Bunny Levine, a veteran character actress who built a prolific screen career after retiring from a decades-long career as a school librarian and teacher, has died at 97.
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Levine died peacefully in her sleep on August 20 at her home in Tarzana, California. Her manager, Brandon Kjar, announced the news to PEOPLE. The Los Angeles Police Department said her death appeared to stem from natural causes.
Born Bernice Levine in New Jersey in 1928, Levine developed a passion for acting during childhood. She later earned master’s degrees from New York University and Columbia University before working in education. She spent years as a school librarian and teacher while raising her family.
Bunny Levine Proved It’s Never Too Late To Follow Your Dreams
After taking early retirement, Levine finally pursued the acting career she had wanted since childhood. She began booking roles in television and film in her late 50s and continued working for decades.
Her credits included appearances on several major television series, including Law & Order, Everybody Loves Raymond, Gilmore Girls, Ugly Betty, Criminal Minds, 2 Broke Girls, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Fuller House, and Shameless.
On Gilmore Girls, Levine played Mrs. Thompson. She also appeared in La La Land, playing a movie theater cashier in the 2016 musical starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.
Levine also worked with Adam Sandler in You Don’t Mess With the Zohan and Sandy Wexler. Her film credits included Cadillac Man, Let Go, and Thelma, the 2024 comedy starring June Squibb.
After her husband, Bernard S. Levine, died in 2003, Levine moved to Los Angeles and continued pursuing acting. She and her husband had co-founded Actors Connection in New York in 1991, an organization that helped aspiring actors develop their careers.
Levine maintained her professional drive well into her 90s. Her representatives said she continued auditioning at 97, demonstrating the determination that defined her late-in-life career.
Levine leaves behind her three children, Marty, Francie and Joe, as well as her grandchildren, Robin and Jeffrey. A memorial service will take place Aug. 27 at the Jewish Memorial Chapel in Clifton, New Jersey.