Markie Post Has Died At 70
When the Night Court revival was announced not too long ago, I had hoped they’d bring back one of my favorite characters: Christine Sullivan, the Princess Diana-loving public defender of 80s glamour, played to perfection by Markie Post. So, I was hit with an extra wave of sadness this morning from hearing the news that Markie Post died last night. And we should always begin the day telling cancer to fuck off, but I’m screaming it louder today because Markie died from cancer. She was 70.
Markie Post’s family, including her husband of 39 years Michael A. Ross, and their daughters, Kate Armstrong Ross and Daisy Schoenborn, delivered the awful news last night, saying that while many will remember her for her acting roles, they will also remember her as the loving and generous person she was. via NBC News:
“With great sadness, the family of actress Markie Post tonight shares her passing after a three year, ten month battle with cancer. But for us, our pride is in who she was in addition to acting; a person who made elaborate cakes for friends, sewed curtains for first apartments and showed us how to be kind, loving and forgiving in an often harsh world.”
Markie Post was born Marjorie Armstrong Post in Palo Alto, CA. Markie’s career in the business that is show started behind the scenes. Specifically, behind the scenes of game shows. She was in the production crew of the 70s game show Split Second before becoming an associate producer on another 70s game show, Double Dare (no, not the Nickelodeon one). Markie moved from behind the camera to the front of it when she made her on-screen debut as a card dealer on the game show Card Sharks. But as Markie was on the road to becoming a game show star, she switched things up and went into acting.
Markie made her acting debut in the 1978 TV movie Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around. From there she guest-starred on CHIPs, The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Hart to Hart, Simon & Simon, The Love Boat, and many, many more shows. And in 1982, she joined the cast of The Fall Guy and played Terri Michaels for three seasons. Markie continued to grace television screens by guest-starring on Cheers, Fantasy Island, and The A-Team before she landed the role that made her a STAH to 80s children whose parents let them watch Night Court.
She first played public defender Christine Sullivan on Night Court during the show’s second season. Producers wanted her to become a regular, but she couldn’t since she was on The Fall Guy at the time. But the extremely likable and glamorous Christine Sullivan became a regular on the show’s third season. And while I didn’t understand (and still don’t) the highly technical legal talk of Night Court, I 100% understood that Christine Sullivan was a legal goddess thanks to her White Rain-covered power mullet and many blazers:
Markie played Christine until Night Court ended with its ninth season in 1992. Sadly, there’s a little Night Court reunion in heaven today. Harry Anderson died in 2018, Selma Diamond died in 1985, Florence Halop died in 1986, and Charles Robinson, who played Mac the court clerk, died just last month.
Above, I listed tons of TV shows that Markie was in, and she was in even more during her 40+ year career. Markie was also in Hearts Afire, Scrubs, 30 Rock, Chicago P.D., Santa Clarita Diet, and There’s Something About Mary as Mary’s mom. Markie also went back to her game show roots from time to time and was a celebrity player on Super Password, The $25,000 Pyramid, and The $100,000 Pyramid.
Markie’s family said that even after she was diagnosed with cancer, she didn’t let it keep her from acting and she starred in Lifetime’s Christmas Reservations and ABC’s The Kids Are Alright.
Rest in peace, Markie Post.
Pic: Wenn.com