She spent 25 years working as a school librarian before finally deciding to chase the dream she had carried since childhood.
But now, Bunny Levine, the beloved character actress whose decades-long career included memorable appearances in Gilmore Girls, Everybody Loves Raymond, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, Ugly Betty, Raising Hope and La La Land, has died at 97.
She passed away peacefully in her sleep at her California home on August 20, with her death believed to be from natural causes.
Bunny Levine was nearly 60 when she stepped into the acting world — and what followed was an unexpected second act that brought her into the homes of millions of television viewers.
Born Bernice Levine on December 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, she had dreamed of performing from a young age. But life initially took her in another direction. She earned master’s degrees from New York University and Columbia University and devoted decades to education before retiring in 1985.
Then, rather than settling into a quiet retirement, Levine decided to take a chance on herself.
She began auditioning and slowly built an acting career that would last for decades. Her early work included appearances in Cadillac Man and Law & Order, before she began landing increasingly memorable comedic roles.
Age was never going to stop her
One of her first unusual television appearances came on The Dr. Ruth Show, where she played a widow seeking advice about beginning a new relationship.
