Valerie Mahaffey obit

Valerie Mahaffey, Actress on ‘Northern Exposure,’ ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ‘Young Sheldon,’ Dies at 71

An Emmy winner who played lots of eccentric characters, she also appeared on ‘Glee,’ ‘Devious Maids,’ ‘Big Sky,’ ‘Dead to Me’ and much more.

 She was not on the list.

Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning actress known for her work on such shows as Northern Exposure, Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon and Dead to Me, died Friday. She was 71.

Mahaffey died in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer, publicist Jillian Roscoe announced.

Known for playing eccentric characters, Mahaffey received a Spirit Award nomination for her turn as widowed American expat Madame Reynard in French Exit (2020) opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges as mother and son.

From 1991-94, she appeared on five episodes of CBS’ Northern Exposure over three seasons and received a supporting actress Emmy in 1992 for portraying the hypochondriac Eve, wife of Adam Arkin’s character.

She played the manipulative Alma Hodge, ex-wife of Kyle MacLachlan’s Orson Hodge, on ABC’s Desperate Housewives from 2006-07; recurred as the teacher Victoria MacElroy on CBS’ Young Sheldon from 2017-20; and played Lorna Harding, Christina Applegate’s narcissistic mother-in-law, on Netflix’s Dead to Me from 2019-22.

She also was recently seen on the Apple TV+ series Echo 3.

Born on June 16, 1953, in Indonesia and raised there until she was 11, Mahaffey graduated from Austin High School and then, in 1975, from the University of Texas.

She began her acting career in New York City and appeared on Broadway six times from 1976-84, with turns in Dracula, starring Raul Julia, and Play Memory, directed by Harold Prince.

Meanwhile, she was appearing in 1979-80 as Ashley Bennett on the NBC soap opera The Doctors, for which she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy.

She also won Obie Awards for her work in Top Girls at the Public Theatre and in Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads at the Minetta Lane. Her other theater credits included turns as Desdemona in Othello opposite Morgan Freeman and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet with Tom Hulce.

Mahaffey was a regular on the 1992-93 Norman Lear-produced NBC series The Powers That Be and played the mother of Jayma Mays’ Emma Pillsbury on Fox’s Glee from 2011-13 and the unstable Olivia Rice on ABC’s Devious Maids from 2013-15.

She also showed up on episodes of Newhart, Seinfeld — she’s the former accountant who helps George with his taxes on the 1991 episode “The Truth” — Wings, ER, Cheers, Big Sky and The Mindy Project and in films including Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Seabiscuit (2003), Summer Eleven (2010), Sully (2016) and No Pay, Nudity (2016).

Survivors include her husband, Joseph Kell, and her daughter, Alice. “I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses,” Kell said in a statement.

 

Actress

GRQ the Movie

Aunt Emily

Completed

 

Phoebe Tonkin and Darren Mann in The 8th Day (2025)

The 8th Day

4.9

Landon Mooney

2025

 

Michiel Huisman in Echo 3 (2022)

Echo 3

6.5

TV Series

Maggie Chesborough

2022

3 episodes

 

Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in Dead to Me (2019)

Dead to Me

7.9

TV Series

Lorna Harding

2019–2022

9 episodes

 

Reba McEntire, Jensen Ackles, Katheryn Winnick, and Kylie Bunbury in Big Sky (2020)

Big Sky

6.8

TV Series

Helen Pergman

2020–2021

9 episodes

 

Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges in French Exit (2020)

French Exit

5.9

Mme Reynard

2020

 

Annie Potts, Lance Barber, Zoe Perry, Raegan Revord, Montana Jordan, and Iain Armitage in Young Sheldon (2017)

Young Sheldon

7.7

TV Series

Victoria MacElroy

2017–2020

14 episodes

 

Britt Flatmo, Tara Robinson, Holly Taylor, Alice Ziolkoski, and Adrienne Rose White in The Witch Files (2018)

The Witch Files

4.5

Claire's Mom

2018

 

Rufus Sewell in The Man in the High Castle (2015)

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7.9

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Susan

2016

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No Pay, Nudity (2016)

No Pay, Nudity

5.8

Lisa

2016

 

Tom Hanks in Sully (2016)

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7.4

Diane Higgins

2016

 

Ike Barinholtz, Chris Messina, Mindy Kaling, Anna Camp, Zoe Jarman, and Ed Weeks in The Mindy Project (2012)

The Mindy Project

7.5

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Juliet

2016

1 episode

 

Michael Rosenbaum in Impastor (2015)

Impastor

7.6

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Susie Kerry

2015

1 episode

 

Ana Ortiz, Judy Reyes, Roselyn Sanchez, and Dania Ramirez in Devious Maids (2013)

Devious Maids

7.8

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Olivia Rice

2013–2015

7 episodes

 

Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson in Workaholics (2011)

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8.1

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Celeste

2015

1 episode

 

Rachel Bilson in Hart of Dixie (2011)

Hart of Dixie

7.7

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Mae Ellen Waterloo

2014

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Heather Locklear, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Breckin Meyer in Franklin & Bash (2011)

Franklin & Bash

7.6

TV Series

Julie

2014

1 episode

 

Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman, Michael Richards, and Eric Petersen in Kirstie (2013)

Kirstie

5.0

TV Series

Victoria

2014

1 episode

 

James Pickens Jr., Ellen Pompeo, and Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy (2005)

Grey's Anatomy

7.6

TV Series

Donna Kaufman

2013

1 episode

 

Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Jamie Bamber, and Sarayu Blue in Monday Mornings (2013)

Monday Mornings

7.7

TV Series

Fran Horowitz

2013

6 episodes

 

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Glee

6.8

TV Series

Rose Pillsbury

2011–2013

3 episodes

 

Wayne Knight, Kristen Johnston, David Alan Basche, and Donald Faison in The Exes (2011)

The Exes

6.7

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Anne

2012

1 episode

 

Desperate Housewives (2004)

Desperate Housewives

7.6

TV Series

Alma Hodge

2006–2012

9 episodes

 

Jake Busey, Lukas Haas, Valerie Mahaffey, Tania Raymonde, Ray Wise, Madeline Zima, and Blake Garrett Rosenthal in Crazy Eyes (2012)

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4.0

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2012

 

Maury Chaykin, Wendel Meldrum, Nancy Sorel, Jesse Camacho, and Benjamin Arthur in Less Than Kind (2008)

Less Than Kind

7.6

TV Series

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2012

1 episode

 

Marcia Gay Harden and Leonor Watling in If I Were You (2012)

If I Were You

6.9

Lydia

2012

 

Adam Sandler in Jack and Jill (2011)

Jack and Jill

3.3

Bitsy Simmons

2011

 

Summer Eleven (2010)

Summer Eleven

6.3

Linda

2010

 

Martha Plimpton, Cloris Leachman, Garret Dillahunt, Shannon Woodward, and Lucas Neff in Raising Hope (2010)

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8.1

TV Series

Margine

2010

1 episode

 

Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana (2006)

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5.4

TV Series

Ms. Jameson

2010

1 episode

 

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6.8

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2010

1 episode

 

Toni Collette in United States of Tara (2009)

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8.0

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Dr. Ocean

2009

7 episodes

 

Tchéky Karyo, Valerie Mahaffey, Daniel Stern, Juliet Stevenson, Elizabeth Whitmere, Simon Woods, and Claire Brosseau in A Previous Engagement (2008)

A Previous Engagement

5.6

Grace

2008

 

Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and James Spader in Boston Legal (2004)

Boston Legal

8.5

TV Series

Mary Winston

2008

1 episode

 

Amy Brenneman, Brian Benben, Benjamin Bratt, Taye Diggs, Kate Walsh, Paul Adelstein, Caterina Scorsone, and KaDee Strickland in Private Practice (2007)

Private Practice

6.8

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Marilyn Sullivan

2007

1 episode

 

Raines (2007)

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7.6

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Arlene Boudreau

2007

1 episode

 

Marg Helgenberger, George Eads, and William Petersen in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

7.7

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Dora Pomerantz

2006

1 episode

 

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4.6

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2006

 

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Crumbs

5.9

TV Series

Carolyn Pierce

2006

1 episode

 

Out of Practice (2005)

Out of Practice

7.5

TV Series

Barb

2005

1 episode

 

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Anthony LaPaglia, Josh Hopkins, Enrique Murciano, Eric Close, Poppy Montgomery, and Roselyn Sanchez in Without a Trace (2002)

Without a Trace

7.0

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Bonnie Toland

2004

1 episode

 

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Good Morning, Miami

6.4

TV Series

Sara

2004

1 episode

 

Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, Peri Gilpin, and Jane Leeves in Frasier (1993)

Frasier

8.2

TV Series

Peggy

2003

1 episode

 

Seabiscuit (2003)

Seabiscuit

7.3

Annie Howard

2003

 

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Par 6

6.3

Pecan Hegelman

2002

 

Mariska Hargitay in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

Brooke Thornburg

2002

1 episode

 

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2001

1 episode

 

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7.0

TV Series

Ms. Morlock

2001

1 episode

 

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5.1

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Virginia Hytner

2001

 

Paul Guilfoyle and Henry Rollins in Night Visions (2001)

Night Visions

7.4

TV Series

Sally Osgoode (segment "Neighborhood Watch")

2001

1 episode

 

Timothy Bottoms, John D'Aquino, Kurt Fuller, Kristen Miller, Carrie Quinn Dolin, and Marcia Wallace in That's My Bush! (2001)

That's My Bush!

7.3

TV Series

Janet Rove

2001

1 episode

 

Swoosie Kurtz, David Ogden Stiers, Paget Brewster, and Brian Van Holt in Love & Money (1999)

Love & Money

6.5

TV Series

Gloria Barrell

2000

1 episode

 

Calista Flockhart in Ally McBeal (1997)

Ally McBeal

6.9

TV Series

Dr. Sally Muggins

2000

1 episode

 

Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Joi Abbott

1999

4 episodes

 

George & Leo (1997)

George & Leo

7.1

TV Series

Martha

1997

1 episode

 

Dinner at Fred's (1997)

Dinner at Fred's

5.9

Susan

1997

 

Tim Allen in Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)

Jungle 2 Jungle

5.2

Jan Kempster

1997

 

Caroline in the City (1995)

Caroline in the City

6.2

TV Series

Alicia Crawford-Lane

1996

1 episode

 

John Grisham and JoBeth Williams in The Client (1995)

The Client

5.8

TV Series

Ellie Foltrigg

1995–1996

4 episodes

 

Tony Shalhoub, Steven Weber, Amy Yasbeck, Crystal Bernard, and Tim Daly in Wings (1990)

Wings

7.3

TV Series

Sandy Cooper

1993–1996

3 episodes

 

National Lampoon's Senior Trip (1995)

National Lampoon's Senior Trip

5.6

Miss Tracy Milford

1995

 

Women of the House (1995)

Women of the House

6.3

TV Series

Jennifer Malone

1995

5 episodes

 

Witch Hunt (1994)

Witch Hunt

5.5

TV Movie

Trudy

1994

 

L.A. Law (1986)

L.A. Law

7.1

TV Series

Andrea Rossoff

1994

1 episode

 

Northern Exposure (1990)

Northern Exposure

8.4

TV Series

Eve

1991–1994

5 episodes

 

Children of the Mist (1993)

Children of the Mist

5.3

TV Movie

Chris Samuels

1993

 

Robin Bartlett, John Forsythe, David Hyde Pierce, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Valerie Mahaffey, and Holland Taylor in The Powers That Be (1992)

The Powers That Be

8.2

TV Series

Caitlyn Van Horne

1992–1993

21 episodes

 

Dream On (1990)

Dream On

7.6

TV Series

Helen Harley

1992

1 episode

 

Till Death Us Do Part (1992)

Till Death Us Do Part

5.3

TV Movie

Gail Bugliosi

1992

 

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards in Seinfeld (1989)

Seinfeld

8.9

TV Series

Patrice

1991

1 episode

 

Scott Baio and Mary Page Keller in Baby Talk (1991)

Baby Talk

3.9

TV Series

Tammy Morrison

1991

1 episode

 

The Young Riders (1989)

The Young Riders

7.7

TV Series

Lottie

1991

1 episode

 

Ted Danson, Shelley Long, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Nicholas Colasanto, and Rhea Perlman in Cheers (1982)

Cheers

8.0

TV Series

Valerie Hill

1991

1 episode

 

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell in Quantum Leap (1989)

Quantum Leap

8.2

TV Series

Mary Greely

1990

1 episode

 

An Enemy of the People

7.1

TV Movie

Mrs. Stockman

1990

 

Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson in Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987)

Father Dowling Mysteries

6.9

TV Series

Justine Hemmings

1990

1 episode

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin

6.7

TV Movie

D.A. Barbara August

1989

 

Camp California

TV Movie

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

7.0

TV Movie

D.A. Barbara August

1989

 

Murphy's Law (1988)

Murphy's Law

6.9

TV Series

Andrea

1988

1 episode

 

Kate Capshaw in Code Name: Dancer (1987)

Code Name: Dancer

5.1

TV Movie

Becky

1987

 

Jack and Mike (1986)

Jack and Mike

7.3

TV Series

Colleen

1987

1 episode

 

Newhart (1982)

Newhart

7.8

TV Series

Jolene

1987

1 episode

 

Teri Garr, Carol Burnett, Dabney Coleman, Charles Grodin, and Gregory Harrison in Fresno (1986)

Fresno

7.8

TV Mini Series

Tiffany Kensington

1986

6 episodes

 

Susan Sarandon and Kristy McNichol in Women of Valor (1986)

Women of Valor

5.7

TV Movie

Lt. Katherine R. Grace

1986

 

Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures (1986)

Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures

5.5

TV Short

Mrs. Bill

1986

 

American Playhouse (1980)

American Playhouse

7.3

TV Series

Alice

1986

1 episode

 

Tales of the Unexpected (1979)

Tales of the Unexpected

7.6

TV Series

Jane

1984

1 episode

 

James Pritchett in The Doctors (1963)

The Doctors

7.1

TV Series

Ashley Bennett

1979–1980

104 episodes

 

Tell Me My Name (1977)

Tell Me My Name

4.5

TV Movie

AlexandraSarah

1977

 

Producer

Summer Eleven (2010)

Summer Eleven

6.3

producer

2010

 

Self

In Creative Company (2020)

In Creative Company

4.9

Podcast Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Hollywood First Look (2017)

Hollywood First Look

5.3

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Susan Dey in The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1992)

The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

6.0

TV Special

Self - Winner

1992

 

The 7th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

TV Special

Self

1980