An accomplished improvisational actor and mime, Laraine Newman helped found the legendary Groundlings comedy troupe before achieving permanent pop culture fame as one of the original “Not-Ready-For-Primetime-Players” on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ) from 1975 to 1980. But frustrated by her third wheel status behind fellow female castmates Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin, Newman left the series to pursue a film career, but failed to achieve the same level of superstardom as her male counterparts. She kept busy, however, with numerous supporting roles in films and on television, becoming a
