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Bunny Levine, the veteran character actress whose remarkable second career brought her appearances in television series and films including Gilmore Girls, Everybody Loves Raymond, Law & Order, Criminal Minds, Ugly Betty, Raising Hope and La La Land, has died at the age of 97. Levine died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Tarzana, California, on August 20, according to her manager, Brandon Kjar. Her death was reported as being consistent with natural causes. Her passing brought renewed attention to an unusual career story: she entered professional acting relatively late in life and continued pursuing roles well into her 90s.
Born Bernice Levine on December 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, she was interested in performing long before acting became her profession. Her path to entertainment, however, was anything but conventional. Instead of entering Hollywood as a teenager or young adult, Levine devoted a large portion of her working life to education. She pursued advanced studies, earning master’s degrees connected with New York University and Columbia University, and eventually spent approximately 25 years working as a school librarian.
For decades, education rather than acting defined her professional routine. Yet the childhood interest in performing never completely disappeared. When Levine retired from her work in education in 1985, she faced a moment when many people might have chosen to slow down. Levine instead viewed retirement as an opportunity to explore something she had wanted to do for years. Nearing 60, she began pursuing professional acting and started attending auditions.
There was no guarantee that this decision would lead anywhere. The entertainment business is famously competitive for performers of every age, and beginning a career later in life presented an additional challenge. Levine nevertheless continued auditioning and accepting opportunities as they became available. Small roles gradually accumulated, providing her with professional experience and helping her establish herself as a character actress capable of making memorable appearances even with limited screen time.