Valerie Mahaffey
Biography
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

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Grey's Anatomy

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Private Practice

Desperate Housewives

Seinfeld

Young Sheldon

Without a Trace
All Movies (28)
- The 8th Day2025 · as Landon Mooney
- French Exit2021 · as Mme Reynard
- The Witch Files2018 · as Claire's Mom
- No Pay, Nudity2016 · as Lisa Zweibal
- Sully2016 · as Diane Higgins
- If I Were You2013 · as Lydia
- Crazy Eyes2012 · as Zach's Mother
- Jack and Jill2011 · as Bitsy Simmons
- Summer Eleven2010
- A Previous Engagement2009 · as Grace
- My First Wedding2006 · as Grace
- Seabiscuit2003 · as Annie Howard
- Par 62002 · as Pecan Hegelman
- No Ordinary Baby2001 · as Virginia Hytner
- Dinner at Fred's1997 · as Susan
- Jungle 2 Jungle1997 · as Jan Kempster
- National Lampoon's Senior Trip1995 · as Miss Tracy Milford
- Witch Hunt1994 · as Trudy
- They1993 · as Chris Samuels
- Till Death Us Do Part1992 · as Gail Bugliosi
- Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin1989 · as D.A. Barbara August
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder1989 · as D.A. Barbara August
- Her Secret Life1987 · as Becky
- Women of Valor1986 · as Lt. Katherine R. Grace
- Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures1986 · as Mrs. Bill
- The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket1986 · as Alice
- Tell Me My Name1977 · as Alexandra / Sarah
- GRQ the Movie— · as Aunt Emily
All TV Shows (53)
- Big Sky2020 · as Helen Pergman
- Dead to Me2019 · as Lorna Harding
- Young Sheldon2017 · as Victoria MacElroy
- Impastor2015 · as Susie Kerry
- The Man in the High Castle2015 · as Susan
- Kirstie2013 · as Victoria
- Devious Maids2013 · as Olivia Rice
- Monday Mornings2013 · as Fran Horowitz
- The Mindy Project2012 · as Juliet
- The Exes2011 · as Anne
- Hart of Dixie2011 · as Mae Ellen Waterloo
- Franklin & Bash2011 · as Julie
- Workaholics2011 · as Celeste
- Better With You2010 · as Ariel
- Raising Hope2010 · as Margine
- Glee2009 · as Rose Pillsbury
- United States of Tara2009 · as Dr. Ocean
- Private Practice2007 · as Marilyn Sullivan
- Raines2007 · as Arlene
- Hannah Montana2006 · as Ms. Jameson
- Crumbs2006 · as Carolyn Pierce
- Out of Practice2005
- Grey's Anatomy2005 · as Donna Kaufman
- Desperate Housewives2004 · as Alma Hodge
- Boston Legal2004 · as Mary Winston
- Without a Trace2002 · as Bonnie Toland
- Good Morning, Miami2002 · as Sara
- Night Visions2001 · as Sally Osgoode (segment "Neighborhood Watch")
- That's My Bush!2001 · as Janet Rove
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation2000 · as Dora Pomerantz
- The West Wing1999 · as Tawny Cryer
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Brooke Thornburg
- Judging Amy1999 · as Ms. Morlock
- Buddy Faro1998
- George & Leo1997
- Ally McBeal1997 · as Dr. Sally Muggins
- Caroline in the City1995 · as Alicia Crawford-Lane
- Women of the House1995 · as Jennifer Malone
- ER1994 · as Joi Abbott
- Frasier1993 · as Peggy
- The Powers That Be1992 · as Caitlyn Van Horne
- Baby Talk1991
- Northern Exposure1990 · as Eve
- Dream On1990 · as Helen Harley
- Wings1990 · as Sandy Cooper
- Seinfeld1989 · as Patrice
- Quantum Leap1989 · as Mary Greely
- Murphy's Law1988
- Fresno1986 · as Tiffany Kensington
- L.A. Law1986 · as Andrea Rossoff
- Newhart1982
- Cheers1982 · as Valerie Hill
- Tales of the Unexpected1979 · as Jane