Known for her work in comedic television, Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model. She gained recognition for her performances as Judith Tupper Stone in Dream On and as Nina Van Horn in Just Shoot Me!, earning Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Early Life & Education
Wendie Malick was born on December 13, 1950, in Buffalo, New York to parents Ken and Gigi. Ken was employed in sales while Gigi had a previous career as a model.
With a diverse heritage of Egyptian, French, English, and German, Malick attended Williamsville South High School during her teenage years before furthering her education at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio.
Following her graduation in 1972, she joined the Wilhelmina modeling agency as a fashion model. Later on, Malick transitioned to working for Republican Congressman Jack Kemp in Washington, DC, before ultimately choosing to pursue her passion for acting.
Wendie Malick’s Career
In 1982, Malick made her television acting debut in an episode of the NBC sitcom “One of the Boys.” The following year, she secured her initial lead role on the brief ABC medical drama “Trauma Center.”
This was succeeded by cameo appearances on “Paper Dolls” and “Mike Hammer,” as well as a supporting part in the TV movie “Private Sessions.”
Between 1985 and 1989, Malick played the character of Allie’s ex-husband’s new wife on the CBS sitcom “Kate & Allie.” She also appeared on several other shows during this period, including “Another World,” “Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” “Highway to Heaven,” “Supercarrier,” “The Highwayman,” “Hunter,” and “Anything But Love.” In 1989, Malick began her recurring role as Gayle Buchannon on “Baywatch.”
In 1990, Wendie Malick gained recognition in her first major television role as Judith Tupper Stone on the HBO sitcom “Dream On.”
The popular show aired for six seasons until 1996. During her time on the show, Malick also made appearances on various other series such as “The Fanelli Boys,” “MacGyver,” “Civil Wars,” “The Human Factor,” “NYPD Blue,” “Family Album,” “Love & War,” “L.A. Law,” “The Commish,” “Viper,” “Mad About You,” “Empty Nest,” “Tales from the Crypt,” “Seinfeld,” and “Cybill.”
Additionally, she appeared in the TV movies “Madonna: Innocence Lost” and “Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart.” In 1996, Malick took on the starring role in her own sitcom, “Good Company,” which unfortunately only lasted six episodes before being canceled. Following this, she made guest appearances on “Mr. Rhodes,” “The Single Guy,” “Boston Common,” and “Life’s Work.”
In 1997, Wendie Malick landed her next major role as Nina Van Horn on the NBC comedy “Just Shoot Me!” Her performance on the show earned her Emmy nominations in 1999 and 2002. The series concluded in 2003.
In 1982, Malick’s first appearance in a feature film was in the comedy “A Little Sex,” playing the role of Philomena. After a six-year gap, she returned to the movie industry with a supporting role in the holiday comedy “Scrooged.”
During the 1990s, Wendie Malick appeared in several notable films, including Leonard Nimoy’s romantic comedy “Funny About Love”, Barry Levinson’s biographical crime film “Bugsy”, Rob Reiner’s political dramedy “The American President”, and George Huang’s romantic comedy “Trojan War.” She also landed her first leading role in the independent drama “Jerome” in 1997.
Personal Life
In 1982, Wendie Malick tied the knot with actor and screenwriter Mitch Glazer. However, they ended their marriage in 1989. Later in 1995, she exchanged vows with Richard Erickson. They currently live in the Topanga region of Los Angeles, California along with their three dogs, a cat, and two horses.
Net Worth
With a net worth of $16 million, Wendie Malick is a well-known American actress and former fashion model. She has gained recognition for her performances on popular comedy shows like “Dream On,” “Just Shoot Me!,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and “Frasier.”
