Making people laugh is only one facet of Valerie Harper's career, which extends from the stage to television and feature films. A native of Suffren, New York -- "I was born to suffer" -- Harper began her career as a dancer with the corps de ballet at Radio City Hall during its spectacular heyday. She gradually moved into acting, working in everything from industrial shows to regional theatre to the Second City comedy troupe of Chicago. Eventually, she made it to Broadway in productions of Dear Liar, the Tony Award winning Story Theatre, Something Different and Metamorphosis. Stardom came with television, including four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for her work in "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970) and "Rhoda" (1974), in which the latter she played the title role. Harper has won Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year, and her Rhoda's Wedding episode set that year's ratings record. Since retiring Rhoda Morganstern to re-runs, Harper has been active on stage and in movies. Her feature films include Chapter Two (1979), Freebie and the Bean (1974) and The Last Married Couple in America (1980). In television she has starred on all three networks in movies of the week, including Farrell for the People (1982) (TV) (NBC), Don't Go to Sleep (1982) (TV) (ABC) and An Invasion of Privacy (1983) (TV) (CBS). A strong supporter of women's rights, Harper was working since the mid-80s a film with second husband Tony Cacciotti which will probably never reach fruition after all this time. on the subject of domestic violence, based on a true story.

Is a graduate of the Erhard Seminars Training (better known as EST).Has an adopted daughter, Cristina, born in 1983 who is also an actress.Ex-stepdaughter, Wendy Schaal, is an actress.Valerie was born at Good Samaritan Hospital, Suffern, N.Y.She and her then husband actor Richard Schaal were also a writing team and wrote a script for the series "Love, American Style" (1969) called "Love and the Visitor", back in the early 70's.In the fall of 1987 she was abruptly fired by Lorimar from her NBC TV series "Valerie" (1986). She didn't show for filming one day. The series decided to continue on without her as "Valerie's Family" with Sandy Duncan playing Sandy Hogan, replacing Harper's "Valerie Hogan" character. Harper sued Lorimar for breach of contract and in the fall of 1988 was awarded $1.4 million plus 12.5% of the profits of the show, which continued on without her until 1991.Measurements: 36-26 1/2-40 (while on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970)), 35 1/2-24-36 (trimmed down for her "Rhoda" (1974) spin-off). (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 206-207. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387Ex-roommate of Arlene Golonka.