Biography
Best known for her portrayal of straight-laced legal aid attorney Christine Sullivan on the long-running sitcom "Night Court" (NBC 1984-92), actress Markie Post did extensive and prolific work in television, generally as poised professional types. Post first ventured into television behind the scenes, landing a job as researcher on the 1970s game shows "Split Second" and "Double Dare" after impressing producers at her audition to be a contestant on the former. (For the 1976-1977 season, Post additionally served as associate producer for "Double Dare.") Acting in community productions on the side, Post switched to work before the camera with appearances on the police series "CHiPs" (NBC 1977-1983) and a regular role as the platonic roommate of two football players on the short-lived sports comedy "Semi-Tough" (ABC 1980). Additionally, she had a featured role in the 13-part, fact-based 1930s-set crime drama "The Gangster Chronicles" (NBC 1981) before landing a three-season regular role on action comedy-drama "The Fall Guy" (ABC 1981-86) as Lee Majors' bail bondsperson Terri Michaels. The actress also starred in the failed pilots "Massarati and the Brain" (ABC) and "Six Pack" (NBC), before landing her plum "Night Court" role, replacing actress and singer Ellen Foley in the public defender role beginning in the show's second season. After "Night Court" ran its course, Post stayed in sitcom territory for "Hearts Afire" (CBS 1992-95), a romantic comedy co-starring John Ritter and Billy Bob Thornton. While in the midst of the run of "Hearts Afire," Post returned to behind-the scenes work, with a stint as a producer of a children's segment of the President's Inaugural Celebration aired on The Disney Channel and as co-executive producer (and star) of the NBC true crime thriller "Appointment for a Killing" (both 1993). Probably most memorable of Post's several made for TV movies was the topically incendiary but otherwise unremarkable Lifetime original "Chasing the Dragon" (1996). Although the movie premiered to less-than-favorable reviews, Post's work was skillful as a successful play-by-the-rules woman succumbing to heroin addiction. While she continued to both star in and produce TV-movies, the actress returned to series work in 1999 with a regular role in the ABC sitcom "Odd Man Out." On this family-geared series, Post played Julia, a caterer and mother of four (three daughters and the one titular son) living with her model agent younger sister in South Beach, Florida. Although most of her work was on television, Post had a memorable big-screen cameo in the 1998 hit comedy "There's Something About Mary," playing the mother of the sought-after Mary in the notorious pre-prom flashback sequence. Post continued working steadily as a TV character actress in the 2000s and 2010s. Markie Post died of cancer on August 7, 2021 at the age of 70.
