Valerie Mahaffey

She later appeared in television shows such as Wings, Desperate Housewives, Devious Maids, Young Sheldon, and Dead to Me. Mahaffey also appeared in a number of movies, including Senior Trip (1995), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Jack and Jill (2011), Sully (2016). For her role in French Exit (2020) she received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination.

• Name — Valerie Mahaffey • Born — 16 June 1953 • Birthplace — Sumatra, Indonesia • Died — 30 May 2025 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Education — University of Texas at Austin (BFA) • Known for — * Northern Exposure • The Doctors • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1976–2025 • Spouse — Joseph Kell • Children — 1

Mahaffey was born on June 16, 1953, in Sumatra, Indonesia, to a Canadian mother and an American father who met in New Brunswick, Canada. Her father worked in the petroleum industry, and the family moved frequently for his career; Mahaffey spent her early years in Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. When she was 16, her family relocated to Austin, Texas, where she graduated from Austin High School. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1975 and later made her Broadway debut in the musical Rex.

Mahaffey was a regular cast member in the soap opera The Doctors from 1979 to 1981, which earned her a nomination for Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1980. She starred in the film Women of Valor in 1986 and while the characters are fictitious, it portrayed women's roles in the Philippines during World War II. Also in 1986 Mahaffey co-starred in the cult satirical TV miniseries Fresno, which parodied popular TV soaps of the day. • Illustration — Valerie Mahaffey at the Governor's Ball after the 1992 Emmy Awards In the late 1980s, Mahaffey began acting in television comedies, like Newhart, Cheers, and Seinfeld. From 1992 to 1993, she starred in the short-lived NBC sitcom The Powers That Be and in the CBS sitcom Women of the House alongside Delta Burke in 1995. She played Tracy Milford in the 1995 film National Lampoon's Senior Trip and Jan Kempster in the 1997 film Jungle 2 Jungle. In 1999, she had a recurring role on ER. In 2003, she co-starred in the film Seabiscuit. In 2009, she appeared in seven episodes of Showtime comedy series United States of Tara. Her stage credits include Eastern Standard, Talking Heads, Top Girls, and Rex. Mahaffey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as the chronic hypochondriac Eve in the CBS series Northern Exposure in 1992. Mahaffey played Alma Hodge in season 3 of ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives from 2006 to 2007. Mahaffey made guest appearances on Quantum Leap, L.A. Law, Ally McBeal, Judging Amy, The West Wing, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Frasier, Wings, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Private Practice, Boston Legal, Without a Trace, and Raising Hope. She appeared on Glee as the mother of Emma Pillsbury from 2011 to 2013. Mahaffey co-starred as Fran Horowitz in short-lived TNT medical drama Monday Mornings in 2013. From 2013 to 2015, she had a recurring role on the Lifetime Television comedy-drama series Devious Maids as Olivia Rice. In 2016, Mahaffey played a supporting role as Diane Higgins in the biographical drama film Sully directed by Clint Eastwood. In 2017, she began appearing in a recurring role in the CBS comedy series Young Sheldon. From 2019 to 2022, Mahaffey had a recurring role as Lorna Harding, Christina Applegate's mother-in-law in the Netflix comedy-drama series Dead to Me. In 2020, Mahaffey starred opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the comedy-drama film French Exit playing widow Madame Reynaud. Mahaffey received positive reviews from critics for her scene-stealing comedic performance in the film. Later in 2020, Mahaffey was cast in a series regular role in the first season of the ABC crime drama series Big Sky.

Mahaffey was married to actor and director Joseph Kell, with whom she had a daughter. Mahaffey died of cancer on May 30, 2025, at the age of 71.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1977 — Tell Me My Name — Alexandra/Sarah — Television film • 1979–1981 — The Doctors — Ashley Bennett — Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1980) • 1984 — Tales of the Unexpected — Jane — Episode: "The Open Window" • 1986 — Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures — Mrs. Bill — TV short • American Playhouse — Alice — Episode: "The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket" • Fresno — Tiffany Kensington — TV mini-series • Women of Valor — Lt. Katherine R. Grace — Television film • 1987 — Newhart — Jolene — Episode: "Love Letters in the Mud" • Jack and Mike — Colleen — Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part" • 1989 — Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder — D.A. Barbara August — Television film • Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin • 1990 — An Enemy of the People — Mrs. Stockman • Father Dowling Mysteries — Justine Hemmings — Episode: "The Solid Gold Headache Mystery" • Quantum Leap — Mary Greely — Episode: "The Boogieman – October 31, 1964" • 1991 — Cheers — Valerie Hill — Episode: "Achilles Hill" • The Young Riders — Lottie — Episode: "The Talisman" • Baby Talk — Tammy Morrison — Episode: "One Night with Elliot" • Seinfeld — Patrice — Episode: "The Truth" • 1991–1994 — Northern Exposure — Eve — 5 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1992) • 1992 — Till Death Us Do Part — Gail Bugliosi — Television film • Dream On — Helen Harley — Episode: "Up All Night" • 1992–1993 — The Powers That Be — Caitlyn Van Horne — 21 episodes • 1993 — They — Chris Samuels — Television film • 1993–1996 — Wings — Sandy Cooper — 3 episodes • 1994 — L.A. Law — Andrea Rossoff — Episode: "Cold Cuts" • Witch Hunt — Trudy — Television film • 1995 — Women of the House — Jennifer Malone — 6 episodes • 1995–1996 — The Client — Ellie Foltrigg — 4 episodes • 1996 — Caroline in the City — Alicia Crawford-Lane — Episode: "Caroline and the Therapist" • 1997 — George & Leo — Martha — Episode: "The Thanksgiving Show" • 1999 — ER — Joi Abbott — 4 episodes • 2000 — Love & Money — Gloria Barrell — Episode: "Guess Who's Paying for Dinner" • Ally McBeal — Dr. Sally Muggins — Episode: "I Will Survive" • 2001 — That's My Bush! — Janet Rove — Episode: "Trapped in a Small Environment" • 2001 — Night Visions — Sally Osgoode — Episode: "Neighborhood Watch" • After Amy — Virginia Hytner — Television film • Judging Amy — Ms. Morlock — Episode: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being Family" • The West Wing — Tawny Cryer, Appropriations Committee — Episode: "Gone Quiet" • 2002 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Brook Thornburg — Episode: "Justice" • 2003 — Frasier — Peggy — Episode: "Maris Returns" • 2004 — Without a Trace — Bonnie Toland — Episode: "Shadows" • 2005 — Out of Practice — Barb — Episode: "...and I'll Cry If I Want to" • 2006 — Crumbs — Carolyn Pierce — Episode: "Friends in High Places" • CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Dora Pomerantz — Episode: "Happenstance" • 2006–2007, 2012 — Desperate Housewives — Alma Hodge — 9 episodes • 2007 — Raines — Arlene — Episode: "Pilot" • Private Practice — Marilyn Sullivan — Episode: "In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole" • 2008 — Boston Legal — Mary Winston — Episode: "Mad About You" • 2009 — United States of Tara — Dr. Ocean — 7 episodes • 2010 — Better with You — Ariel — Episode: "Better with Road Joel" • Hannah Montana — Ms. Jameson — Episode: "I'll Always Remember You" • Raising Hope — Margine — Episode: "Meet the Grandparents" • 2011–2013 — Glee — Rose Pillsbury — 3 episodes • 2012 — The Exes — Anne — Episode: "He's Gotta Have It" • 2013 — Monday Mornings — Fran Horowitz — 6 episodes • 2013, 2015 — Devious Maids — Olivia Rice — 8 episodes • 2013 — Grey's Anatomy — Donna Kaufman — Episode: "Somebody That I Used to Know" • 2014 — Kirstie — Victoria — Episode: "The Dinner Party" • Hart of Dixie — Mae — 3 episodes • 2015 — Workaholics — Celeste — Episode: "Blood Drive" • Impastor — Susie Kerry — Episode: "Honor Thy Boyfriend's Father and Mother" • 2016 — The Mindy Project — Juliet — Episode: "So You Think You Can Finance" • 2017 — The Man in the High Castle — Susan — Recurring role, 3 episodes • 2017–2020 — Young Sheldon — Ms. MacElroy — Recurring role, 14 episodes • 2019–2022 — Dead to Me — Lorna Harding — Recurring role, 9 episodes • 2020–2021 — Big Sky — Helen Pergman — Main role (season 1), 9 episodes • 2022 — Echo 3 — Maggie Chesborough — 3 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1976 — Rex — Catherine Howard — Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway • 1977 — Dracula — Lucy Seward (Replacement) — Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway • 1978 — Romeo and Juliet — Juliet — Milwaukee Repertory Theater • 1978 — The Freeway — Payne — Milwaukee Repertory Theater • 1980 — Fearless Frank — Jessie/Lilly — Princess Theatre, Broadway • 1981 — Scenes and Revelations — Rebecca — Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway • 1981 — Twelve Dreams — Miss Banton — The Public Theater, Off-Broadway • 1982 — Ethan Frome — Mattie Silver — Long Wharf Theatre • 1982 — The Keeper — Lady Byron — Philadelphia Drama Guild • 1982 — The Butter and Egg Man — Jane Weston — Manhattan Punch Line Theater • 1983 — Top Girls — Patient Griselda — The Public Theater, Off-Broadway • 1984 — Play Memory — Jean MacMillan — Longacre Theatre, Broadway • 1984 — Romance Language — Emily Dickinson — Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway • 1985 — The Loves of Anatol — Annette/Annie — Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway • 1988 — Eastern Standard — Phoebe Kidde — Seattle Repertory Theatre • 2003 — Talking Heads — Lesley — Minetta Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway • 2016 — Casa Valentina — Rita — Pasadena Playhouse

The authorities additionally record the heading Alma. Her recorded language was English.