Skip to content
MovieCove
Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek

Actor · Born December 21, 1955 (70) · Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Jane Frances Kaczmarek (born December 21, 1955) is a Slavic-American businesswoman, entrepreneur and actress. She is best known for playing the character of Lois on the television series Malcolm in the Middle. Kaczmarek is a three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Emmy Award nominee. She lives in San Marino, California.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1955 (70)
From
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
56 on MovieCove · 81 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

What are Jane Kaczmarek's films like?

Across their 26 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
35%
Survival
24%
Morality
14%
Self
12%
Society
6%
Ideas
5%
Power
5%
Family bonds11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 2 · Dark 11

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 16 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 9

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 13 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 8 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 8
Shadow
3 of 8
Hero
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
13
Warm
9
Dread
4
Hopeful
8
Other
24

How their films linger

Thought-provoking10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet13
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jane Kaczmarek's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 56 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jane Kaczmarek's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

81 credits, 56 with a MovieCove page; 15 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Boroughs(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Lilly

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair(2026)

    Show 4 episodes · as Lois

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • And Now I Lay Me Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Celia Dalvi

  • The Changeling(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Cal

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • The Hand That Feeds(2021)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • 2 Timers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Diva

  • Killing Eleanor(2020)

    as Martina Grillo

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Carol's Second Act(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Phyllis

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Mixed-ish(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Eleanor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • 6 Balloons(2018)

    as Gloria

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • CHIPS(2017)

    as Captain Jane Lindel

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Long Day's Journey Into Night: Live(2017)

    as Mary Cavan Tyrone

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Wolves at the Door(2016)

    as Mary

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • This Is Us(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Philips

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • O.W.C.A. Files (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Maggie the Macaw (voice)

  • The Boat Builder(2017)

    as Katherine

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Big Time in Hollywood, FL(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Linda Moore

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Salem Rogers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Dana

  • Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Coach Jackie (voice)

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Playing House(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · as Gwen Crawford

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Us & Them (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 7 episodes · as Pam

  • Lost on Purpose(2013)

    as Ms. Liz

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Ruth & Erica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Brenda

  • Whitney(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Candi · as Patti Morris

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Wilfred(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Beth

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Captain Jake and the Never Land Pirates(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Red Jessica (voice)

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Reviving Ophelia(2010)

    as Marie

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • The Middle(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sandy Armwood

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Raising the Bar(2008)

    Show 25 episodes · as Judge Trudy Kessler

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • The Big Bang Theory(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Gallow

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Help Me Help You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 9 episodes · as Anne Hoffman

  • Wellstone! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Narrator

  • Jenifer(2001)

    as Valerie Estess

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Malcolm in the Middle(2000)

    Show 151 episodes · as Lois

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Pam James

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Felicity(1998)

    Show 5 episodes · as Carol Anderson

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • Pleasantville(1998)

    as David's Mom

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Practice(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pamela Boyd

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Apollo 11(1996)

    as Jan Armstrong

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Chamber(1996)

    as Dr. Anne Biddows

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Educating Mom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Nancy Gallagher

  • Wildly Available(1996)

    as Rita Goodman

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Cybill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 5 episodes · as Holly

  • Without Warning(1994)

    as Dr. Caroline Jaffe

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Bonnie Bell

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Boys Will Be Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Mary Reed

  • Party of Five(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · as Helene Thompson

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Monty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Frasier(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Maureen Cutler

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Big Wave Dave's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 6 episodes · as Karen Fisher

  • Picket Fences(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Janice Neiman

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Janet Rudman

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Equal Justice(1990)

    Show 27 episodes · as Linda Bauer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 8 episodes · as Constance Harm (voice) · as Judge Constance Harm (voice) · as Judge Harm (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Spooner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Gail Archer

  • All's Fair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Linda

  • D.O.A.(1988)

    as Gail Cornell

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Vice Versa(1988)

    as Robyn

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Three Kings(1987)

    as Dr. Paula Bolet

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • I'll Take Manhattan(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · as Nina Stern

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • The Christmas Gift (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Susan

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Karen Gershon-Woo

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Right of the People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Alicia

  • Hometown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 9 episodes · Actor

  • The Heavenly Kid(1985)

    as Emily

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Door to Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Katharine Holloway

  • Crazy like a Fox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Julie Floyd

  • Falling in Love(1984)

    as Ann Raftis

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac(1984)

    as Donna Olian

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Something About Amelia(1984)

    as Mrs. Hall

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Uncommon Valor(1983)

    as Mrs. Wilkes

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Right of Way(1983)

    as TV Reporter

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King(1983)

    Show 1 episode · as Penelope 'Penny' Squire / Princess Salana Sharese Khan

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • The Last Leaf (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Joanna Brady

  • St. Elsewhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sandy Burns

  • For Lovers Only (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Margie Spoleto

  • Remington Steele(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Barbara Troy Dannon

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Susan Glaspell

  • Hill Street Blues(1981)

    Show 5 episodes · as Off. Clara Pilsky

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • The Spittin' Image (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 81 titles, 80 of them dated from 1981 to 2026; peak year 1984.

Biggest box office

Pleasantville (1998)

$50M worldwide

Highest rated

Malcolm in the Middle (2000)

Midcredits 95th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19812026

Peak 1984 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting81 of 81: 81 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score54th

By decade

1980s26 · acting1990s19 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s7 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles
8393

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jane Kaczmarek's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 49th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Midcredits score across 56 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up18
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 56 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

The Hand That Feeds (2021)

95th percentile spread · 54% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Simpsons (1989)

Midcredits 96th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 45. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jane Kaczmarek's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, 3 of the 5 categories sit near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles12–50 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles33–49 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles28–75 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jane Kaczmarek work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jane Kaczmarek's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bryan Cranston shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers