Kathryn Kates, Actress in ‘Many Saints of Newark’ and ‘Seinfeld,’ Dies at 73

Kathryn Kates, a TV, film and theater actress known for her roles in The Many Saints of Newark, Seinfeld and Orange Is the New Black, has died. She was 73.

Kates, who was living with lung cancer, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 22 surrounded by family including her sister, Mallory, brother, Josh, and his wife, Sue Ann, her representatives confirmed.

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“Kathryn was our client for many years, and about one year ago, after finding out that the lung cancer she was treated for 20 years ago had returned, we grew even closer,” her reps at Headline Talent Agency said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter. “She was incredibly brave, thoughtful, wise and loving. Kathryn approached every role she ever played, as well as her daily life with the greatest of passion. We will do our best to honor her incredible legacy. The world truly lost one of the good ones.”

Born in New York City to Louis Kates and actress Madlyn Cates, Kathryn’s career saw her featured in numerous TV guest roles beginning in the ’80s, including crime and procedural dramas like Matlock, Judging Amy and The Good Fight, with bigger recurring roles in the Jennifer Lopez-led Shades of Blue and the longest-running primetime live-action series, Law & Order: SVU, as Judge Marlene Simons.

Kates’ other memorable TV appearances through her decades-long career included four episodes in Emmy-winning Netflix series Orange Is the New Black as Amy Kanter-Bloom, as matchmaker Hilda Hoffman in the Al Pacino-led Amazon series Hunters, and perhaps most iconically as the counterperson at Schnitzer’s Deli selling Babka and Marble Rye in Seinfeld.

One of her most notable roles for the big screen would also be her final one, playing Angie DeCarlo in David Chase’s Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark. The actress’ final screen appearance, however, will be in an upcoming series for Apple TV+, starring opposite friend Judd Hirsch.

Beyond movies and TV, Kates had a long career on the stage. A founding member of the award-winning Colony Theatre in Los Angeles, she worked for more than 25 years as the co-general manager, co-producer, and actor on numerous productions, frequently playing opposite fellow founding member John Larroquette.

Between touring across Europe with Saviana Stanescu’s Waxing West and serving as a company member of Daniel Talbott’s Rising Phoenix Rep, Kates graced Broadway and off-Broadway’s stages and appeared in productions at acclaimed theaters the Public, Urban Stages, the Soho Playhouse, the Cherry Lane and Theatre Row.

“Kathryn was a very thoughtful and kind human being who truly loved the craft of acting. She was always incredibly brave and wise and approached every role with the greatest of passion,” her reps said.

Kates is survived by her brother Joshua, sister Mallory, sisters-in-law Sue Ann and Gloria, nephew Ben and their families.

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