Whatever happened to Judy Knaiz?! She was such a great broad in this. She reminded me of Imogene Coca with her comic facial expressions. If I were a casting director, I'd have put her in every comedy!!
I Googled her name, and found a couple of Off-Broadway plays, but that's it.
"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!" C. M. Burns
Did you ever notice she also plays an extra in the film? It's in the opening sequence (during Just Leave Everything to Me). Judy is dressed up as a "little girl" (a very big little girl) in pig tails being towed around by her mother.
IMO, this is one of the more bizarre aspects of the film. 20th Century Fox must have hired virtually every SAG member in Los Angeles to be an extra, and they couldn't find someone other than Judy to be in this scene? It almost seems Gene Kelly may have done it on purpose.
I thought that little girl looked familiar!
I had the pleasure of meeting Judy Knaiz during the early-to-mid 70s when she was appearing at ACT in San Francisco. I asked her about the inspiration for "Ernestina," and she said both she & Gene Kelly felt the character should be a cockeyed salute to Margaret Dumont. So, that's what we're seeing at Harmonia Gardens.
She also mentioned that Barbra Streisand treated her very warmly when they worked together. "Remember her reaction when she sees me in the parade? Well, that's how she acted on the set - like she was really happy to see me."