Jane Frances Kaczmarek (/kæzˈmærək/; born December 21, 1955)[1][2][3] is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Lois on the Fox television sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006), which earned her three Golden Globe nominations and seven Primetime Emmy nominations. She also appeared as Linda in Equal Justice (1990–1991), Judge Trudy Kessler in Raising the Bar (2008–2009), Ann in Falling in Love (1984), Emily in The Heavenly Kid (1985), and Gayle in 6 Balloons (2018). She had recurring roles as Holly in Cybill and as Maureen Cutler in Frasier and is also known for a large number of recurring and guest-starring roles in various television shows. Kaczmarek was a replacement for the character of Bella in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's Lost In Yonkers.
Kaczmarek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Evelyn (née Gregorska), a teacher, and Edward Kaczmarek, a US Department of Defense worker.[4][5][6] She grew up in Greendale, where she was raised a Roman Catholic.[7] Kaczmarek is a graduate of Greendale High School.[8]
She appeared on many television shows in recurring and guest-starring roles, including St. Elsewhere, sitcoms like Frasier and Cybill, and many more. She was also a regular on the first eight episodes of the Showtime run of The Paper Chase, as "Connie Lehman."
In 1999, Kaczmarek was cast to play Lois in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, which premiered on January 9, 2000.[9] TV Guide dubbed her role in the series as a "true breakout; a female Homer Simpson", and critics hailed her for her comic talents.[10] Later, Kaczmarek would credit the show for bringing out her comedic side, saying, "[Before Malcolm] I couldn't even get auditions for comedies. I played very unfunny people."[11]
On July 22, 2011, it was confirmed that Kaczmarek would make a vocal appearance as Red Jessica in the television series Jake and the Never Land Pirates during its second season early 2012.[12]
Kaczmarek was the narrator in the 2011 Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and PBS production of "Wisconsin's Nazi Resistance: The Mildred Fish-Harnack Story", a documentary about the life of fellow Milwaukee native Mildred Fish-Harnack who in 1943 was the only American woman to ever be personally sentenced to death by order of Adolf Hitler for her role in the German Nazi Resistance Movement.[13]
In November 2012, she made a guest appearance on ABC's The Middle as Frankie Heck's (Patricia Heaton) dental teacher. In 2013, Kaczmarek guest starred on NBC's long-running legal drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as Suffolk County D.A. Pamela "Pam" James.[14]
Kaczmarek and former Malcolm in the Middle co-star Bryan Cranston reprised their roles as Lois and Hal respectively in an "alternate ending" featurette on the Breaking Bad DVD/Blu-ray box set that was released on November 26, 2013. In it, Hal wakes up from the nightmare that was the plot of Breaking Bad, in a nod to the final scene from Newhart.[15]
Kaczmarek married fellow Wisconsin native and actor Bradley Whitford on August 15, 1992. They resided in Los Angeles with their three children. Both were active with charity, and were seen attending major award shows together. In June 2009, the couple filed for divorce after almost 17 years of marriage.[16][17] The divorce was finalized in October 2010.[18]
Kaczmarek underwent a hip replacement in April 2004, due to chronic arthritis.[19] She recovered quickly, and used an X-ray of her new hip for her Emmy campaign the following summer, advertising herself as "the only Emmy nominee with an artificial hip (except for Anthony LaPaglia)".[20]
The daughter of a defense department employee and a teacher, she grew up in a strict, Catholic household.
