# Name That "Night Court" Actress... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2015, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932 "2015-03-25T11:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/1 "2015-03-25T11:22:49Z")
Surely, there is a Night Court fanatic amongst the SDopers! In the older episodes, there was an older lady who was kinda crabby and usually ridiculing Bull, IIRC. I want to say it was Nancy Walker, but this name does not appear in the “Full Cast” listing on [IMDB.com](http://IMDB.com). Well, she’s a lot like Nancy Walker! So, who was this old lady? 😕 Surely, someone remembers! (Just recently, I saw her on CHiPs as a helpless old lady changing a flat tire…if some CHiPs fans may recognize her!) ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/2 "2015-03-25T11:29:34Z")
[Selma Diamond](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224723/?ref_=nv_sr_5) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/3 "2015-03-25T11:29:41Z")
[Selma Diamond](https://weminoredinfilm.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/selma-diamond-e25ab.jpg)? ETA [Florence Halop](https://weminoredinfilm.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/florence_halop_2.jpg) was also on CHiPs ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/4 "2015-03-25T15:40:07Z")
Chain-smoking Selma Diamond! She was awesome. One of my favorite lines of hers was an exchange between her and (I think) Bull where she mentions that she bought herself an exercise bike. Bull asks how far she rides every day and she says “I don’t know, I took off the speedometer to make room for the ashtray.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/5 "2015-03-25T15:50:57Z")
Selma Diamond was one of the few women writers on early TV comedy/variety shows. The Rose Marie character on The Dick van Dyke Show was partially based on her. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/6 "2015-03-25T16:19:55Z")
I know without looking it up that Selma Diamond fits your description. She was only on for the first season or so, and died of lung cancer. She was replaced by the relatively similar Florence Halop, who only lasted about a season herself. Subsequently Marcia Wallace joined the cast, but she wasn’t quite the same sort of character. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/7 "2015-03-25T16:33:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I know without looking it up that Selma Diamond fits your description. She was only on for the first season or so, and died of lung cancer. She was replaced by the relatively similar Florence Halop, who only lasted about a season herself. Subsequently Marcia Wallace joined the cast, but she wasn’t quite the same sort of character. Correction: Marsha Warfield. She may not have been the same type of character, but it was when she arrived where the cast really seemed to jell. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/8 "2015-03-25T16:38:21Z")
Kinda crabby? That’s like saying the sun is kinda warm. 😃 She was one of my favorites from the first season cast. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/9 "2015-03-25T16:46:34Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Subsequently Marcia Wallace joined the cast, but she wasn’t quite the same sort of character. Or to put it another way: Marcia Warfield was as different a character from Diamond and from everybody else on the show as was possible to invent without hiring an alien. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/10 "2015-03-25T22:05:13Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Correction: Marsha Warfield. She may not have been the same type of character, but it was when she arrived where the cast really seemed to jell. Markie Post had some nice jell. 😃 One of my favorite bittersweet sequences from TV is the episode that ends with Harry sitting on the curb, telling a dog, “It’s my birthday.” (Anyone know which episode that is?) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/11 "2015-03-25T22:13:10Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > Correction: Marsha Warfield. :smack: Thanks, yes. That’s what I get for relying on memory. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/12 "2015-03-25T22:20:20Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Markie Post had some nice jell. 😃 > > One of my favorite bittersweet sequences from TV is the episode that ends with Harry sitting on the curb, telling a dog, “It’s my birthday.” (Anyone know which episode that is?) “The Birthday Visitor” (season 2) and “Melvin and Harold” (season 7) both take place on Harry’s birthday, if that narrows it down a little… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/13 "2015-03-25T22:22:18Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Markie Post had some nice jell. 😃 Didn’t know you were a hair man. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/14 "2015-03-26T00:39:23Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I know without looking it up that Selma Diamond fits your description. She was only on for the first season or so, and died of lung cancer. She was replaced by the relatively similar Florence Halop, who only lasted about a season herself. Subsequently Marcia Wallace joined the cast, but she wasn’t quite the same sort of character. Selma Diamond died after season 2 wrapped. Florence Halop after season three. Marsha Warfield was no doubt given a thorough medical exam before being hired. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/15 "2015-03-26T00:41:37Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Selma Diamond died after season 2 wrapped. Florence Halop after season three. Marsha Warfield was no doubt given a thorough medical exam before being hired. Totally missed the diabetes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/16 "2015-03-26T23:20:16Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Totally missed the diabetes. 😃 She was, however, at least 30 years younger than either of her predecessors. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/17 "2015-03-27T00:37:06Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Selma Diamond died after season 2 wrapped. Florence Halop after season three. The episode where she “died” (already being dead) and Bull losing it was a classic. And after meeting Flo, his “Can I keep her?” Terrific writing and television. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/18 "2015-03-27T18:28:00Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > The episode where she “died” (already being dead) and Bull losing it was a classic. And after meeting Flo, his “Can I keep her?” Terrific writing and television. “I’m here about the job.” “What job?” “Does this look like a wetsuit?” ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/19 "2015-03-27T20:25:56Z")
“I’m gonna need a raise.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932/20 "2015-03-27T21:12:28Z")
I’m loving that MeTV is running repeats of _Night Court_ about 4 times a night. Keeps my DVR busy, it does. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-that-night-court-actress/715932.md?page=2)