Markie Post, 'Night Court' Star, Dead At 70 After Years-Long Cancer Battle

Actress Markie Post has died.

The Hollywood veteran, best known for her work on the beloved ’80s sitcom “Night Court,” passed away on Saturday after a nearly four-year battle with cancer, her manager confirmed to multiple outlets over the weekend. She was 70.

Post’s family issued a statement to Deadline, honoring what they will cherish most about her memory.

“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,” the statement read.

In addition to her work on “Night Court,” Post played the mother of Cameron Diaz’s character in “There’s Something About Mary” and had recurring roles on “Hearts Afire” and “Odd Man Out.”

She continued acting after her cancer diagnosis, appearing in projects including “Santa Clarita Diet” with Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, and the 1970s-set comedy series “The Kids Are Alright” on ABC. Her final role was on Netflix’s “Soundtrack” in 2019.

According to her IMDb page, she had 76 acting credits spanning more than 40 years, with her first listed as 1978’s “Frankie and Annette: The Second Time Around.”

Melissa Joan Hart and Sophia Bush were among Post’s famous friends and co-stars to pay tribute to her on social media. Hart shared an Instagram photo of the two of them on the set of their 2007 TV movie “Holiday in Handcuffs” and remembered the influence Post had on her.

“I’m heartbroken to lose an angel here on earth! My dear friend and TV mother #MarkiePost is finally at rest after a long hard battle with cancer,” she wrote in her caption. “I can’t describe what she meant to me, the friendship we had and the kindness she demonstrated for me. … Her example to me of how to be gracious, professional, find the fun in life and be a great mother at the same time will always live in me.”

Access Hollywood’s Mario Lopez, who also starred in “Holiday in Handcuffs,” took to the comment section of Hart’s post with kind words for his late castmate.

“God Bless her! Loved Markie,” he replied.

Bush spent time with Post when they appeared together on “Chicago P.D.” and she shared praise for her talent and warmth.

“I am just heartbroken to hear about the passing of my friend, scene partner (she was a phenom) and forever Bunny, #MarkiePost. Too soon,” she wrote, captioning a selfie of her and Post on her Instagram story. “Prayers to her family, who she always spoke of with a twinkle in her eye.”

Post is survived by her husband, Michael A. Ross, two daughters, Kate Armstrong Ross and Daisy Schoenborn, and her 5-month-old granddaughter.

— Erin Biglow