Louise Lasser, the acclaimed screen performer best remembered for her title role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has died at the age of 87.
Lasser, who was Woody Allen’s second wife and one of his earliest leading ladies, died Monday of natural causes at her Upper East Side home in Manhattan, her close friend Susan Charlotte told THR.
Allen and Lasser married in 1966, with the famously driven comedian reportedly performing two stand-up sets on their wedding day.
She went on to appear in a number of his early movies, including Take the Money and Run in 1969 and Bananas in 1971.
The couple divorced in 1970, after which Allen began a relationship with actress Diane Keaton.
Their last film collaboration as a couple came with 1972’s Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask.
Despite their high-profile split, Lasser continued collaborating with Allen and later praised him, saying, “I think he’s very talented, and really funny, and really serious.”
Louise Lasser, the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman star, has died at 87 — pictured in 1976
Lasser, who was Woody Allen’s second wife and his first leading lady, died Monday of natural causes at her home in Manhattan on the Upper East Side – pictured with Allen in 1960s
Lasser’s breakthrough role came as the neurotic lead character in soap opera satire Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, which she starred in from January 1976 until July 1977.
The show saw Lasser land a Primetime Emmy nomination and appear on the covers of Rolling Stone and Newsweek.
However Lasser was forced to quit the show after two seasons and 325 episodes after being left exhausted by the grueling filming schedule, with Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman running five nights a week.
The show later became Forever Fernwood and focused on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman’s peripheral characters.
Lasser said in a 2013 interview for Interview magazine, ‘I always thought it was a really good show because it touched so many aspects of everything. It’s sort of up and down and in and out, and before you know it, there you are.
‘And then it itched such rich subjects, do you know what I mean? People always say it’s way ahead of its time. I never thought it was ahead of its time. I always thought it was of its time.’
The actress was performing in Greenwich Village when she first met Allen.
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Lasser is pictured in 2015 during the Chiller Theater Expo in New Jersey
She acted in several of his early films including Take the Money and Run (1969) and Bananas (1971 – pictured)
Lasser is pictured in 1972 with Alan Alda in TV movie, Class of 55
Lasser is seen in October 2025 at the Chiller Theatre Expo, marking one of her final public appearances
Lasser said in a 2013 interview on The Toast website, ‘When we met, I was seeing a friend of his. It was one of those things, “Well, if you think you’re complicated, you should meet so-and-so.” And it was Woody.
‘We immediately, immediately, just were meant to be in the same playpen. We just connected. He was with somebody… oh, he was married [to Harlene Rosen], that’s right. And I was with his friend.
‘And we went out like once or twice. And I don’t know who I am or where I am, I don’t know. So, I met him, and it was so clear the whole night the four of us were there, and neither of us are talking to anyone else.’
Off-screen, Lasser’s life was just as colorful. In 1976 she was arrested after cocaine was found in her purse in a Beverly Hills store.
She later told People the drug had been given to her several months earlier by a fan, saying, ‘I’m not a coke user, and I hadn’t used that stuff. But you can’t plead innocent if you’ve got it on you.’
Lasser was ordered to do six months in counseling.
She is survived by partner Michael Citriniti.
