Alice Playten


Alice Playten was an American actress and voice actress.

Life and career

Born in New York City, Playten began her career in the Broadway musical '. Her other Broadway credits included Oliver!, Henry, Sweet Henry, Hello, Dolly!, Rumors, Seussical, and Caroline, or Change.
Her many off-Broadway credits include Promenade, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac, Up from Paradise, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You, Spoils of War, Four Short Operas, First Lady Suite, A Flea in Her Ear, National Lampoon's Lemmings and Shlemiel the First.
Playten's screen credits include Ladybug Ladybug, Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?, California Dreaming, Legend, and I.Q.. She wore heavy makeup and prosthetics in Legend to portray the character of 'Blix', a major minion of the Lord of Darkness; she also dubbed the voice of Gump. She did voice work in several animated features, including Felix the Cat, Really Rosie, Heavy Metal, Doug, Doug's 1st Movie and '.
She was a regular on the children's television series The Lost Saucer and That's Cat, appeared in National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space during the early days of HBO, and had guest shots on Frasier, Law & Order, Third Watch, and As the World Turns, among others.
She performed a romantic dialog with Rupert Holmes in his song "Our National Pastime" on his 1974 debut album Widescreen.
Playten may have been best known for her role of the newlywed who makes a gigantic dumpling as the first meal she cooks for her husband in two classic 1969-1970 Alka-Seltzer commercials.
In 1977 she wed the psychedelic light show innovator, director and artist Joshua White and remained married until her death.

Death

Playten died on June 25, 2011 at Sloan-Kettering Hospital in Manhattan from heart failure after a lifetime of juvenile diabetes, complicated by pancreatic cancer. On November 14, 2011 a retrospective of her work was held at the
Second Stage Theater, New York.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and honors