# Anna Berger (actress)

Anna Berger (July 26, 1922 – May 26, 2014) was an American character actress in film and television, who specialized in playing frazzled housewives and matriarchs.

## Early life and education

Berger grew up on the Lower East Side and began acting as a child. After graduating from Seward Park High School, she studied acting in 1948.

## Career

She appeared in such films as Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and the Adam Sandler vehicle You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008), and on such television series as Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Everybody Loves Raymond and NYPD Blue. She also acted on The Goldbergs.
On Broadway, Berger appeared in Unlikely Heroes (1971), The Rose Tattoo (1966), Gideon (1961), and Twilight Walk (1951).
In the early-1960s, Berger was the New York City Board of Education's drama specialist for community center programs.

## Death

Berger was married to Robert Malatzky, and they had two daughters. Berger died on May 26, 2014, aged 91, in Manhattan.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1959 | Middle of the Night | Caroline |
| 1974 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | The Mother |
| 1975 | Hester Street | Poultry Woman |
| 1981 | Endless Love | Nurse |
| 1983 | Lovesick | Analysis |
| 1987 | The House on Carroll Street | Funeral Woman |
| 1989 | Crimes and Misdemeanors | Aunt May |
| 1989 | Mortal Sins | Mother Weinschank |
| 1990 | Book of Love | Mama Gabooch |
| 1991 | The Dark Backward | Mrs. Malt |
| 1991 | Mobsters | Mrs. Greene |
| 1992 | Deep Cover | Congresswoman |
| 1995 | The Killers Within | Mrs. Thomas |
| 1996 | Mother Night | Epstein's Mother |
| 1997 | Soleil | Honorine Azoulay |
| 2000 | Sunset Strip | Older Waitress |
| 2000 | Lost Souls | Mrs. Levotsky |
| 2000 | The Amati Girls | Stella |
| 2001 | Ghost World | Seymour's Mother |
| 2002 | Clover Bend | Rose |
| 2003 | The Hebrew Hammer | Harriet Tubbleman |
| 2008 | You Don't Mess with the Zohan | Older Lady in Salon |
| 2008 | Bastard of Orleans, or Looking for Joan | Vesuvia Maggiore |
| 2011 | Margaret | Neighborhood Lady #1 |
| 2013 | Chinese Puzzle | La vieille dame |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952 | Lux Video Theatre | Mrs. Paletto | Episode: "The Face of Autumn" |
| 1954 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Mama | Episode: "And Crown Thy Good" |
| 1954 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Bookkeeper | 2 episodes |
| 1963 | Naked City | Mrs. Delehanty | Episode: "Golden Lads and Girls" |
| 1975 | Kojak | Mrs. Lipnick | Episode: "The Nicest Guys on the Block" |
| 1976 | The Blue Knight | Mrs. Goldman | Episode: "Cop Killer" |
| 1976 | Harry O | Mrs. Kline | Episode: "Victim" |
| 1976 | Street Killing | Louise | Television film |
| 1976 | Baretta | Woman | Episode: "They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To" |
| 1976 | Raid on Entebbe | Mrs. Berg | Television film |
| 1977 | Rhoda | Betsy | Episode: "The Ultimatum" |
| 1977 | Seventh Avenue | Celia Blackman | 3 episodes |
| 1977, 1981 | Barney Miller | Miriam Buckman / Georgia Himmel | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Contract on Cherry Street | Mrs. Moore | Television film |
| 1978 | The Last Tenant | Mrs. Munro | Television film |
| 1979 | CHiPs | Mary Taylor | Episode: "Repo Man" |
| 1979 | Ryan's Hope | Beryl Feldman | 15 episodes |
| 1981 | Cagney & Lacey | Mrs. Goldman | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1984 | Terrible Joe Moran | Real Estate Agent | Television film |
| 1987 | Leg Work | Older Woman | Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night" |
| 1988 | Hothouse | Herbert's Mother | Episode: "His Mother" |
| 1990 | People Like Us | Hester Slatkin | Television film |
| 1990 | Singer & Sons | Mrs. Tarkasian | 4 episodes |
| 1990 | Thirtysomething | Lotte Strauss | Episode: "Photo Opportunity" |
| 1991 | N.Y.P.D. Mounted | Woman | Television film |
| 1991 | Nurses | Mrs. Garber | Episode: "Coming to America" |
| 1992–1993 | Civil Wars | Betty Howell | 4 episodes |
| 1993 | Johnny Bago | Ma Tenuti | 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Empty Nest | Bella | Episode: "What's a Mother to Do?" |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope | Mary Collito | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Murphy Brown | Secretary #70 | Episode: "The Secret Life of Jim Dial" |
| 1994 | The George Carlin Show | Cat Woman | Episode: "George Puts on a Happy Face" |
| 1994 | Missing Parents | Elaine Freiburg | Television film |
| 1995 | The Commish | Ruby Simpkins | Episode: "Letting Go" |
| 1995 | Charlie Grace | Old Woman | Episode: "One Simple Little Favor" |
| 1996 | Tracey Takes On... | Judge | Episode: "Law" |
| 1996 | The Home Court | Aunt Sophie | Episode: "Love, Death & Soda" |
| 1996 | ER | Mr. Brazil's Caregiver | Episode: "Fear of Flying" |
| 1996, 1998, 2005 | NYPD Blue | Belle / Rosemary / Marian Kadell | 3 episodes |
| 1997 | Sunset Beach | Mrs. Farmer | Episode #1.226 |
| 1997–1998 | The Nanny | Marilyn | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Nothing Sacred | Grandmother Owens | Episode: "Holy Words" |
| 1998, 2000 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Rita Stipe | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | The Thirteenth Year | Irate Tourist | Television film |
| 2000 | Something to Sing About | Mrs. Goldberg | Television film |
| 2000 | Bette | The Housewife | Episode: "Halloween" |
| 2000 | JAG | Mrs. Palermo | Episode: "JAG TV" |
| 2002 | The Sopranos | Cookie Cirillo | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Karen's Grandmother | Episode: "Resilience" |
| 2002 | New Americans | Mrs. Rabinowitz | Television film |
| 2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Betsy Lewis | Episode: "Snakes" |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Amy | Episode: "Diamond Dogs" |