The Unforgettable Star Who Lit Up Our Screens

During television’s golden age, not many stars glowed so odalisque or contentedly as Markie Post whose magnetic charm and wicked quips made each part an acting clinic in charm.

Most remembered as the bubbly public defender Christine Sullivan on the bygone treasure of a sitcom called Night Court, Post ruled the screen, the stage, and even provided Muppets with a voice,across generations and decades.

Her rise from game show assistant to sitcom legend is a real-life illustration of what can be achieved by talent, perseverance, and a neverrunningout spark which made her unforgettable.

Markie was born Marjorie Armstrong Post on November 4, 1950 in Palo Alto, California the daughter of a Stanford University administrator into an academic environment.

But her way led out of the lecture hall into the soundstage. Having taken theater at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon, she moved to Los Angeles where she hit Hollywood hard, so to speak, and not in the glamourized fashion one would normally expect.

She learned her teeth behind the scenes working as production assistant of gameshows, such as Split Second, and even dealing cards on Card Sharks. These small gigs in the beginning had honed her sense of when (and how) to engage the audience, which served her well in later years in front of the camera.

The first part of Post’s career was basically a collage of guest spots on popular ’70s and ’80s series. She stood off David Banner in The Incredible Hulk, chased after clues in Barnaby Jones, and went into space in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Her breakthrough was The Fall Guy, a character, Terry Michaels, a skillful bail bondswoman, with Lee Majors opposite her in 1982–1985. The role demonstrated her flair for mixing bolshie with black humour – something which would define her most famous character.

Post became a member of the cast of Night Court feature as Christine Sullivan, earnest, but acidic public defender, with which her chemistry with Harry Anderson’s Judge Harry Stone became a soul of the show in 1985.

For seven seasons, Post checked against Christine’s idealism the craziness of the courtroom: the punchlines, and the crispness of the moment, she served them both with the same touch.

She herself was nominated for three Emmys and became Christine, a feminist type—a woman slick enough to double-cross anyone and yet warm and vulnerable in her affection.

Post’s post-Night Court career was a panoply of jobs. She appeared in politics-themed sitcom HeartsAfire (1992-1995) with John Ritter, where she was Georgie Anne Lahti, a Washington, D.C. journalist enjoying love and career.

The credits on Scrubs, 30 Rock, and Chicago P.C. evidenced her versatility and the romantic comedy romance in TV movies such as Holiday in Handcuffs showed the world her flair.

Regardless of parts being small, Post emanated genuineness even if he plays a quirky neighbour or a no nonsense serious professional.

Post redefined the definition of a leading lady in comedy. Her characters were smart, sympathetic, and too complex to apologize for, which made way for the other actresses to act funny and serious, alike.

Off screen she was lauded for being kind, professional. John Larroquette, among other co-stars (from Night Court) commented often on her ability to turn a set around; she, they would say, was “the glue” holding ensembles together.

Post got a cancer diagnosis in 2017, the same resilience for her career also prevailed in the face of her illness. She went on playing acting roles and performing in Chicago P.D. and independent films, enjoying time with divorced from Henry Winkler husband, writer Michael A. Ross, and their two daughters.

When she died on August 7, 2021, at 70 years old, everyone left tributes follows: peers, fans, and acquaintances mourning the death of a person who would feel like family for our beloved talent.

Markie Posts life continues in the reruns, the memories and all the people whose lives she touched. She was not a comedian, or an actress as such; she was a narrator who made of what was ordinary extraordinary.

Her work reminds me of strength, kindness and greatness in the gentle ways between laughs. For those lucky enough to have grown up watching her, she’s a stay put—TV magic continuing to bring us together, soothe our moods and fashioned dreams.

Was the wit from Markie post your screen illuminate? Post your favourite between Christine Sullivan quip or memory of her in a different role. Her star, of course, was intended to be celebrated.