Louise Lasser was born on April 11, 1939, in New York City. Her father, S. Jay Lasser was a tax expert who wrote the book Everybody's Income Tax Guide. Louise Lasser studied political science at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. While there she took part in the school's musicals. She left college after three years and went back to New York City. She then began studying acting under Sanford Meisner and stared performing in Greenwich Village bars and coffee shops, as well as taking part in improvisational revues.
Louise Lasser understudied Barbara Streisand on Broadway in I Can Get It for You Wholesale. In the production, she was also the replacement for Rosaline (originally played by Marion Fels) and later Miss Marmelstein (originally played by Barbara Streisand). In the Sixties, she appeared on Broadway in Henry, Sweet Henry and The Chinese and Dr. Fish. In 1962, she appeared in an unaired pilot The Laughmakers starring Alan Alda. She made her television debut in an episode of the daily soap opera The Doctors in 1965. She made her movie debut in 1965 in What's New Pussycat. She appeared in the movie Take the Money and Run (1969). She was the voice of tiger lily in What's Up, Tiger Lily?, a comic redub by Woody Allen of the 1965 Japanese spy movie International Secret Police: Key of Keys.
It was in 1976 that Louise Lasser began her run as the title character on the soap opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. In the Seventies, she guest starred on the shows Love, American Style; The Bob Newhart Show; The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Love Story; McCloud; and Medical Center. She appeared in several TV movies, including Class of '55 and Coffee, Tea or Me?. She appeared in the movies Bananas (1971), Such Good Friends (1971), Everything You Want to Know About Sex*But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), Slither (1973), Stardust Memories (1980), and In God We Tru$t (1980). In 1974, she appeared on Broadway in Thieves.
In the Eighties, Louise Lasser was a regular on the sitcom It's a Living in its second season. She guest starred on the shows Taxi; Laverne & Shirley; and St. Elsewhere. She appeared in the movies Crimewave (1985), The Perils of P.K. (1986), Blood Rage (1987), Surrender (1987), Sing (1989), Rude Awakening (1989), Modern Love (1990), and Frakenhooker (1990).
In the Nineties, she appeared in the movies The Night We Never Met (1993), Layin' Low (1996), Sudden Manhattan (1996), Happiness (1998), Mystery Men (1999), Requiem for a Dream (1990), and Fast Food Fast Women (1990). She guest starred on the show Empty Nest.
In the Naughts, Louise Lasser guest starred on the show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She appeared in the movies Queenie in Love (2001), Wolves of Wall Street (2002), and Lady Killers (2003). In the Teens, she guest starred on three episodes of Girls. Her last films were Driving Me Crazy: Proof of Concept (2012) and Funny Pages (2022).
Louise Lasser was a very talented actress.She was perfect as Mary Hartman, the stereotypical housewife who was obsessed with keeping her floors clean and TV dinners. She was also brilliant as Nancy, the aloof social activist in the movie Bananas. Over the years, she played a number of roles, both large and small, in movies. In Happiness, she played the mother of three sisters who finds herself going through a divorce. In Mystery Men, she played Violet, the doting other of The Blue Raja (Hank Azaria). Over the years, she appeared in a wide variety of roles, and gave a good performance every time.
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