strange alien with a cone-shaped head. She also played Sherry, a very early version of a "Valley girl" character. Another popular character was Christie Christina, the silly co-host of a public access TV show with Dan Aykroyd's character, E. Buzz Miller.

Laraine also played a TV news reporter for the "Weekend Update" segment. She usually preferred to create new characters rather than repeating old ones. When asked about her favorite SNL character, she mentioned Lina Wertmüller, a character based on a real film director.

Laraine Newman's Career After SNL

After leaving Saturday Night Live, Laraine Newman continued her career in both live-action films and television. She also became a very busy voice actor.

1980s and 1990s

In the 1980s, Laraine appeared in movies like Stardust Memories, Wholly Moses, and Invaders from Mars. She also starred in a comedy series called The Canned Film Festival. She made guest appearances on TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley and Amazing Stories.

In the 1990s, Laraine played the bad guy in Problem Child 2 (1991). She also had a small role in the 1993 movie Coneheads, even though another actress played Connie Conehead in that film. She appeared in episodes of popular shows like Friends, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and 7th Heaven. During this time, she started focusing more on voice acting for cartoons like The Tick, Histeria!, CatDog, and Rugrats.

2000s and Beyond: Voice Acting Star

In the 2000s, Laraine Newman became a very sought-after voice actor for animated movies and TV shows. She lent her voice to characters in films like Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., WALL-E, Up, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Horton Hears a Who!.

She also voiced many characters in animated TV series such as Danny Phantom, As Told By Ginger, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Metalocalypse. She continued to appear in live-action TV shows like Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

In the 2010s, her voice work continued with movies like Dr. Seuss' The Lorax and Wreck-It Ralph. She made guest voice appearances in SpongeBob SquarePants and Doc McStuffins. She also voices Queen Jipjorrulac in The Fairly OddParents. In 2017, she was inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live.

Writing Career

Besides acting, Laraine Newman is also a writer and editor. She writes for the online magazine One For The Table and has contributed to Huffington Post. Her articles have also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and The Believer. In March 2021, she released her audio memoir, May You Live in Interesting Times.

Awards and Recognition

Laraine Newman has been nominated for several awards throughout her career.

See also

In Spanish: Laraine Newman para niños