Jane Kaczmarek - wikipedia Jane Kaczmarek Jane Kaczmarek Kaczmarek at the American Ballet Theatre 's Annual Stars Under The Stars Benefit in September 2014 Jane Frances Kaczmarek ( 1955 - 12 - 21 ) December 21, 1955 ( age 61 ) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. Alma mater University of Wisconsin -- Madison, Yale School of Drama Occupation Actress Years active 1982 -- present Spouse ( s ) Bradley Whitford ( m. 1992 ; div. 2009 ) Children Jane Frances Kaczmarek ( born December 21, 1955 ) is an Polish - American actress. She is best known for playing the character of Lois on the television series Malcolm in the Middle ( 2000 -- 06 ). Kaczmarek is a three - time Golden Globe and seven - time Emmy Award nominee. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Malcolm in the Middle 2.2 Post-Malcolm 3 Personal life 4 Awards and nominations 5 Filmography 5.1 Film 5.2 Television 6 References 7 External links Early life Kaczmarek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Evelyn ( née Gregorska ), a teacher, and Edward Kaczmarek, a US Department of Defense worker. Of Polish ancestry, she grew up in Greendale, where she was raised a Roman Catholic. She majored in theater at the University of Wisconsin -- Madison and later attended graduate school at the Yale School of Drama, where she was a part of its theater company. Career In 1998, Kaczmarek was cast as David and Jennifer 's mother in the movie Pleasantville. She has had several Broadway hits, including Lost in Yonkers and Raised in Captivity, where she won an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award. Her first television role was that of Margie Spoletto on For Lovers Only ( 1982 ). One of her first notable appearances was in the famous 1984 movie Falling in Love, starring Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro, playing the role of Ann Raftis, De Niro 's character 's wife. She also played a role in The Heavenly Kid in 1985 as Emily. Kaczmarek attends an event at the Griffith Observatory to honor Air Force members during Air Force Week Los Angeles, CA, November 17, 2008 Kaczmarek has also appeared in over 40 television roles, the most notable including : Nurse Sandy Burns on St. Elsewhere ( 1982 ). Connie Lehman in The Paper Chase : The Second Year ( 1983 -- 1984 ). Mrs. Hall, a school guidance counselor, in Something About Amelia an ABC made for TV movie ( 1984 ) Mary Newell Abbott on Hometown ( 1985 ), a comedy / drama on CBS directly adapted from the 1983 hit movie The Big Chill. Linda Bauer, a lawyer, on the ABC legal drama Equal Justice ( 1990 -- 1991 ). Maureen Culter, girlfriend of Martin Crane ( John Mahoney ) on Frasier in `` Police Story '' ( 052 -- 1996 ) and `` Dad Loves Sherry, the Boys Just Whine '' ( 082 -- 1997 ). Janet Rudman on Law & Order in `` Censure '' ( 414 -- 1994 ). Carol Anderson, biological mother of Julie Emrick on Felicity in 5 episodes ( 1999 -- 2000 ). Holly in five episodes of Cybill ( 1996 -- 1997 ). Helene Thompson in three episodes of Party of Five ( 1995 -- 1999 ). Lois, mother of Malcolm ( Frankie Muniz ), Reese ( Justin Berfield ), Francis ( Christopher Masterson ), Dewey ( Erik Per Sullivan ), and baby Jamie, and wife of Hal ( Bryan Cranston ) in 148 episodes of Malcolm in the Middle from 2000 -- 2006. Trudy Kessler, Courtroom Judge in 25 episodes of Raising the Bar from 2008 -- 2009. The voice of Judge Constance Harm, the strict cruel female judge of Springfield Courthouse, in eight episodes of The Simpsons from 2001 to 2010, namely `` The Parent Rap '', `` Brawl in the Family '', `` Barting Over '', `` Brake My Wife, Please '', `` The Wandering Juvie '', `` On a Clear Day I Ca n't See My Sister '', `` Rome - old and Juli - eh '', and recently `` Chief of Hearts ''. Mrs. Armwood, Frankie Heck 's dental teacher in The Middle. Dr. Gallo, psychiatrist in The Big Bang Theory Malcolm in the Middle In 2000, Kaczmarek was cast to play Lois Wilkerson in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. TV Guide dubbed her role in the series as a `` true breakout ; a female Homer Simpson '', and critics hailed her for her comic talents. Later, Kaczmarek would credit the show for bringing out her comedic side, claiming, `` ( Before Malcolm ) I could n't even get auditions for comedies. I played very unfunny people. '' For her performance as Lois, Kaczmarek was nominated for seven Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, holding the record of receiving the most Emmy nominations in this category without ever winning. She also earned three Golden Globe Award nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, and garnered two Television Critics ' Association Awards and the American Comedy Award and Family Television Award in 2001. Post-malcolm Following the end of Malcolm in the Middle, Kaczmarek went on to star in the short - lived series Help Me Help You co-starring Ted Danson. She starred in the short - lived TNT series Raising the Bar as Judge Trudy Kessler. She also continues to voice Judge Constance Harm on several Simpsons episodes. On November 19, 2009, Kaczmarek played against Julie Bowen and Robin Quivers in the Jeopardy ! Million Dollar Celebrity Invitational, on which she won $50,000 for a charity. In 2010, she starred in the Lifetime Original Movie, Reviving Ophelia, which aired October 11, 2010, she starred as the mother of a 16 - year - old girl who was in an abusive relationship. On July 22, 2011, it was confirmed that Kaczmarek will make a vocal appearance as Red Jessica in the television series Jake and the Never Land Pirates during its second season early 2012. In 2011, she guest starred in the FX comedy Wilfred, starring Elijah Wood. Since 2011, she has appeared on Whitney as Whitney 's mother. In April 2012, she appeared in the David Lindsay - Abaire play Good People as Margie. On 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. In 2013, Kaczmarek played the lead role of Ms. Liz, a third generation dairy woman in the feature film Lost on Purpose starring alongside C. Thomas Howell, James Lafferty, Aaron Hill, Dale Dickey and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer. Kaczmarek reprised her role as Lois 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. In 2014, she appeared as herself on The Comeback, auditioning for the role of Mallory Church in the fictional HBO series - within - a-series entitled Seeing Red. In 2016, she appeared as a psychiatrist on The Big Bang Theory. Personal life Kaczmarek married fellow Wisconsin native and actor Bradley Whitford ( The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ) on August 15, 1992. They lived in Los Angeles with their three children : Frances Genevieve ( b. January 1997 ), George Edward ( b. December 23, 1999 ) and Mary Louisa ( b. November 25, 2002 ). Both were very active with charity, and were seen attending many major award shows together. She is the founder of `` Clothes Off Our Back '' which auctions celebrity clothing for children 's charities. In June 2009, the couple filed for divorce after almost 17 years of marriage. One of the last times they were seen together publicly was in September 2008, at the opening of a Los Angeles production of The House of Blue Leaves, in which Kaczmarek was starring. According to a June 2009 magazine interview with More.com conducted prior to announcement of the divorce, she replied `` That 's a big no comment '' when asked to sum up her love life. She also added that she used to believe that she could `` go it alone and as long as I had some fabulous boy on my arm, or man, and my career was sailing, that 's all I needed '' whereas she now had grown to appreciate the support of her girlfriends `` to talk about kids, to talk about marriages, to talk about just life ''. In 2010, they sold their villa, a former mansion, in San Marino, California. Kaczmarek underwent a hip replacement in April 2004, due to chronic arthritis. 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 ) ''. In 2006, Kaczmarek and Malcolm in the Middle co-star Erik Per Sullivan contributed the afterword for the children 's book Together that shows the importance of domestic animals to impoverished people in the world, inspired by the mission of the nonprofit charitable organization Heifer International. Awards and nominations Year Award Work Result 2000 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Malcolm in the Middle Nominated 2000 TCA Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy Won 2001 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated 2001 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Television Series : Musical or Comedy Nominated 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated 2001 TCA Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy Won 2002 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated 2002 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Television Series : Musical or Comedy Nominated 2002 Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Television Series : Musical or Comedy Nominated 2003 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated 2003 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Television Series : Musical or Comedy Nominated 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Television Series : Musical or Comedy Won 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated 2012 Ovation Awards Lead Actress in a Play Good People Nominated Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes Uncommon Valor Mrs. Wilkes 1984 Falling in Love Ann Raftis 1985 The Heavenly Kid Emily Barnes 1985 Door to Door Katherine Holloway 1988 D.O.A. Gail Cornell 1988 Vice Versa Robyn Seymour 1989 All 's Fair Linda The Chamber Dr. Anne Biddows Wildly Available Rita Goodman 1998 Pleasantville David 's mom 2016 Wolves at the Door Mary 2017 CHiPs Jane Lindel 2017 6 Balloons Gayle In post-production Television Year Title Role Notes St. Elsewhere Sandy Burns 3 episodes Remington Steele Barbara Troy Dannon Episode : `` Altared Steele '' Scarecrow and Mrs. King Penny Episode : `` Always Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth '' 1983 -- 84 The Paper Chase Connie Lehman 8 episodes 1984 Hill Street Blues Officer Clara Pilksy 6 episodes 1984 Something About Amelia Mrs. Hall Television movie 1985 Hometown Mary Newell Abbott 10 episodes 1986 The Christmas Gift Susan Television movie I 'll Take Manhattan Nina Stern Television movie The Three Kings Dr. Paula Bolet Television movie 1988 American Playhouse Susan Glaspell Episode : `` Journey Into Genius '' 1989 Spooner Gail Archer Television movie 1990 -- 91 Equal Justice Linda Bauer 22 episodes Big Wave Dave 's Karen Fisher 6 episodes 1994 Monty Nickerson Episode : `` Wild, Wild Willy and His O.K. Corral '' 1994 Law & Order Janet Rudman Episode : `` Censure '' 1994 ABC Afterschool Specials Mary Reed Episode : `` Boys Will Be Boys '' 1994 L.A. Law Attorney Gershonwood Episode : `` Whose San Andreas Fault Is It, Anyways ? '' 1994 Without Warning Dr. Caroline Jaffe Television movie 1995 Picket Fences Janice Neiman Episode : `` Heroes and Villains '' 1995 -- 99 Party of Five Helene Thompson 3 episodes Touched by an Angel Bonnie Bell Episode : `` Out of the Darkness '' ABC Afterschool Specials Nancy Gallagher Episode : `` Educating Mom '' Apollo 11 Jan Armstrong Television movie 1996 -- 97 Cybill Holly 5 episodes 1996 -- 97 Frasier Maureen Cutler 2 episodes The Practice Pamela Boyd 2 episodes 1999 Felicity Carol Anderson 5 episodes 2000 -- 06 Malcolm in the Middle Lois 146 episodes American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Performer in a Television Series Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy ( 2000 -- 01 ) Nominated -- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy ( 2001 -- 03 ) Nominated -- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series ( 2000 -- 06 ) Nominated -- Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated -- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series ( 2001, 2003 ) Nominated -- Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress -- Comedy Nominated -- Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series 2001 -- 10 The Simpsons Judge Constance Harm ( voice ) 8 episodes 2006 -- 07 Help Me Help You Anne Hoffman 6 episodes 2008 -- 09 Raising the Bar Judge Trudy Kessler 23 episodes Reviving Ophelia Marie Television movie 2011 Wilfred Beth Episode : `` Pride '' 2011 -- 12 Whitney Candi 3 episodes 2012 -- 13 The Middle Sandy Armwood 2 episodes 2012 -- 13 Jake and the Never Land Pirates Red Jessica ( voice ) 11 episodes 2013 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit D.A. Pam James Episode : `` Beautiful Frame '' 2013 Breaking Bad Lois ( Malcolm in the Middle ) Episode : `` Felina '' ( Alternate ending ) 2014 Us & Them Pam 7 episodes 2014 -- 17 Playing House Gwen Crawford 7 episodes 2014 The McCarthys Eileen Episode : `` Sister Act '' 2015 Big Time in Hollywood, FL Dr. Moore 2 episodes 2015 Penn Zero : Part - Time Hero Coach Jackie ( voice ) Episode : `` Ultrahyperball '' 2016 The Big Bang Theory Dr. Gallow Episode : `` The Sales Call Sublimation '' 2016 Cooper Barrett 's Guide to Surviving Life Cindy Barrett Episode : `` How to Survive Your Parents ' Visit '' References Jump up ^ Roberts, Robin ( July 13, 2003 ). `` ' Malcolm 's ' new fifth dimension ''. Record - Journal. p. F1, F5. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ Borun, Thaddeus ( 1946 ). We, the Milwaukee Poles : The History of Milwaukeeans of Polish Descent and a Record of Their Contributions to the Greatness of Milwaukee. Nowiny Publishing Company. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Gregorski, Frances J. ''. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. May 29, 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jane Kaczmarek Biography ( 1955 - ) ''. Film Reference. Advameg, Inc. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jane Kaczmarek Biography ''. The Biography Channel. A&E Television Networks. Retrieved 10 April 2014. The daughter of a defense department employee and a teacher, she grew up in a strict, Catholic household. Jump up ^ Off Topic With Tichina Arnold Archived March 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Malcolm in the Middle ''. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved 2006 - 05 - 18. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ). Fox.com Jump up ^ `` Malcolm in the Middle '' on TV.com Jump up ^ Schneider, Michael ( Jul 22, 2011 ). `` Exclusive : Sharon Osbourne Gets Animated for Next TV Gig ''. TV Guide. Retrieved 10 April 2014. Jump up ^ Stanhope, Kate ( November 19, 2012 ). `` Law & Order : SVU Exclusive : Malcolm in the Middle Mom to Battle DA Barba ''. TV Guide. Retrieved November 19, 2012. Jump up ^ Teti, John ( November 17, 2013 ). `` A Breaking Bad alternate ending is a Malcolm In The Middle dream sequence ''. The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 30, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek File for Divorce ''. People. Jump up ^ `` Bradley Whitford, Jane Kaczmarek File for Divorce After Nearly 17 Years ''. TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 20, 2009. Jump up ^ Search : bradley whitford. Getty Images. Retrieved on 2011 - 09 - 23. Jump up ^ Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more -- MORE Magazine. More.com. Retrieved on 2011 - 09 - 23. Jump up ^ Beale, Lauren ( August 17, 2010 ). `` Jane Kaczmarek, Bradley Whitford sell San Marino villa ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Malcolm in the Middle -- Kaczmarek Has Hip Replacement Surgery ''. contactmusic.com, 24 June 2004. Jump up ^ `` Jane Kaczmarek -- Kaczmarek Explains Hip Emmy Ad. '' contactmusic.com, 29 August 2004. Jump up ^ `` Center Theatre Group Tops 2012 Ovation Awards. ''. 13 November 2012. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jane Kaczmarek. Jane Kaczmarek on IMDb Kaczmarek supports Milwaukee parks Awards for Jane Kaczmarek Satellite Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy Jane Curtin ( 1996 ) Tracey Ullman ( 1997 ) Ellen DeGeneres ( 1998 ) Illeana Douglas ( 1999 ) Lisa Kudrow ( 2000 ) Debra Messing ( 2001 ) Debra Messing ( 2002 ) Jane Kaczmarek ( 2003 ) Portia de Rossi ( 2004 ) Felicity Huffman / Mary - Louise Parker ( 2005 ) Marcia Cross ( 2006 ) America Ferrera ( 2007 ) Tracey Ullman ( 2008 ) Lea Michele ( 2009 ) Laura Linney ( 2010 ) Martha Plimpton ( 2011 ) Kaley Cuoco ( 2012 ) Taylor Schilling ( 2013 ) Mindy Kaling ( 2014 ) Taylor Schilling ( 2015 ) Taylor Schilling ( 2016 ) TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy David Hyde Pierce ( 1997 ) David Hyde Pierce ( 1998 ) Ray Romano ( 1999 ) Jane Kaczmarek ( 2000 ) Jane Kaczmarek ( 2001 ) Bernie Mac ( 2002 ) Jon Stewart ( 2003 ) Ricky Gervais ( 2004 ) Jon Stewart ( 2005 ) Steve Carell ( 2006 ) Alec Baldwin ( 2007 ) Tina Fey ( 2008 ) Jim Parsons ( 2009 ) Jane Lynch ( 2010 ) Ty Burrell / Nick Offerman ( 2011 ) Louis C.K. ( 2012 ) Louis C.K. ( 2013 ) Julia Louis - Dreyfus ( 2014 ) Amy Schumer ( 2015 ) Rachel Bloom ( 2016 ) Donald Glover ( 2017 ) VIAF : 100989558 LCCN : no97046299 ISNI : 0000 0000 7246 3742 GND : 1063960959 BNF : cb141918695 ( data ) MusicBrainz : 1f916245 - 07fa - 4b80 - 9687 - 9c9e2bfec90d Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jane_Kaczmarek&oldid=799416626 '' Categories : 1955 births 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses Actresses from Milwaukee American film actresses American people of Polish descent American Roman Catholics American television actresses Living people University of Wisconsin -- Madison alumni Yale School of Drama alumni People from San Marino, California Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Articles with hCards Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Italiano עברית Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 7 September 2017, at 16 : 11. 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Question: who played the mother on malcolm in the middle
Answer: Jane Frances Kaczmarek