For 25 years, she worked in a school library before choosing to pursue the ambition she had held since she was a child. Bunny Levine became an admired character performer over a long career. Her memorable credits stretched from Gilmore Girls and Everybody Loves Raymond to Law & Order, Criminal Minds, Ugly Betty, Raising Hope, and La La Land. She has died at 97.
Levine died peacefully while sleeping at her California residence on August 20. Her death is believed to have resulted from natural causes.
She was almost 60 when she entered the acting profession. What came next was a surprising new chapter that eventually brought her performances into the homes of millions of television viewers.
Born Bernice Levine in East Orange, New Jersey, on December 22, 1928, she had wanted to perform from an early age. Life, however, first led her down a different road. She completed master’s degrees at both New York University and Columbia University, then dedicated decades of her life to education before retiring in 1985.
Instead of accepting a quiet retirement, Levine decided to believe in herself and take a risk. She started attending auditions and gradually created an acting career that would continue for decades. Her initial credits included Cadillac Man and Law & Order, after which she began securing increasingly distinctive comedy parts.
Age could never hold her back
One of Levine’s first unconventional television appearances was on The Dr. Ruth Show. She portrayed a widow looking for guidance about starting another relationship. Recalling the part in a 2021 interview, Levine explained that Dr. Ruth offered her character advice about becoming comfortable with her first romance after widowhood.
She also laughed about how the performance briefly puzzled people who knew her personally, since her real husband was still living at the time.
Levine eventually built a reputation for accepting characters that could be humorous, surprising, and occasionally outrageous. Her appearances included Chappelle’s Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, and Shameless. Each role demonstrated that growing older would not prevent her from tackling something new. She once observed that she apparently came across as funny on camera, although she could not explain the reason.
Her list of credits kept expanding well into her 90s. She appeared in Thelma in 2024 and later worked on The Upshaws and The Cure. Her manager said Levine was continuing to audition and perform as recently as June.
To Levine, acting represented more than the pursuit of recognition. She also cared deeply about helping other people enter the profession. In 1991, she and her husband, Bernie, established Actors Connection in New York City. The organization was created to assist aspiring actors with coaching, casting guidance, and opportunities to form professional connections.
Bernie passed away in 2003 after the couple had shared 53 years of marriage.
How Bunny Levine died
Manager Brandon Kjar confirmed that Bunny Levine passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Tarzana, California, on August 20. Police believe natural causes were responsible for her death.
In a statement, Levine’s relatives said her contributions to education and entertainment had inspired both admiration and affection in many people.
Actors Connection also honored its cofounder after her passing. The organization credited Levine’s commitment to supporting performers with helping launch innumerable careers. Its tribute thanked Bunny for building a lively community devoted to the fellow artists she had always cared about and wished her a peaceful rest.
Levine is survived by her children, Marty, Francie, and Joe, along with her grandchildren, Robin and Jeffrey.
Her remarkable life serves as a reminder that a dream placed aside for many years may still be waiting—and that starting over is never necessarily too late. Rest peacefully, Bunny Levine.
