Bunny Levine, Prolific Character Actress Known for Adam Sandler Films, Passes Away at 97

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 14: Actress Bunny Levine attends the Los Angeles Premiere of “Thelma” at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on June 14, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

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Bunny Levine, a distinguished character actress whose versatile performances spanned over a century of screen appearances, passed away on Tuesday at her Tarzana, California home at the age of 97. Her representative, Mike Eisenstadt, confirmed to NBC Los Angeles that the actress died from natural causes, as determined by the Los Angeles Police Department after responding to an unresponsive person report at her residence.

Levine’s career began in earnest after a formative period as a school librarian, during which she balanced her acting aspirations with supporting her husband and raising three children. Born Bernice Levine on December 22, 1928, in East Orange, New Jersey, she made her screen debut in 1988 with a role in the low-budget horror film “Slime City.”

Over the subsequent decades, Levine became a familiar presence in television and film, appearing in more than 100 projects. Her filmography includes roles in three Adam Sandler productions—*You Don’t Mess with the Zohan*, *You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah*, and an uncredited part in *Sandy Wexler*—as well as the 2024 action comedy *Thelma*, where she starred alongside June Squibb and Richard Roundtree.

Television audiences recognized her from guest appearances across acclaimed series such as *Jury Duty*, *Gilmore Girls*, *Chappelle’s Show*, *Shameless*, and *Community*, among many others. Her career spanned genres from sitcoms to dramas, showcasing her ability to bring depth to contrasting characters.

Earlier in her career, Levine appeared in films like *Cadillac Man*, *La La Land*, *Sacramento*, and *The Invisible Raptor*. Her final screen role was in the 2026 indie horror thriller *The Cure*, directed by David Dastmalchian.

In her own words on her IMDb profile, Levine reflected on her dual life: “I put my acting aspirations on the back burner for 25 years, working primarily as a school librarian, to help my underpaid college professor husband raise our three children.” Her husband, Bernard Levine, passed away in 2003.

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