Bunny Levine, a character actress known for supporting roles in "Gilmore Girls," "Shameless" and "You Don't Mess With the Zohan," has died aged 97. Her manager confirmed she died peacefully in her sleep, with reports indicating she passed away at her home in Tarzana, California, capping a screen career built after decades in an entirely different profession.

Levine was born in East Orange, New Jersey, in 1928 and initially set aside her acting ambitions to spend 25 years as a school librarian while raising three children. After retiring and, following her husband's death in 2003, relocating to Los Angeles, she began pursuing acting in earnest, amassing credits including "Law & Order," "Everybody Loves Raymond," "New Girl," "La La Land" and multiple collaborations with Adam Sandler. She continued working into her 90s, with recent roles in "Thelma," "Sacramento" and the final season of "The Upshaws."