Valerie Mahaffey

Acting

Valerie Mahaffey

Born June 16, 1953Sumatra, Indonesia81 credits

Valerie Mahaffey (June 16, 1953 – May 30, 2025) was an American actress and producer. She began her career starring in the NBC daytime soap opera The Doctors (1979–81), for which she received a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. In 1992, Mahaffey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the CBS drama series Northern Exposure. She later won fame through her portrayal of extroverted and friendly but ultimately insane women on the television shows Wings, Desperate Housewives, Devious Maids and Big Sky. Mahaffey also appeared in a number of movies, including Senior Trip (1995), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Jack and Jill (2011), Sully (2016), and most notably French Exit (2020), for which she received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Description above from the Wikipedia article Valerie Mahaffey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Filmography

The 8th Day
2025The 8th Day
as Landon MooneyMovie
French Exit
2021French Exit
as Mme ReynardMovie
Big Sky
2020Big Sky
as Helen PergmanTV
Dead to Me
2019Dead to Me
as Lorna HardingTV
The Witch Files
2018The Witch Files
as Claire's MomMovie
Young Sheldon
2017Young Sheldon
as Victoria MacElroyTV
No Pay, Nudity
2016No Pay, Nudity
as Lisa ZweibalMovie
Sully
2016Sully
as Diane HigginsMovie
Impastor
2015Impastor
as Susie KerryTV
Kirstie
2013Kirstie
as VictoriaTV
Devious Maids
2013Devious Maids
as Olivia RiceTV
If I Were You
2013If I Were You
as LydiaMovie
Monday Mornings
2013Monday Mornings
as Fran HorowitzTV
Crazy Eyes
2012Crazy Eyes
as Zach's MotherMovie
The Exes
2011The Exes
as AnneTV
Jack and Jill
2011Jack and Jill
as Bitsy SimmonsMovie
Hart of Dixie
2011Hart of Dixie
as Mae Ellen WaterlooTV
Workaholics
2011Workaholics
as CelesteTV
Raising Hope
2010Raising Hope
as MargineTV
Glee
2009Glee
as Rose PillsburyTV
Private Practice
2007Private Practice
as Marilyn SullivanTV
Raines
2007Raines
as ArleneTV
Hannah Montana
2006Hannah Montana
as Ms. JamesonTV
Crumbs
2006Crumbs
as Carolyn PierceTV
Grey's Anatomy
2005Grey's Anatomy
as Donna KaufmanTV
Boston Legal
2004Boston Legal
as Mary WinstonTV
Seabiscuit
2003Seabiscuit
as Annie HowardMovie
Without a Trace
2002Without a Trace
as Bonnie TolandTV
Par 6
2002Par 6
as Pecan HegelmanMovie
No Ordinary Baby
2001No Ordinary Baby
as Virginia HytnerMovie
Night Visions
2001Night Visions
as Sally Osgoode (segment "Neighborhood Watch")TV
That's My Bush!
2001That's My Bush!
as Janet RoveTV
The West Wing
1999The West Wing
as Tawny CryerTV
Judging Amy
1999Judging Amy
as Ms. MorlockTV
Ally McBeal
1997Ally McBeal
as Dr. Sally MugginsTV
Jungle 2 Jungle
1997Jungle 2 Jungle
as Jan KempsterMovie
Caroline in the City
1995Caroline in the City
as Alicia Crawford-LaneTV
National Lampoon's Senior Trip
1995National Lampoon's Senior Trip
as Miss Tracy MilfordMovie
Women of the House
1995Women of the House
as Jennifer MaloneTV
Witch Hunt
1994Witch Hunt
as TrudyMovie
ER
1994ER
as Joi AbbottTV
They
1993They
as Chris SamuelsMovie
Frasier
1993Frasier
as PeggyTV
The Powers That Be
1992The Powers That Be
as Caitlyn Van HorneTV
Till Death Us Do Part
1992Till Death Us Do Part
as Gail BugliosiMovie
Dream On
1990Dream On
as Helen HarleyTV
Wings
1990Wings
as Sandy CooperTV
Seinfeld
1989Seinfeld
as PatriceTV
Quantum Leap
1989Quantum Leap
as Mary GreelyTV
Her Secret Life
1987Her Secret Life
as BeckyMovie
Women of Valor
1986Women of Valor
as Lt. Katherine R. GraceMovie
Fresno
1986Fresno
as Tiffany KensingtonTV
L.A. Law
1986L.A. Law
as Andrea RossoffTV
Cheers
1982Cheers
as Valerie HillTV
Tell Me My Name
1977Tell Me My Name
as Alexandra / SarahMovie
G
GRQ the Movie
as Aunt EmilyMovie