Born in New York City, Playten began her career in 1959 at age 11, playing Marie's young son in the Metropolitan Opera's original production of Alban Berg's Wozzeck.

Her many off-Broadway credits include Promenade, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac, Up from Paradise, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You, First Lady Suite, A Flea in Her Ear, National Lampoon's Lemmings, and Shlemiel the First.

She wore heavy makeup and prosthetics in Legend to portray the character of Blix, a major minion of the Lord of Darkness; she also dubbed the voice of Gump.

She was a regular on the children's television series The Lost Saucer and That's Cat, appeared in National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space during the early days of HBO, and had guest shots on Frasier, Law & Order, Third Watch, and As the World Turns, among others.

Playten may have been best known for her role of the newlywed who makes a gigantic dumpling as the first meal she cooks for her husband (Terry Kiser) in two classic 1969–1970 Alka-Seltzer commercials.