Louise Lasser Louise Lasser Louise Lasser (born April 11, 1939) is an American actress and television writer. She is known for her portrayal of the title character on the soap opera satire "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman". She was married to Woody Allen and appeared in several of his early films. Lasser was born in New York City, the daughter of Paula and S. Jay Lasser, a tax expert. Her family is Jewish. She studied political science at Brandeis University. Lasser was the understudy for Barbra Streisand in the Broadway musical "I Can Get It for You Wholesale". She also appeared on the
Louise Lasser Lasser was also interviewed about the series in the bonus features of the "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" Complete Series DVD box-set from Shout Factory which was released December 2013. In it, she reveals that the idea for Mary Hartman's infamous nervous breakdown at the end of the first season came after she wrote a 12-page letter suggesting the idea to Norman Lear. On July 24, 1976, Lasser hosted "Saturday Night Live" at the end of the first season. Her performance is best known for her opening monologue in which she re-creates a Mary Hartman-esque nervous breakdown and locks herself in