Valerie Harper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valerie Harper
Harper in 1974
Born	Valerie Kathryn Harper (1939-08-22)August 22, 1939 Suffern, New York, U.S.
Died	August 30, 2019(2019-08-30) (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles
Occupation	Actress comedian dancer writer
Years active	1956–2019
Spouse(s)	Richard Schaal ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1978)​ Tony Cacciotti ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	1

Valerie Kathryn Harper (born August 22, 1939 – died August 30, 2019) was a talented American actress. She started her career as a dancer on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City. She is best known for playing the character Rhoda Morgenstern on two popular TV shows: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (from 1970 to 1977) and its spin-off show Rhoda (from 1974 to 1978).

For her amazing work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Valerie won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series three times! She later won the Outstanding Lead Actress award for her role in Rhoda. From 1986 to 1987, she starred as Valerie Hogan in the sitcom Valerie. She later left the show, and her character was written out. The show then changed its name to Valerie's Family and later The Hogan Family. Valerie Harper also appeared in movies like Freebie and the Bean (1974) and Chapter Two (1979), earning Golden Globe Award nominations for both. In her later years, she returned to the stage, even getting a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play nomination in 2010 for her role as Tallulah Bankhead in the play Looped.

Early Life and Family

Valerie Harper was born on August 22, 1939, in Suffern, New York. Her mother, Iva Mildred, was a teacher and nurse, and her father, Howard Donald Harper, sold lighting. Her parents got married in Canada before her mother moved to the United States.

Valerie was the middle child in her family. She had an older sister named Leanne and a younger brother named Merrill, who later went by "Don." After her parents divorced in 1957, she also gained a half-sister named Virginia from her father's second marriage. Valerie said her parents were expecting a boy when she was born. She was named after two tennis players, Valerie Scott and Kay Stammers, who won a doubles tournament on the day she was born. Her family background included French, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh roots. Valerie based her famous character, Rhoda Morgenstern, on her Italian stepmother and a dancer friend named Penny Ann Green.

Because of her father's job, Valerie's family moved every two years. She went to schools in many different places, including South Orange, New Jersey, Pasadena, California, and Jersey City, New Jersey. When her family moved back to Oregon, Valerie decided to stay in the New York City area to study ballet. She went to Lincoln High School and later graduated from a special school for young professionals. Some of her classmates there were famous actors like Sal Mineo and Tuesday Weld.

Career Highlights

Starting on Broadway

Valerie Harper began her career as a dancer and chorus girl on Broadway. She performed in several Broadway shows, including Wildcat (which starred the famous Lucille Ball), Li'l Abner, and Subways Are for Sleeping. She even had a small part in the movie version of Li'l Abner in 1959.

Later in her career, Valerie returned to Broadway. In February 2010, she played the role of Tallulah Bankhead in a play called Looped at the Lyceum Theatre.

Television Star

Harper with Mary Tyler Moore and Cloris Leachman in the final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1977)

In 1970, while doing theater in Los Angeles, Valerie Harper was discovered by a casting agent. This led to her auditioning for the role of Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She became a co-star on the show from 1970 to 1974. Her character was so popular that she got her own spin-off series called Rhoda, which ran from 1974 to 1978. In Rhoda, her character moved back to New York City.

Valerie won four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her amazing performances as Rhoda Morgenstern. In 2000, she reunited with Mary Tyler Moore for a TV movie called Mary and Rhoda, where their characters met again later in life. Valerie also appeared as a guest star on The Muppet Show in 1976.

In 1986, Valerie returned to TV sitcoms as Valerie Hogan in the NBC series Valerie. After a disagreement about her salary, she left the show after its second season. The show continued without her, explaining that her character had passed away. The series was first renamed Valerie's Family and then The Hogan Family. Sandy Duncan joined the cast to play her character's sister-in-law. Valerie also appeared in many TV movies and had guest roles on shows like Melrose Place (1998) and Sex and the City (1999).

Later Career and Activism

Harper at 2010 The Heart Truth

Valerie Harper was a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), which is a union for actors. She even ran for its presidency in 2001. From 2005 to 2006, she toured the United States playing Golda Meir in a one-woman play called Golda's Balcony. A film version of this play was released in 2007.

She continued to perform on stage, including the play Looped, which earned her a Tony Award nomination in 2010. In 2011, she played Claire Bremmer on the TV show Desperate Housewives. In 2013, Valerie was a contestant on the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars, where she danced with professional Tristan MacManus. She also appeared in an episode of the web series Liza on Demand in 2018.

Beyond acting, Valerie Harper was very active in charity work. In the 1970s and 80s, she supported the women's liberation movement and the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1983, she co-founded a charity called L.I.F.E. with actor Dennis Weaver. This organization helped feed thousands of people in need in Los Angeles.

Personal Life

Valerie Harper was married to actor Richard Schaal from 1964 to 1978. Later, she married Tony Cacciotti in 1987, and they adopted a daughter named Cristina. Even though she famously played Jewish characters like Rhoda Morgenstern, Valerie Harper herself was not Jewish.

Health and Passing

In 2009, Valerie Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer. In March 2013, she shared that she had a rare condition called leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. This is when cancer cells spread to the membranes around the brain. Doctors initially gave her a short time to live, but she responded well to treatment for a while.

Valerie continued to fight her illness with courage. In 2016, she was well enough to appear in a short film. She often spoke about her determination to keep fighting. By July 2019, she needed constant care due to her health challenges. Valerie Harper passed away on August 30, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Films

Television

Web

Theater

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Valerie Harper para niños