Cast & creator
Valerie Mahaffey
Best known for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Grey's Anatomy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
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.
28
film credits
56
television credits
84
1977–2025 · acting roles
6.9
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (84)
Showing 84 of 84 credits
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Brooke Thornburg
1999
Grey's Anatomy
Donna Kaufman
2005
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Dora Pomerantz
2000
Desperate Housewives
Alma Hodge
2004
Seinfeld
Patrice
1989
The West Wing
Tawny Cryer
1999
Frasier
Peggy
1993
Young Sheldon
Victoria MacElroy
2017
Cheers
Valerie Hill
1982
Without a Trace
Bonnie Toland
2002
ER
Joi Abbott
1994
Glee
Rose Pillsbury
2009
Quantum Leap
Mary Greely
1989
L.A. Law
Andrea Rossoff
1986
American Playhouse
Alice
1982American Playhouse
Mrs. Stockman
1982
Boston Legal
Mary Winston
2004
Private Practice
Marilyn Sullivan
2007
Judging Amy
Ms. Morlock
1999
Wings
Sandy Cooper
1990
The Mindy Project
Juliet
2012
Northern Exposure
Eve
1990
Tales of the Unexpected
Jane
1979
Newhart
1982Newhart
Jolene
1982
Hart of Dixie
Mae Ellen Waterloo
2011
Caroline in the City
Alicia Crawford-Lane
1995
The Man in the High Castle
Susan
2015
Raising Hope
Margine
2010
Franklin & Bash
Julie
2011
Hannah Montana
Ms. Jameson
2006
Workaholics
Celeste
2011
Big Sky
Helen Pergman
2020
Ally McBeal
Dr. Sally Muggins
1997
Devious Maids
Olivia Rice
2013
The Exes
Anne
2011
Dream On
Helen Harley
1990
Dead to Me
Lorna Harding
2019
United States of Tara
Dr. Ocean
2009
Good Morning, Miami
Sara
2002
Sully
Diane Higgins
2016
Night Visions
Sally Osgoode (segment "Neighborhood Watch")
2001
Monday Mornings
Fran Horowitz
2013
George & Leo
1997
Out of Practice
2005
Jack and Jill
Bitsy Simmons
2011
Better With You
Ariel
2010
The Powers That Be
Caitlyn Van Horne
1992
Impastor
Susie Kerry
2015
Women of the House
Jennifer Malone
1995
Raines
Arlene
2007
Kirstie
Victoria
2013
That's My Bush!
Janet Rove
2001
Crumbs
Carolyn Pierce
2006
French Exit
Mme Reynard
2021
Fresno
Tiffany Kensington
1986
Murphy's Law
1988
Seabiscuit
Annie Howard
2003
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jan Kempster
1997
Buddy Faro
1998
National Lampoon's Senior Trip
Miss Tracy Milford
1995
Witch Hunt
Trudy
1994
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder
D.A. Barbara August
1989
Dinner at Fred's
Susan
1997
Till Death Us Do Part
Gail Bugliosi
1992
They
Chris Samuels
1993
The Witch Files
Claire's Mom
2018
Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin
D.A. Barbara August
1989
Her Secret Life
Becky
1987
Tell Me My Name
Alexandra / Sarah
1977
Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures
Mrs. Bill
1986
If I Were You
Lydia
2013
No Pay, Nudity
Lisa Zweibal
2016
Women of Valor
Lt. Katherine R. Grace
1986GRQ the Movie
Aunt Emily
The 8th Day
Landon Mooney
2025
My First Wedding
Grace
2006
Crazy Eyes
Zach's Mother
2012
No Ordinary Baby
Virginia Hytner
2001
Par 6
Pecan Hegelman
2002
The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket
Alice
1986
Summer Eleven
2010
A Previous Engagement
Grace
2009