Valerie Harper

Harper began her show business career as a dancer and chorus girl on Broadway, and went on to perform in several Broadway shows, some choreographed by Michael Kidd, including Wildcat (starring Lucille Ball), Take Me Along (starring Jackie Gleason), and Subways Are for Sleeping. She was also cast in the musical Destry Rides Again, but was forced to leave rehearsals due to illness. She returned to Broadway in February 2010, playing Tallulah Bankhead in Matthew Lombardo's Looped at the Lyceum Theatre.[13]

Harper had a bit part in the film version of Li'l Abner (1959), playing a Yokumberry Tonic wife. She broke into television on an episode of the soap opera The Doctors ("Zip Guns can Kill"), and was an extra in Love with the Proper Stranger. She was in the ensemble cast of Paul Sills' Story Theatre[14] and toured with Second City along with then-husband Richard Schaal, Linda Lavin, and others, later appearing in sketches on Playboy After Dark. She performed several characters in a comedy LP record, When You're in Love the Whole World is Jewish, which included the popular novelty single, The Ballad of Irving, a recitation by TV announcer Frank Gallop. Harper and Schaal moved to Los Angeles in 1968, and co-wrote an episode of Love, American Style.[3]

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

While doing theater in Los Angeles in 1970, Harper was spotted by casting agent Ethel Winant, who called her in to audition for the role of Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show.[3] She co-starred there from 1970–1974, then starred in the spin-off series Rhoda (CBS 1974–1978) in which her character returned to New York City.

She won four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her work as Rhoda Morgenstern. In 2000, she reunited with Moore in Mary and Rhoda, a TV movie that reunited their characters in later life.[15] The first season of Rhoda was released on DVD on April 21, 2009 by Shout! Factory.[16]

Harper was nominated for a Golden Globe for "New Star of the Year" for her role in Freebie and the Bean (1974),[17] and was a guest star on The Muppet Show in 1976, its first season.[18]

Harper returned to situation comedy in 1986 when she played family matriarch Valerie Hogan on the NBC series Valerie.[19] Following a salary dispute with NBC and production company Lorimar in 1987, she was fired from the series at the end of its second season,[19][20][21][22][23] and sued NBC and Lorimar for breach of contract. Her claims against NBC were dismissed, but the jury found that Lorimar had wrongfully fired her and awarded her $1.4 million plus 12.5% of the show's profits.[21][22] The series continued without her, with the explanation that her character had died off-screen.[19][20] In 1987, it was initially renamed Valerie's Family, then The Hogan Family, as Harper was replaced by actress Sandy Duncan, who played her sister-in-law Sandy Hogan.[19]

Harper appeared in various television movies, including a performance as Maggie in a production of the Michael Cristofer play The Shadow Box, directed by Paul Newman, and in guest roles on such series as Melrose Place (1998) and Sex and the City (1999).

Harper at 2010 The Heart Truth

Harper was a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and ran for its president in 2001, losing to Melissa Gilbert. She served on SAG's Hollywood board of directors.[24]

In 2005–2006, Harper portrayed Golda Meir in a United States national tour of the one-woman drama Golda's Balcony.[25][26] A film of the production was released in 2007.[27]

She played Tallulah Bankhead in the world-premiere production of Matthew Lombardo's Looped at the Pasadena Playhouse from June 27 to August 3, 2008.[28][29] The show moved to Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in 2009.[30] It then briefly ran on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre, from February 2010 (previews) through April 2010, for which Harper received a Tony Award nomination.[13][31] She was to continue the role on a national tour beginning January 2013, but withdrew due to her health.[32]

She played Claire Bremmer, aunt of Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher), on ABC's Desperate Housewives in 2011.[33]

On September 4, 2013, Harper was announced as a contestant for the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with professional dancer Tristan MacManus.[34] They were voted off the show on October 7, 2013.

Harper appeared as the character Wanda on the American comedy web television series Liza on Demand, in its July 11, 2018, episode: "Valentine's Day".[35]

In the 1970s and '80s, Harper was involved in the women's liberation movement and was an advocate of the Equal Rights Amendment.[36][37] With Dennis Weaver she co-founded L.I.F.E. in 1983, a charity that fed thousands of needy people in Los Angeles.[38][39]