Valerie Mahaffey

Acting

Valerie Mahaffey

Born — Died

1953-06-16 — 2025-05-30

Place of birth

Sumatra, Indonesia

Known for

Acting

Credits

68 titles

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), Jung…

Known for

Film credits

2010s · 7 titles

Sully poster
7.2

On 15 January 2009, the world witnessed the 'Miracle on the Hudson' when Captain 'Sully' Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 souls aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and career.

Sully

2016

Jack and Jill poster
4.4

Jack Sadelstein, a successful advertising executive in Los Angeles with a beautiful wife and kids, dreads one event each year: the Thanksgiving visit of his twin sister Jill. Jill's neediness and passive-aggressiveness is maddening to Jack, turning his normally tranquil life upside down.

Jack and Jill

2011

The Witch Files poster
6.0

A coven of young women with incredible powers and difficult pasts discovers that they are able to make their every wish come true. Things, however, take a dangerous turn when they discover that their newly-found abilities come with a price and that they may not be as in control as they think.

The Witch Files

2018

If I Were You poster
6.6

When a woman tries to outwit her husband's sexy young mistress, the unexpected consequences include starring as King Lear in a very amateur production - with the mistress, an aspiring actress, playing The Fool.

If I Were You

2013

Crazy Eyes poster
4.1

Zack is a young, divorced father who starts to develop romantic feelings towards his friend Rebecca, whom he refers to as "Crazy Eyes". He spends a lot of time at a bar run by his best friend Dan Drake and hanging out with Autumn. As he pursues a sexual relationship with Rebecca, Zack grows increasingly aware of the importance of his son's role in his life amidst the failing health of his own father.

Crazy Eyes

2012

No Pay, Nudity poster
4.0

Aging actor Lester Rosenthal (Gabriel Byrne), who has lost his way with his career, with his family, and with his friends (Nathan Lane, Frances Conroy, & Boyd Gaines) finds out that the way out is through.

No Pay, Nudity

2016

Summer Eleven poster
4.8

The poignant, coming of age story about a group of eleven year old girls in their final summer before middle school.

Summer Eleven

2010

2000s · 5 titles

1990s · 6 titles

Jungle 2 Jungle poster
5.4

Uptight New York City executive, Michael Cromwell, pursues his soon-to-be ex-wife to South America and returns home with the son he never knew he had—a boy raised in a tribal village in Brazil. Armed with only his blowgun, the 13-year-old Mimi-Siku discovers that the world outside his jungle home is indeed a strange place.

Jungle 2 Jungle

1997

Witch Hunt poster
5.1

Magic and murder connect an actress, a private eye, a senator and a witch in 1950s Hollywood.

Witch Hunt

1994

National Lampoon's Senior Trip poster
5.5

While on detention, a group of misfits and slackers have to write a letter to the President explaining what is wrong with the education system. There is only one problem, the President loves it! Hence, the group must travel to Washington to meet the Main Man.

National Lampoon's Senior Trip

1995

Dinner at Fred's poster
5.2

A young businessman with a skill for magic tricks breaks down en route to his fiancee's parents' house on Christmas and ends up spending the holiday with a very different kind of family.

Dinner at Fred's

1997

They poster
7.4

A father experiences strange apparitions after his daughter is killed in a car accident.

They

1993

Till Death Us Do Part poster
7.0

This is a true crime story based on the book of the same title by prosecuting attorney, Vincent Bugliosi. (Bugliosi is the L.A. prosecutor that put Charles Manson away.) On December 11, 1966, a murder occurs in a small neighborhood of El Sereno, CA. In the middle of the night, Henry Stockton is shot three times in the head and twice in the chest and then his house is set on fire. The murderer left no clues, baffling the police, until a year later when a young pregnant woman is found bludgeoned to death in a Jaguar. Strangely, these two murders are related. As the mystery unfolds a horrific tale of greed, lust and ambition are revealed.

Till Death Us Do Part

1992

1980s · 6 titles

Series credits

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit poster
8.0

In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999

Grey's Anatomy poster
8.2

Follows the personal and professional lives of a group of doctors at Seattle's Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Grey's Anatomy

2005

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation poster
7.6

A Las Vegas team of forensic investigators are trained to solve criminal cases by scouring the crime scene, collecting irrefutable evidence and finding the missing pieces that solve the mystery.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

2000

Desperate Housewives poster
7.9

Looking down on her friends and family isn't a way of life for Mary Alice Young... it's a way of death. One day, in her perfect house, in the loveliest of suburbs, Mary Alice ended it all. Now she's taking us into the lives of her family, friends and neighbors, commenting from her elevated P.O.V.

Desperate Housewives

2004

Seinfeld poster
8.3

A stand-up comedian and his three offbeat friends weather the pitfalls and payoffs of life in New York City in the '90s. It's a show about nothing.

Seinfeld

1989

Young Sheldon poster
8.0

The early life of child genius Sheldon Cooper, later seen in The Big Bang Theory.

Young Sheldon

2017

Frasier poster
7.7

After many years spent at the “Cheers” bar, Frasier moves back home to Seattle to work as a radio psychiatrist after his policeman father gets shot in the hip on duty.

Frasier

1993

The West Wing poster
8.3

The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life.

The West Wing

1999

ER poster
7.8

ER explores the inner workings of an urban teaching hospital and the critical issues faced by the dedicated physicians and staff of its overburdened emergency room.

ER

1994

Without a Trace poster
7.2

The series follows the ventures of a Missing Persons Unit of the FBI in New York City.

Without a Trace

2002

Cheers poster
7.6

The story about a blue-collar Boston bar run by former sports star Sam Malone and the quirky and wonderful people who worked and drank there.

Cheers

1982

Quantum Leap poster
8.0

Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished... He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

Quantum Leap

1989

Glee poster
6.8

In this musical comedy, optimistic high school teacher Will Schuester tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the high school's glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential as they strive to outshine their singing competition while navigating the cruel halls of McKinley High.

Glee

2009

Boston Legal poster
7.9

Alan Shore and Denny Crane lead a brigade of high-priced civil litigators in an upscale Boston law firm in a series focusing on the professional and personal lives of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys. A spin-off of long-running series The Practice.

Boston Legal

2004

L.A. Law poster
7.0

L.A. Law is an American television legal drama series that ran for eight seasons on NBC from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it contained many of Bochco's trademark features including a large number of parallel storylines, social drama and off-the-wall humor. It reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s, and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights, homophobia, sexual harassment, AIDS, and domestic violence. The series often also reflected social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff. The show was popular with audiences and critics, and won 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run, four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series.

L.A. Law

1986

Private Practice poster
7.5

Having left behind Seattle Grace Hospital, renowned surgeon Addison Forbes Montgomery moves to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. She reunites with her friends from medical school, joining them at their chic, co-op, Oceanside Wellness Center in Santa Monica.

Private Practice

2007

Judging Amy poster
7.5

Judging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character is a judge who serves in a family court, and in addition to the family-related cases that she adjudicates, many episodes of the show focus on her own experiences as a divorced mother, and on the experiences of her mother, a social worker who works in the field of child welfare. This series was based on the life experiences of Brenneman's mother.

Judging Amy

1999

American Playhouse poster
6.6

American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.

American Playhouse

1982

American Playhouse poster
6.6

American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.

American Playhouse

1982

Wings poster
6.9

Brothers Brian and Joe Hackett attempt to run an airline on the New England island of Nantucket while surrounded by their various wacky friends and employees.

Wings

1990

Newhart poster
7.2

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

Newhart

1982

Newhart poster
7.2

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in Vermont. Dick is a how-to book writer, who eventually becomes a local TV celebrity as host of "Vermont Today." George Utley is the handyman at the inn and Leslie Vanderkellen is the maid, with ambitions of being an Olympic Ski champion; she is later replaced by her cousin Stephanie, an heiress who hates her job. Her boyfriend is Dick's yuppie TV producer, Michael Harris. There are many other quirky characters in this fictional little town, including Dick's neighbors Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...three brothers who buy the Minuteman Cafe from Kirk Devane. Besides sharing a name, Darryl and Darryl never speak.

Newhart

1982

The Mindy Project poster
6.3

Obstetrician/gynecologist Mindy Lahiri tries to balance her personal and professional life, surrounded by quirky co-workers in a small medical practice in New York City.

The Mindy Project

2012

Northern Exposure poster
7.8

After receiving a scholarship from the state, a recent Columbia University medical school graduate is required to set up his practice in an eccentric Alaskan town.

Northern Exposure

1990

The Man in the High Castle poster
7.5

Explore what it would be like if the Allied Powers had lost WWII, and Japan and Germany ruled the United States. Based on Philip K. Dick's award-winning novel.

The Man in the High Castle

2015

Hannah Montana poster
7.1

At home and school, she's Miley Stewart, a typical teenager, but when the lights go down and the curtain goes up, she emerges as the glamorous and talented Hannah Montana. Having the "Best of Both Worlds" is a complicated proposition, and keeping her identity under wraps leads Miley and her friends into some hilarious capers as she tries to balance her normal life with her rock star persona.

Hannah Montana

2006

Tales of the Unexpected poster
6.8

A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.

Tales of the Unexpected

1979

Hart of Dixie poster
7.3

New Yorker Zoe Hart has it all figured out - after graduating top of her class from medical school, she'll follow in her father's footsteps and become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But when her dreams fall apart, Zoe decides to work at a small practice in Bluebell, Alabama.

Hart of Dixie

2011

Raising Hope poster
7.5

James "Jimmy" Chance is a clueless 24-year-old who impregnates a serial killer during a one-night-stand. Earning custody of his daughter after the mother is sentenced to death, Jimmy relies on his oddball but well-intentioned family for support in raising the child.

Raising Hope

2010

Dream On poster
6.9

The family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book editor. The show distinctively interjected clips from older black and white television series to punctuate Tupper's feelings or thoughts.

Dream On

1990

Big Sky poster
7.2

Private detective Cassie Dewell partners with ex-cop Jenny Hoyt on a search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. When they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the perpetrator before another woman is taken.

Big Sky

2020

Workaholics poster
7.4

The misadventures of three recent college dropouts, roommates, and co-workers at a telemarketing company and their drug dealer.

Workaholics

2011

Franklin & Bash poster
7.3

When they're not hanging out at their favorite hot dog stand pontificating on what they'd go through to enjoy a night with their favorite female celebrities, Jared Franklin and Peter Bash are chasing down their latest clients...sometimes literally. With business cards in hand, they're ready to nab a client within seconds after a car accident, arrest for solicitation or any other incident where their legal services may be needed. Once in the courtroom, they show their flair for the dramatic and the shocking.

Franklin & Bash

2011

Devious Maids poster
7.1

The series centers on four Latina maids working in the homes of Beverly Hills’ wealthiest and most powerful families, and a newcomer who made it personal after a maid was murdered and determined to uncover the truth behind her demise, and in the process become an ally in their lives.

Devious Maids

2013

Caroline in the City poster
6.6

Caroline Duffy is a successful cartoonist in Manhattan whose eclectic friends are sometimes the subjects of her comic strip.

Caroline in the City

1995

Dead to Me poster
7.3

A hotheaded widow searching for the hit-and-run driver who mowed down her husband befriends an eccentric optimist who isn't quite what she seems.

Dead to Me

2019

Ally McBeal poster
6.5

Ally McBeal is a young lawyer working at the Boston law firm Cage and Fish. Ally's lives and loves are eccentric, humorous, dramatic with an incredibly overactive imagination that's working overtime!

Ally McBeal

1997

The Exes poster
6.6

A sitcom about three divorced men sharing an apartment across the hall from their female divorce attorney, who is also their landlord.

The Exes

2011

United States of Tara poster
7.1

Tara's multiple personalities include "T" the wild-child teenager, "Buck" the rough and tumble biker dude, and "Alice" the type-A homemaker. But with a family that loves her just the way she is, Tara never gives up hope that someday she can just be herself.

United States of Tara

2009

Good Morning, Miami poster
6.9

A talented young TV producer arrives in Miami to revamp the lowest-rated morning show in the country. Jake Silver risks taking the job when he sets eyes on the show's beautiful, down-to-earth hair stylist Dylan, who wows him like nobody before – and presents a romantic challenge.

Good Morning, Miami

2002