Maggie Wheeler
{{Short description|American actress}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maggie Wheeler
| image = Maggie Wheeler 2013.jpg
| caption = Wheeler in 2013
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1982–present
| spouse = {{Marriage|Daniel Wheeler|1990}}
| children = 2
}}
Maggie Wheeler (née Jakobson) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Janice on the television sitcom Friends (1994–2004), and Anita on Ellen (1994–1996). In addition to her acting and voiceover work, she is a singer, songwriter, choir director, and workshop facilitator.https://www.eomega.org/workshops/teachers/maggie-wheeler Retrieved July 28, 2024.
Early life and education
Wheeler is the daughter of Barbara, a writer, and John Jakobson, one of the members of the New York Stock Exchange.{{cite web| last1=Birk| first1=Libby| title='Chicago P.D.' Actress Marina Squerciati Claims She's a Secret Daughter of Late Millionaire| date=2 August 2018| url=http://popculture.com/celebrity/2018/08/02/chicago-pd-actress-marina-squerciati-claims-secret-daughter-late-millionaire/| access-date=August 4, 2018}} She was raised in a secular Jewish household and graduated from The Calhoun School in New York City.{{cite news| last1=Gladstone| first1=Douglas| title=Oh. My. Gawd. Janice from 'Friends' is a choir director| url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/oh-my-gawd-janice-from-friends-is-a-choir-director/| newspaper=The Times of Israel| location=Jerusalem| access-date=16 January 2018}}
Career
In the 1980s, Wheeler (under her maiden name of Jakobson) briefly dabbled in voice acting. In the animated series SilverHawks, she voiced not only the villainess Melodia and the heroine Steelheart/Emily Hart, but all of the female characters; she also worked on the Karate Kat and Mini-Monsters segments of The Comic Strip. In 1989 she appeared in the live-action film, New Year's Day, alongside David Duchovny.
After she became Maggie Wheeler, it was rumored that she auditioned for the role of Monica Geller in Friends. She denied this in an interview, stating that she only auditioned for the role of Janice Goralnik, which she was invited to play.{{cite web| url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a596503/friends-week-maggie-wheeler-on-being-janice/| title=Friends Week: Maggie Wheeler on being Janice| date=September 15, 2014| access-date=May 11, 2021| website=Digital Spy| last=Wightman| first=Catronia}} Janice was a recurring character of the series and particularly known as a frequent love interest of main character Chandler Bing. She featured in 19 episodes, appearing at least once in each season.
She also auditioned for the role of Debra Barone, on the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. Although she was the producers' choice, CBS ended up selecting Patricia Heaton. Instead, Wheeler played the recurring role of Debra's friend, Linda.
According to Kathy Griffin's autobiography, Official Book Club Selection, Wheeler was cast in the role of Vicki for the pilot episode of Suddenly Susan and was later replaced by Griffin.{{cite book| url=https://archive.org/details/officialbookclub00grif| url-access=registration| quote=Eventually for the pilot they cast Maggie Wheeler... The show got picked up, but as is often the case, the cast from the pilot changes, and for some reason it didn't work out with Maggie.| title=Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin| first=Kathy| last=Griffin| publisher=Ballantine Books| year=2009| isbn=978-0-345-51851-4| page=[https://archive.org/details/officialbookclub00grif/page/117 117]}}
She had a star billing in the first season of Ellen. She appeared on the hit comedy Seinfeld in the episode "The Fix-Up", as one of Elaine's friends who is set up with George. She has appeared in many other television programs, including Drake & Josh, ER, The X-Files, The War at Home, Will & Grace, Jack and Jill, How I Met Your Mother and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
In 1997, Wheeler voiced Harley Quinn's replacement in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Millions".
In 1998, she appeared in the remake of Disney's The Parent Trap, playing the younger of a mother-daughter pair of camp counselors. Wheeler provided the voice of Odile in Barbie of Swan Lake, and Trinette in the animated sitcom Archer.
In 2011, she guest-starred in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up as Dina's mother.
Wheeler is the co-founder and director of the Golden Bridge Community Choir in Hollywood, a non-auditioned, intergenerational choir which supports local and global communities through fundraising concerts. She travels to retreat centers, universities, communities and schools to teach vocal workshops.https://maggiewheeler.net/about Retrieved July 28, 2024.https://www.eomega.org/workshops/teachers/maggie-wheeler Retrieved July 28, 2024
Personal life
She has been married to sculptor Daniel Borden Wheeler since 1990. They have two children.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/21/style/maggie-jakobson-actress-marries.html|title=Maggie Jakobson, Actress, Marries|date=October 21, 1990|website=The New York Times|access-date=August 14, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thelist.com/416562/who-is-maggie-wheelers-husband/|title=Who Is Maggie Wheeler's Husband?|last=Desai|first=Karishma|date=May 20, 2021|website=The List|access-date=August 14, 2021}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Film roles |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1982
|Nurse | |
| Janice
|1983 |Portfolio |Assistant Choreographer | |
| 1987
|Attendee | |
| rowspan="2" |1989
|Mortal Sins |Marie | |
| New Year's Day
|Lucy | |
| 1993
|Suzanne |Short film |
| 1998
|{{sortname|The|Parent Trap|The Parent Trap (1998 film)}} |Marva Kulp, Jr | |
| 2003
|Odile |
| 2006
|Brown Hen/Fluffy Hen |
| 2007
|Waking Dreams |Jenny | |
| 2015
|The 3 Tails: A Mermaid Adventure |Maria | |
| 2019
|Trudy Pickering |
| 2021
| Mark, Mary & Some Other People | Lisa | |
| 2025
|Nurse |
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Television roles |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1984
|{{sortname|The|New Show}} |Various |8 episodes |
| 1985
|{{sortname|The|Paper Chase|The Paper Chase (TV series)}} |{{TableTBA|N/A}} |Episode: "The Day Kingsfield Missed Class" |
| 1986
|Melodia/Steelheart |Voice, main role |
| 1990
|Paula Lights |Episode: "The Good Human Bar" |
| 1991
|Bonnie Decker |Episode: "So Funny I Forgot to Laugh" |
| rowspan="3" |1992
|Cynthia |Episode: "The Fix-Up" |
| Civil Wars
|Patricia McDermott |Episode: "Mob Psychology" |
| Doogie Howser, M.D.
|Dr. Elena Spencer |2 episodes |
| 1994
|{{sortname|The|X-Files|The X-Files}} |Det. Sharon Lazard |Episode: "Born Again" |
| {{ubl|1994–2004}}
|Janice Litman-Goralnik (née Hosenstein) |Recurring role, 19 episodes |
| 1994–1996
|Main role (season 1); guest role (season 3); 7 episodes |
| 1995
|Flight Attendant |Episode: "Terror at 30,000 Feet" |
| 1996–2004
|Linda Gruenfelder |Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1998
|{{sortname|The|New Batman Adventures}} |Fake Harley Quinn |Voice, episode: "Joker's Millions" |
| Love Boat: The Next Wave
|Cindy |Episode: "True Course" |
| 1999
|Jennifer |Episode: "Pilot" |
| rowspan="2" |2001
|Kristen Moss |2 episodes |
| It's Like, You Know...
|Rachel |Episode: "Walking Tall" |
| rowspan="2" |2002
|Polly |Episode: "Dyeing Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard" |
| Justice League
|style="white-space:nowrap;" | Antiope |
| 2003
|style="white-space:nowrap;" | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Stand-Up Comedian |Episode: "Last Laugh" |
| 2004
|Dr. Renton |Voice, episode: "Motor Ed" |
| rowspan="4" |2005
|Paine Management |Jeanine Bernsen |Television film |
| Fat Actress
|Woman Diapering Baby |Episode: "Charlie's Angels or Too Pooped to Pop" |
| Higglytown Heroes
|Street Sweeper Hero |Voice, episode: "Higgly Frog Day" |
| E-Ring
|Investigator |Episode: "Escape and Evade" |
| rowspan="3" |2006
|Denise |Episode: "Alien Invasion" |
| ER
|Amy Kellerman |Episode: "Ames v. Kovac" |
| Friday Night Lights
|Teacher |Episode: "It's Different for Girls" |
| rowspan="2" |2007
|{{sortname|The|War at Home|The War at Home (TV series)}} |Mindy |2 episodes |
| How I Met Your Mother
|Margaret |Episode: "Dowisetrepla" |
| rowspan="2" |2009
|Gail Menken |Episode: "Wanted" |
| {{sortname|The|Breakdown|nolink=1}}
|Jennifer |Unsold television pilot |
| 2009–2012, 2017, 2022
|Trinette McGoon |Voice, 12 episodes |
| 2010
|{{TableTBA|N/A}} |Voice, episode: "Jackie of All Trades" |
| rowspan="3" |2011
|Mrs Garcia |2 episodes |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm
|Ilene Solotaroff |Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" |
| The Closer
|Gail's friend |Episode: "Road Block" |
| rowspan="2" |2013
|Ophelia Robbins |Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| Perception
|Barbara Bruckner |Episode: "Alienation" |
| rowspan="2" |2014
|Rachel |Episode: "Murder House" |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
|Small Town Reporter |
| 2015
|Fortune Teller |Episode: "The Bite Club" |
| 2016
|Steph |Episode: "Shrink and Kink" |
| rowspan="2" |2018
|Fiona's lawyer |2 episodes |
| The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants
|Lunch Lady / Mrs. Yewh |
| 2021
|Herself |Television special |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.maggiewheeler.net/}}
- {{IMDb name|id=0923909}}
- [http://www.filmreference.com/film/4/Maggie-Wheeler.html Maggie Wheeler at filmreference.com]
- [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Wheeler/106152731762 Maggie Wheeler on Facebook]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheeler, Maggie}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Manhattan
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:American voice actresses