Age: 63
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Margaret Emily "Maggie" Wheeler (née Jakobson; born August 7, 1961) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Janice on the sitcom Friends, she was a recurring character on Everybody Loves Raymond as Linda and Anita Warrell on the sitcom Ellen.
Wheeler was born in Manhattan, the daughter of Barbara, a writer, and John Jakobson, a member of the New York Stock Exchange. She is married to Daniel Borden Wheeler, and has two children.
In the 1980s, Wheeler (under her maiden name of Jakobson) briefly dabbled in voice acting on the animated series SilverHawks, where she provided all the female voices, specifically the villainess Melodia and the heroine Steelheart/Emily Hart, and on the Karate Kat and Mini-Monsters segments of The Comic Strip.
It was rumored that Wheeler auditioned for the role of Monica Geller, however after many interviews she stated that it was a false rumour, she was however invited to play Janice Goralnik, a recurring character who was a frequent love interest of main character Chandler Bing. She appeared at least once in each season; her 19 episodes tie her with Christina Pickles for Friends’ second most frequent guest actor, behind only Elliott Gould's 20 episodes.
She also auditioned for the role of Debra Barone, on the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Although she was the producers' choice, CBS ended up selecting Patricia Heaton. Instead, Wheeler played the recurring role of Debra's friend, Linda.
According to Kathy Griffin's autobiography, Official Book Club Selection, Wheeler was cast in the role of Vicki for the pilot episode of Suddenly Susan and was eventually replaced by Griffin.
She had a star billing in the first season of Ellen. She appeared on the hit comedy Seinfeld in the episode "The Fix-Up", as one of Elaine's friends who is set up with George. She has appeared in many other television programs, including Drake & Josh, ER, The X Files, The War at Home, Will & Grace, Jack and Jill, How I Met Your Mother and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In 1997, Wheeler voiced Harley Quinn's replacement in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Millions". In 1998, she appeared in the remake of Disney's The Parent Trap, playing the younger of a mother-daughter pair of camp counselors. She also guest starred in the Disney Channel Original Series Shake It Up as Dina's Mom.
In 2005, Wheeler starred opposite David DeLuise on the NBC pilot The Sperm Donor. Wheeler provided the voice of Odile in Barbie of Swan Lake, and in 2010 she voiced Trinette in four episodes of Archer on FX.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Soup for One | Nurse | |
1983 | Portfolio | Assistant Choreographer | |
1984 | New Show, TheThe New Show | Various | 4 episodes |
1985 | Paper Chase, TheThe Paper Chase | Episode: "The Day Kingsfield Missed Class" | |
1986 | SilverHawks | Melodia / Steelheart (voice) | TV series |
1987 | The Comic Strip
Karate Kat |
Ciaobaby and Meowbaby - (voices) | TV series |
1987 | Someone to Love | Attendee | |
1989 | Mortal Sins | Marie | |
1989 | New Year's Day | Lucy | |
1990 | L.A. Law | Paula Lights | Episode: "The Good Human Bar" |
1991 | Dream On | Bonnie Decker | Episode: "So Funny I Forgot to Laugh" |
1992 | Seinfeld | Cynthia | Episode: "The Fix-Up" |
1992 | Civil Wars | Episode: "Mob Psychology" | |
1992 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Elena Spencer | Episode: "What You See Ain't Necessarily What You Get" Episode: "The Patient in Spite of Himself" |
1993 | Sexual Healing | Suzanne | |
1994 | X-Files, TheThe X-Files | Det. Sharon Lazard | Episode: "Born Again" |
1994-1998, 2004 | Friends | Janice Litman-Goralnik (née Hosenstein) | 19 episodes |
1994-1996 | Ellen | Anita Warrell | 13 episodes |
1995 | Pride & Joy | Flight Attendant | Episode: "Terror at 30,000 Feet" |
1996-2004 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Linda Gruenfelder | 11 episodes |
1998 | New Batman Adventures, TheThe New Batman Adventures | Fake Harley (voice) | Episode: "Joker's Millions" |
1998 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Cindy | Episode: "True Course" |
1998 | Parent Trap, TheThe Parent Trap | Marva Kulp, Jr | |
1999 | Get Real | Jennifer | Episode: "Pilot" |
2001 | Jack & Jill | Kristen Moss | Episode: "Crazy Like a Fox, Hungry Like the Wolf" Episode: "Bag Full of Love" |
2001 | It's Like, You Know... | Rachel | Episode: "Walking Tall" |
2002 | Will & Grace | Polly | Episode: "Dyeing Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard" |
2002 | Justice League | Antiope / Perfume Lady Firefighter / Pilot (voice) |
Episode: "Fury: Part 1" Episode: "Fury: Part 2" |
2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Stand-Up Comedian | Episode: "Last Laugh" |
2003 | Barbie of Swan Lake | Odile (voice) | Video |
2003 | Lilo & Stitch: The Series | Additional Voices | Episode: "Kixx: Experiment 601" |
2004 | Kim Possible | Dr. Renton (voice) | Episode: "Motor Ed" |
2005 | Paine Management | Jeanine Bernsen | TV movie |
2005 | Fat Actress | Woman Diapering Baby | Episode: "Charlie's Angels or Too Pooped to Pop" |
2005 | Higglytown Heroes | Street Sweeper Hero (voice) | Episode: "Higgly Frog Day/Eubie's Ele-Fantastic Adventure" |
2005 | E-Ring | Investigator | Episode: "Escape and Evade" |
2006 | Drake & Josh | 3rd Cousin Denise | Episode: "Alien Invasion" |
2006 | Dr. Dolittle 3 | Brown Hen / Fluffy Hen (voice) | Video |
2006 | ER | Amy Kellerman | Episode: "Ames v. Kovac" |
2006 | Friday Night Lights | Teacher | Episode: "It's Different for Girls" |
2007 | War at Home, TheThe War at Home | Mindy | Episode: "It's a Lower-Middle-Upper-Middle Class Problem" Episode: "The War of the Golds" |
2007 | Walking Dreams | Jenny | |
2007 | How I Met Your Mother | Margaret | Episode: "Dowisetrepla" |
2009 | Without a Trace | Gail Menken | Episode: "Wanted" |
2009 | Breakdown, TheThe Breakdown | Jennifer | |
2009 | Archer | Receptionist (voice) | Episode: "Mole Hunt" |
2010 | Archer | Trinette Magoon (voice) | Episode: "Training Day" Episode: "Dial M for Mother" Episode: "Blood Test" Episode: "Stage Two" |
2010 | Glenn Martin DDS | (voice) | Episode: "Jackie of All Trades" |
2011 | Shake It Up | Mrs. Garcia | Episode: "Twist it Up" Episode: "In The Bag it Up" |
2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Ilene Solotaroff | Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" |
2012 | Californication | Ophelia Robbins | 5 episodes |
2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Rachel (Melanie's Childhood friend) | Season 5 Episode 14 "Murder House" |
2015 | "The 3 Tails: A Mermaid Adventure" | Maria |