Bunny Levine, who began her Hollywood career after retirement, starred in ‘Gilmore Girls’ and ‘Shameless’ dies at 97

Actress Bunny Levine, who made a late entry into professional acting after retiring from her career as a school librarian, has died at the age of 97, according to multiple reports, Deadline said.

Levine built a long career in television and film, appearing in a wide range of popular productions. Her television credits included shows such as Gilmore Girls and Shameless, while her film work included Adam Sandler's Don't Mess With the Zohan and Sandy Wexler.

Levine's journey into acting came after years of working outside the entertainment industry. According to Deadline, she graduated from college in 1951 and subsequently worked as a school librarian in New Jersey.

She later opted for early retirement and turned her attention towards acting full-time. Performing had been an ambition she had held since childhood, and retirement gave her the opportunity to pursue that goal professionally.

At 4 feet 10 inches tall, Levine became a familiar face across television over several decades. While many of her appearances were limited to single episodes, she regularly took on roles that reflected her distinctive screen presence, including characters described as an "Old Lady," "Kindly Older Woman" or “Grandma.”

Levine's television career spanned several well-known American series. Her credits included As the World Turns, Law & Order, Chappelle's Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, Las Vegas, Private Practice and Ugly Betty.

She also appeared in Community, Criminal Minds, 2 Broke Girls, The Mindy Project, Fuller House and Mayans M.C., among other productions.

Her work on television continued across different genres, allowing her to appear in both comedy and drama series throughout her career.

Levine also worked in cinema, with one of her earlier film appearances coming in Cadillac Man, the 1990 film starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.

She later appeared in Adam Sandler's Don't Mess With the Zohan, playing an "Older lady in the salon." Levine also had an uncredited appearance as the main character's grandmother in Sandy Wexler.

Her later film credits included the Oscar-winning musical drama La La Land, where she played a movie theater cashier, and Let Go, in which she portrayed Mrs. Grossman.

One of her final film appearances came in the 2024 movie Thelma. Levine played Mona in the film opposite June Squibb.

Levine's career ultimately spanned decades, with her transition from school librarian to working actress coming later in life and leading to appearances across numerous television series and films.

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.

Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.

Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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