Bunny Levine, the veteran character actress who chased her Hollywood dream after spending 25 years as a school librarian, has died. She was 97.
Levine died peacefully in her sleep Thursday at her home in Tarzana, California, manager Brandon Kjar confirmed to CBS News.
Kjar said Levine continued auditioning for roles into her final months and last worked in June.
“Bunny inspired affection and admiration in many people with her work in education and performance,” Levine’s family said in a statement to CBS News.
Levine built an extensive television and film career after pursuing acting later in life. Her credits included “Gilmore Girls,” “Law & Order,” “Raising Hope” and the Oscar-winning musical “La La Land.”
Her later work included the 2023 film “The Invisible Raptor,” along with Michael Angarano’s “Sacramento” and “Thelma,” both released in 2024. Bunny Levine also appeared in the final season of “The Upshaws” and “The Cure” in 2026.
“She was a great and fearless actress and such a nice lady. What a full life. She will be missed,” her agent Mike Eisenstadt told CBS News in an emailed statement.
POLL: Was Karoline Leavitt Trump’s Best Press Secretary?
Born Dec. 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, Levine dreamed of becoming a performer from a young age. She initially took a different path, earning master’s degrees from New York University and Columbia University before working as a school librarian for a quarter-century, according to her IMDb biography.
Levine began auditioning after retiring from education, finally turning her long-delayed dream into a successful screen career.
She also dedicated herself to helping other performers. Levine and her husband of 53 years, Bernie Levine, founded Actors Connection in New York City in 1991.
“Her passion for helping actors has launched countless careers,” the organization said in a statement after Levine’s death. “Thank you Bunny for creating such a vibrant community to serve the fellow artists you have always loved — may you rest in sweet peace!”
Levine is survived by her children, Marty, Francie and Joe, and her grandchildren, Robin and Jeffrey.
POLL: Ilhan Omar Now Claims She’s Broke – Do You Believe Her?
