Her father was a prominent public relations executive for several national Jewish organizations.
[1] Hanft often played eccentric, raunchy characters, and was featured in many plays by Tom Eyen, including: She performed in David Rabe's In the Boom Boom Room at Joseph Papp's Public Theater, John Patrick Shanley's Italian American Reconciliation, and multiple plays by Stephen Holt, including Reety in Hell.
She was also a favorite of Paul Mazursky, who cast her in Next Stop, Greenwich Village and Willie & Phil.
Other film appearances include Arthur, Honky Tonk Freeway, Moonstruck, License to Drive, Coming to America (where she uttered the now famous line “Go on Honey, take a chance”), and Used People.
Her husband, William Landers, predeceased her, as did her younger sister, Alice.