In 1974, famed American photographer Jack Mitchell photographed actress and comedic icon Madeline Kahn at his studio in New York City. The studio session captured Kahn during a major turning point in her career, 1974 was the landmark year she starred in two of Mel Brooks’ iconic comedies, Blazing Saddles (as Lili Von Shtupp, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress) and Young Frankenstein (as Elizabeth).
Jack Mitchell was renowned for his black-and-white portraits of cultural figures, dancers, artists, and actors for publications like The New York Times, After Dark, and Dance Magazine. The session featured classic mid-1970s studio lighting, crisp contrast against dark backgrounds, clean rim lighting, and creative double-exposure techniques combining profile and direct-facing angles.
Captured during her rise as one of the preeminent comedic actresses of modern American cinema and theater, balancing her broad comedic presence with understated studio portraiture.
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