Early life

Harper was born in Suffern, New York, the daughter of Iva Mildred (née McConnell; 1910-1988) and Howard Donald Harper. Her father was a lighting salesman, and her mother was born in Canada and trained as a nurse. She is the middle child of three siblings. She has an older sister, Leah; a younger brother, Merrill (who later took the name "Don") and a half-sister, Virginia, from her father's second marriage.

She claims her parents were expecting a boy and after her arrival, her first and middle names derived from that year's women's doubles tennis champions, Valerie Scott and Kay Stammers. She is of French, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry. Harper claims to have based her future character Rhoda Morgenstern on her Italian stepmother, Angela Posillico, and Penny Ann Green (née Joanna Greenberg), with whom she danced in the Broadway musical Wildcat. She was raised Catholic, although at an early age she "quit" the church.

The family moved every two years due to her father's work, attending schools in South Orange, New Jersey; Pasadena, California; Monroe, Michigan; Ashland, Oregon; and Jersey City, New Jersey. When her family returned to Oregon, Harper remained in the New York City area to study ballet. She attended Lincoln High School in Jersey City, graduating from the private Young Professionals School on West 56th Street, where classmates included Sal Mineo, Tuesday Weld, and Carol Lynley.

Career

Broadway dancer and improv

Harper began as a dancer and chorus girl on Broadway, and went on to perform in several Broadway shows, some choreographed by Michael Kidd, including Wildcat (starring Lucille Ball), Take Me Along (starring Jackie Gleason), and Subways Are For Sleeping. In-between she was also cast in Destry Rides Again but was forced to leave rehearsals due to illness. Her roommate, actress Arlene Golonka, introduced her to Second City improvisation theater and to improv performer Dick Schaal, whom Harper later married in 1965. Harper was stepmother to Schaal's daughter, Wendy, an actress. They lived in Greenwich Village. She returned to Broadway in February 2010, playing Tallulah Bankhead in Matthew Lombardo's Looped at the Lyceum Theatre.

Harper appeared in a bit part in the film version of Li'l Abner (1959), playing a Yokumberry Tonic wife. She broke into television on an episode of the soap opera The Doctors ("Zip Guns can Kill"). She was an extra in Love with the Proper Stranger. She toured with Second City with Schaal, Linda Lavin and others, later appearing in sketches on Playboy After Dark. Harper and Schaal moved to Los Angeles in 1968, and co-wrote an episode of Love, American Style.

Television

While doing theater in Los Angeles in 1970, Harper was spotted by casting agent Ethel Winant, who called her in to audition for the role of Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She co-starred from 1970-1974 and then starred in the spin-off series, Rhoda (CBS 1974-1978) in which her character returned to New York. She won four Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her work as Rhoda Morgenstern throughout this period. In 2000, Harper reunited with Moore in Mary and Rhoda, a TV movie that brought their iconic characters together again in later life. The first season of Rhoda was released on DVD on April 21, 2009, by Shout! Factory.

She was nominated for a Golden Globe for "New Star of the Year" for her role in Freebie and The Bean (1974). Harper was a guest star on The Muppet Show in 1976, its first season.

Harper returned to situation comedy in 1986 when she played family matriarch Valerie Hogan on the NBC series Valerie. Following a salary dispute with NBC and production company Lorimar in 1987, Harper was fired from the series at the end of its second season. Harper sued NBC and Lorimar for breach of contract. Her claims against NBC were dismissed, but the jury found that Lorimar had wrongfully fired her and awarded her $1.4 million plus 12.5 percent of the show's profits. The series continued without her with the explanation that her character had died off-screen. In 1987, it was initially renamed Valerie's Family and then The Hogan Family, as Harper was replaced by actress Sandy Duncan, who played her sister-in-law Sandy Hogan. NBC canceled The Hogan Family in 1990, but it was picked up by CBS for a final season.

Harper appeared in various television movies, including a performance as Maggie in a production of the Michael Cristofer play The Shadow Box, directed by Paul Newman, and in guest roles on such series as Melrose Place (1998) and Sex and the City (1999).

Later career

Harper is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and ran for president in the 2001 election, losing to Melissa Gilbert. She served on the Hollywood Board of Directors of SAG.

In 2005 through 2006, Harper portrayed Golda Meir in a US National tour of the one-woman drama Golda's Balcony. A film of this production was released in 2007.

She played Tallulah Bankhead in the world-premiere production of Matthew Lombardo's Looped at the Pasadena Playhouse from June 27 to August 3, 2008, and at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in 2009. The play had a brief run on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre, from February 2010 (previews) through April 2010. She played Claire Bremmer, aunt of Susan Delfino (Teri Hatcher), on ABC's Desperate Housewives in 2011.

On September 4, 2013, Harper was announced as a contestant for the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with professional dancer Tristan MacManus. Harper and MacManus were voted off on October 7, 2013.

Activism and charity work

In the 1970s/80s, Harper was involved in the Women's Liberation Movement and was an advocate of the Equal Rights Amendment. With Dennis Weaver she co-founded L.I.F.E. in 1983, a charity that fed thousands of needy in Los Angeles.

Personal life

Harper married actor Richard Schaal in 1964. They divorced in 1978. Harper later married Tony Cacciotti in 1987; the couple has a daughter by adoption.

In 2009, Harper was diagnosed with lung cancer. She announced on March 6, 2013, that tests from a January hospital stay revealed she has leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a rare condition in which cancer cells spread into the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain. She said her doctors had given her as little as three months' life expectancy. Although the disease was reported to be incurable, her doctors said they were treating her with chemotherapy in an effort to slow its progress. In April 2014, Harper said she was responding well to the treatment. On July 30, 2015, Harper was hospitalized in Maine after falling unconscious, and taken via medevac to a larger hospital for further treatment. She was later released.

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1956	Rock Rock Rock!	Dancer at Prom (uncredited)
1959	Li'l Abner	Luke's Wife (uncredited)
1963	Trash Program	Wife (voice, uncredited)	Short film
1969	With a Feminine Touch
1973	Shape of Things, TheThe Shape of Things	Herself	Television movie
1974	Thursday's Game	Ann Menzente	Television movie
1974	Freebie and the Bean	Consuelo	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress
1977	Night Terror	Carol Turner	Television movie
1979	Chapter Two	Faye Medwick	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1980	Last Married Couple in America, TheThe Last Married Couple in America	Barbara
1980	Fun and Games	Carol Hefferman	Television movie
1980	Shadow Box, TheThe Shadow Box	Maggie	Television movie
1981	The Day the Loving Stopped	Norma Danner	Television movie
1982	Farrell for the People	Elizabeth "Liz" Farrell	Television movie
1982	Don't Go to Sleep	Laura	Television movie
1983	Invasion of Privacy, AnAn Invasion of Privacy	Kate Bianchi	Television movie
1984	Blame It on Rio	Karen Hollis
1985	Execution, TheThe Execution	Hannah Epstein	Television movie
1987	Strange Voices	Lynn Glover	Television movie
1988	Drop-Out Mother	Nora Cromwell	Television movie
1988	People Across the Lake, TheThe People Across the Lake	Rachel Yoman	Television movie
1990	Stolen: One Husband	Katherine Slade	Television movie
1991	Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion	Dyan Draper	Television movie
1993	Poetry Hall of Fame, TheThe Poetry Hall of Fame	Herself	Television movie
1994	Friend to Die For, AA Friend to Die For	Mrs. Delvecchio	Television movie
1995	Great Mom Swap, TheThe Great Mom Swap	Grace Venessi	Television movie
1997	Dog's Best Friend	Chicken (voice)	Television movie
2000	Mary and Rhoda	Rhoda Morgenstern-Rousseau	Television movie
2002	Dancing at the Harvest Moon	Claire	Television movie
2007	Golda's Balcony	Golda Meir
2011	Shiver	Audrey Alden
2011	My Future Boyfriend	Bobbi Moreau	Television movie
2011	Fixing Pete	Mrs. Friedlander	Television movie
2011	Certainty	Kathryn
2014	The Town That Came A-Courtin'	Charlotte	Television movie
2015	Merry Xmas	Mother	7 minute short

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1970-1977	Mary Tyler Moore Show, TheThe Mary Tyler Moore Show	Rhoda Morgenstern	92 episodes Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
1971	Story Theatre	Unknown	Unknown episodes
1971	Love, American Style	Barbara Watkins	Episode: "Love and the Housekeeper"
1972	Columbo	Eve Babcock	Episode: "The Most Crucial Game"
1974-1978	Rhoda	Rhoda Morgenstern Gerard	110 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
1976	The Muppet Show	Herself	Episode: "Valerie Harper"
1982	Fridays	Herself	1 episode
1986	Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat	Laurel Peters	2 episodes: "Egyptian Cruise Part 1 & Part 2"
1986-1987	Valerie	Valerie Hogan	32 episodes
1990	City	Liz Gianni	13 episodes
1994	Missing Persons	Ellen Hartig	3 episodes: "All They Had to Do Was Ask..." and "Tell Me You Didn't Do It... I'll Go to the Wall for You" and "What Do You Want... A Signed Confession?"
1995	The Office	Rita Stone	6 episodes
1996-1999	Touched by an Angel	Kate Prescott	2 episodes: "Flesh and Blood" (1996) and "Full Circle" (1999)
1996	Promised Land	Molly Arnold	Episode: "The Magic Gate"
1998	Generator Gawl	Various (voice)	Unknown episodes
1998	Melrose Place	Mia Mancini	2 episodes: "Mama Mia" and "Last Train to Bagdad"
1998	Sorcerous Stabber Orphen	Townspeople (voice)	Episode: "The Sword of Baltanders"
1999	Sex and the City	Wallis Wysel	Episode: "Shortcomings"
2000	Beggars and Choosers	Unknown	Episode: "Be Careful What You Wish For"
2000	As Told by Ginger	Maryellen (voice)	Episode: "The Wedding Frame"
2001	That '70s Show	Paula	Episode: "Eric's Naughty No-no"
2001	Family Law	Julia	Episode: "Clemency"
2001	Three Sisters	Merle Keats	2 episodes: "The In Laws" and "Three Thanksgivings, One Turkey"
2003−2004	Less Than Perfect	Judith	2 episodes: "Claude's Alternative Thanksgiving" and "Mom's the Word"
2005	Committed	Lily Solomon	Episode: "The Mother Episode"
2009	'Til Death	Barbara	Episode: "The Courtship of Eddie's Parents"
2011	Desperate Housewives	Claire Bremmer	Episode: "Where Do I Belong?"
2011-2012	Drop Dead Diva	Judge Leslie Singer	2 episodes: "Bride-a-Palooza" and "Freak Show"
2013	The Simpsons	Test Proctor	Episode: "A Test Before Trying"
2013	Hot in Cleveland	Angie	Episode: "Love Is All Around"
2013	Dancing with the Stars	Herself (Contestant)	Season 17, eliminated week 4
2014	American Dad!	IHOP Diner	Episode: "Cock of the Sleepwalk"
2014	Signed, Sealed, Delivered	Theresa Capodiamonte	Guest star; 2 episodes: "Time to Start Livin' " and "To Whom It May Concern"
2015	Melissa & Joey	Aunt Bunny	Episode: "Thanks But No Thanks"
2015	2 Broke Girls	Nola	Episode: "And The Great Unwashed"
2016	Childrens Hospital	Mamma Fiorucci, head of the Fiorucci crime family	Episode: "Childrens Horsepital"

Theater

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1959-1960	Take Me Along	Lady Entertainer, Townswoman
1960-1961	Wildcat	Dancer
1961-1962	Subways Are for Sleeping	Dancer
1967-1968	Something Different	Beth Nemerov	Replacement
1970-1971	Paul Sills' Story Theatre	Various
1971	Ovid's Metamorphoses	Ensemble
1995	Death Defying Acts	Dorothy/Carol	Replacement. Off-Boardway: Variety Arts Theatre
1998-1999	All Under Heaven	Pearl S. Buck	Off-Broadway's Century Center Theatre. Ran Nov. 3, 1998 to Jan. 11, 1999. Playing 16 previews and 65 regular performances.
2001-2002	Tale of the Allergist's Wife, TheThe Tale of the Allergist's Wife	Marjorie	Replacement (from July 31, 2001 - May 26, 2002)
2008-2010	Looped	Tallulah Bankhead	2010 Tony Award nominee: Best Actress in a Play
2015	Nice Work if You Can Get It	Millicent Winter	Ogunquit Playhouse (Maine) (July 22—July 29—bowed out after collapsing backstage and hospitalized. Replaced by Brenda Vaccaro for remaining run through Aug 15, 2015.)

Awards and nominations

Harper is a one-time Tony nominee, eight-time Emmy nominee (four wins) and a six-time Golden Globe nominee (one win).

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1971	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Won
1972	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Won
1972	Golden Globe	Best Supporting Actress - Television	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Nominated
1973	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Won
1973	Golden Globe	Best Supporting Actress - Television	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Nominated
1974	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	The Mary Tyler Moore Show	Nominated
1974	Golden Globe	New Female Star of the Year	Freebie and the Bean	Nominated
1974	Golden Globe	Best Actress in a TV Comedy Series	Rhoda	Won
1975	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Rhoda	Won
1975	Golden Globe	Best Actress in a TV Comedy Series	Rhoda	Nominated
1976	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Rhoda	Nominated
1977	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Rhoda	Nominated
1978	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series	Rhoda	Nominated
1979	Golden Globe	Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture	Chapter Two	Nominated
2010	Tony Awards	Best Actress in a Play	Looped	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]