Louise Lasser, Star of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Dies Aged 87
Louise Lasser, best known for playing the pigtailed suburban housewife in the cult 1970s soap parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has died aged 87 at her home in Manhattan. The role made her a national star, landing her on the covers of People and Rolling Stone; the show ran from January 1976 to July 1977, producing over 300 episodes. Lasser was also known for her collaborations with ex-husband Woody Allen and later film appearances including Requiem for a Dream.
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The 1970s soap parody made a household name of Lasser, who was also known for her collaborations with ex-husband Allen and later films including Requiem for a Dream
Louise Lasser, star of cult 70s sitcom Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and early films by Woody Allen (to whom she was married for four years), has died aged 87. The New York Times reported she died “at home in Manhattan” .
Lasser’s role as a satirically conceived housewife in suburban Ohio in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, designed as a parody of daytime soap operas, made her a national star, landing her on the cover of People magazine and Rolling Stone. The series lasted a year and a half, between January 1976 and July 1977, but due to its five-days-a-week schedule squeezed more than 300 episodes out of its two season run. Lasser’s Hartman, with her signature pigtails, was preoccupied with domestic minutiae but found herself in unsettling and disturbing situations, including bizarre deaths. The show was intended to explore the changes sweeping ordinary life in the US in the 1970s.
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Men’s average testosterone levels have halved over the past 50 years, according to scientists who say society is facing a male fertility crisis. Rising levels of obesity and diabetes are expected to play a part, but the team behind the work suggest that environmental factors such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals – which can be found in various household items – and global heating could also be factors in the apparent striking decline. Ian Sample speaks to science correspondent Hannah Devlin to find out how the work has been received and what the researchers want to see happen in response to their finding
Men’s average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years, say scientists
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