Melanie Chartoff facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melanie Chartoff
Chartoff in 1980
Born	Melanie Barbara Chartoff (1948-12-15) December 15, 1948 (age 76) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma mater	Adelphi University
Occupation	Actress comedian
Years active	1976–present
Spouse(s)	Stan Friedman ​ (m. 2013)​

Melanie Barbara Chartoff (born December 15, 1948) is an American actress and comedian. She became well-known for her comedy on the TV show Fridays from 1980 to 1982. Later, in the 1990s, she starred in the Parker Lewis Can't Lose sitcom. Many people know her voice from the popular Nickelodeon cartoon series Rugrats and All Grown Up!, where she voiced Didi Pickles and Grandma Minka.

Melanie Chartoff's Early Life

Melanie Chartoff was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on December 15, 1948. She went to West Haven High School and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Adelphi University. Melanie Chartoff is Jewish.

Melanie Chartoff's Acting Career

Melanie Chartoff started her acting career on Broadway. Her first TV role was in 1976 as a nurse on Search for Tomorrow. She also appeared in the 1978 movie American Hot Wax.

She became famous on ABC's Fridays, a show similar to Saturday Night Live. Melanie stood out, especially for her role as the anchor on the show's fake news segments. She was also known for her funny impressions, like her impression of Nancy Reagan.

After Fridays ended in 1982, Melanie continued to work in television. She appeared in shows like Mr. Belvedere, Wiseguy, and St. Elsewhere. From 1990 to 1993, she co-starred in Parker Lewis Can't Lose as the strict Principal Grace Musso. She also made two appearances on the popular show Seinfeld. In 2006, she was in the season finale of Desperate Housewives.

Melanie Chartoff's Inventions

In 1991, Melanie Chartoff and fellow voice actor Michael Bell came up with an idea for a device called the Grayway Rotating Drain. This device helps recycle water from showers and sinks to flush toilets. This helps save water in homes. They worked with Ronald K. Ford, who received a patent for the product in 1994.

Voice Acting and Other Projects

Melanie Chartoff's first voice-over job was a guest role on Challenge of the Superfriends. She has become a very popular voice actress and also takes on TV and stage roles. She helps other actors and even non-actors learn how to be more confident when performing in public.

Melanie Chartoff also writes for several publications. These include The Huffington Post, The Jewish Journal, Defenestration Magazine, and The Funny Times. She performs her own original comedy material at various places in Los Angeles.

Melanie Chartoff's Role in Rugrats

From 1991 to 2008, Melanie Chartoff voiced two important characters on the Nickelodeon series Rugrats: Didi Pickles and her mother, Grandma Minka. For her work on Rugrats, she won a Daytime Emmy. She continued to voice Didi in the Rugrats spin-off series, All Grown Up!. In the 2021 revival series of Rugrats, actress Ashley Spillers took over the role of Didi.

Melanie Chartoff's Awards and Recognition

Besides her Drama-Logue and Daytime Emmy Awards, Melanie Chartoff has received other honors. The City of Hope recognized her for creating and producing "Halloween for Hope," an event that raises money for children's cancer research. The Mayor of Los Angeles also gave her a Certificate of Appreciation for her concerts that helped people experiencing homelessness. She is listed in "Who's Who in California" and "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities."

Melanie Chartoff's Personal Life

On July 5, 2013, Melanie Chartoff married psychologist Stan Friedman. They had been together for a long time before getting married.

Melanie Chartoff's Filmography

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Video Game Roles