Sadly, Post died on August 7, 2021, at the age of 70 after a private four-year battle with cancer. Although she kept working for much of her illness, her family later revealed that she faced the disease with remarkable strength, optimism, and kindness.
Born Marjorie Armstrong Post on November 4, 1950, in Palo Alto, California, she grew up in Walnut Creek in an academically accomplished family. Her father was a nuclear physicist, while her mother was a poet. As a child, she became known as “Markie” after her siblings had difficulty pronouncing her full first name.
During high school, Post was a cheerleader and later attended college, where she studied physics. However, she admitted that the subject never came naturally to her.
“I was intimidated by my father,” she once said. “He tried to help me through math and equations, but constantly saying, ‘It’s so easy!’ didn’t make it easy for me.”
Rather than pursuing science, she found herself drawn toward the entertainment industry.
Before becoming an actress, Post worked behind the scenes on television game shows, including Split Second and Double Dare, serving as a researcher and production assistant.
“I learned more researching that game show than I did in four years of college,” she once joked during a television interview.
Her work behind the camera eventually opened doors in front of it. She began landing guest appearances on popular series including Cheers and Hart to Hart, before deciding to pursue acting full-time in the late 1970s.
Her first major breakthrough came when she was cast as bail bondswoman Terri Michaels on The Fall Guy, which aired from 1982 to 1986. Although the role brought her widespread recognition, Post later admitted she wanted more challenging material.
“I am very functionary on the show,” she said in a 1984 interview, explaining that she hoped to take on more substantial characters.
That opportunity arrived in 1985.
After appearing as a guest star during the second season of Night Court, NBC producers were so impressed that they invited her to join the cast permanently as Christine Sullivan, the courtroom’s compassionate public defender.
The role transformed her career.
For 159 episodes, Post became one of the sitcom’s most beloved stars. Her chemistry with the cast, sharp comedic timing, and genuine warmth helped make Night Court one of television’s biggest hits during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“Audiences are crazy about our show,” she said during the height of its popularity.
Although millions admired her beauty, Post often dismissed the attention.
“I’m no sexual siren,” she once said. “I see prettier girls than me in the grocery store every day.”
Those who worked with her frequently noted that her kindness and professionalism mattered far more than her appearance.
Over the years, Post continued building an impressive television and film career. She appeared in dozens of popular series and movies, including There’s Something About Mary, where she played Cameron Diaz’s mother. Later generations also recognized her recurring role as Barbara “Bunny” Fletcher on Chicago P.D., where she once again demonstrated her ability to leave a lasting impression in every scene.
Away from Hollywood, Post enjoyed a long and successful marriage to writer Michael A. Ross.
The couple met during an acting class in the early 1980s and married soon afterward. Together they raised two daughters, Kate and Daisy, while supporting one another’s careers for nearly four decades.
Asked about the secret to their lasting marriage, Post offered a refreshingly honest perspective.
“We just decided that no matter what, dead or alive, we’re getting to the end of our lives together,” she explained. “You know it’s going to be boring sometimes. You know it’s going to be hard. You can get on each other’s nerves. But if it’s wonderful 80 percent of the time, you’re really lucky.”
Behind the scenes, however, Post was facing the greatest challenge of her life.
For four years, she quietly battled cancer while continuing to work whenever possible. She often referred to her treatments as her “side job” and remained active in television, including a recurring role on the ABC comedy The Kids Are Alright.
Following her passing, her family released a heartfelt statement emphasizing that while many people knew her as an actress, those closest to her would remember something even greater.
They described her as someone who baked elaborate cakes for friends, sewed curtains for loved ones moving into their first homes, and taught those around her the importance of kindness, forgiveness, and compassion.
Tributes poured in from across Hollywood.
Among the most emotional was actress Melissa Joan Hart, who had worked alongside Post in Holiday in Handcuffs.
“I’m heartbroken to lose an angel here on earth,” Hart wrote. “I can’t describe what she meant to me, the friendship we had, and the kindness she demonstrated.”
Markie Post left behind a remarkable legacy—not only through the unforgettable characters she portrayed but also through the generosity and warmth she shared with everyone around her. While audiences will always remember her performances in Night Court, The Fall Guy, Chicago P.D., and many other productions, those who knew her personally say her greatest role was simply being a thoughtful, loving, and genuinely kind person.
Her talent made her a television star, but her character is what continues to make her unforgettable.