<Tr> <Th> Spouse (s) </Th> <Td> Bradley Whitford (m . 1992; div. 2009) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Children </Th> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <P> Jane Frances Kaczmarek (born December 21, 1955) is an Polish - American actress . She is best known for playing the character of Lois on the television series Malcolm in the Middle (2000--06). Kaczmarek is a three - time Golden Globe and seven - time Emmy Award nominee . </P> <P> Kaczmarek was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Evelyn (née Gregorska), a teacher, and Edward Kaczmarek, a US Department of Defense worker . Of Polish ancestry, she grew up in Greendale, where she was raised a Roman Catholic . She majored in theater at the University of Wisconsin--Madison and later attended graduate school at the Yale School of Drama, where she was a part of its theater company . </P>

Who played the mother on malcolm in the middle