Louise Lasser, the demure, soft-spoken comedienne best known as Woody Allen‘s first leading lady and as the title character on the television satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has died. She was 87.
Lasser died Monday of natural causes at her home in Manhattan on the Upper East Side, her best friend, Susan Charlotte, told The Hollywood Reporter.
With her reserved demeanor, calming voice and toothy smile, Lasser, who was married to Allen from 1966-70, proved to be a perfect balance to his neurotic, nebbish film persona.
She was with him at the start of his movie career for the 1966 quirky cult classic What’s Up Tiger Lily?, when Allen took an obscure Japanese spy thriller, tossed the soundtrack and recorded all new dialogue that nonsensically told of the quest for the world’s best egg-salad recipe. Lasser provided the voice for the heroine Suki Yaki.
Lasser next played her husband’s love interest in Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1971). Their final film together was Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) — Allen’s comic take on the best-selling 1960s how-to guide.
