Мелани Чартофф: Актриса, комик и изобретательница

American actress

Melanie Barbara Chartoff (born December 15, 1948) is an American actress and comedian. Chartoff first became famous for her comedy work on the ABC series Fridays (1980–1982), and in the 1990s Fox sitcom Parker Lewis Can't Lose. She voiced both Didi Pickles and Grandma Minka, Didi's mother on the Nickelodeon animated series Rugrats and All Grown Up!.

Her first Broadway appearances were in Galt MacDermot's space opera Via Galactica (1972), directed by Peter Hall, and The Young Vic's Scapino, starring Jim Dale (1974). Chartoff's first TV role came in 1976 when she played a nurse on Search For Tomorrow, after which she appeared in the 1978 motion picture American Hot Wax. She first became a nationally known figure on ABC's Fridays, which was ABC's attempt to create its own version of Saturday Night Live. Chartoff immediately stood out on the series, partly thanks to her regular role as the anchor on the show's fake newscasts, but also due to her comedic skills (particularly an impression of Nancy Reagan). On one sketch, Melanie was cold cocked on live TV when co star Maryedith Burrell failed to pull her punch during a skit and chipped Chartoff's tooth. In the Los Angeles premiere of Bill Finn and James Lapine's musical March of the Falsettos (1982), for which she won a Drama Logue Award, she played Trina. She played Mary Jane Wilkes in the La Jolla Playhouse premiere of Big River (1984). At South Coast Repertory she appeared in the world Premiere of On the Jump. She played Dot in the West Coast premiere of Sunday in the Park with George at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater (1986).

In 1991, Chartoff and fellow voice actor Michael Bell conceived the Grayway Rotating Drain, a device that recycles shower and sink greywater to flush toilets in the home. In 1992 they collaborated with Ronald K. Ford who applied for, and in 1994 received a patent on the product .

Chartoff's first voice over work was a guest role on Challenge of the Superfriends. She has continued her work as an in demand voice actress and also takes occasional TV and stage roles. Chartoff works as a coach to both actors and non actors to make them more charismatic in public performances. In 2005, she interviewed Laraine Newman for Autograph Collector magazine. Chartoff writes for The Huffington Post, The Jewish Journal, Defenestration Magazine, and The Funny Times. She performs her original material at such Los Angeles venues as Comedy Central's "Sit n' Spin," "Tasty Words," and "I Love a Good Story."

From 1991 to 2008, Chartoff voiced Didi Pickles and her mother Grandma Minka on the Nickelodeon series Rugrats, for which she won a Daytime Emmy. She continued to voice Didi on the Rugrats spin off series, All Grown Up!. For the 2021 revival series of the same name, Chartoff was replaced by actress Ashley Spillers.

Aside from Drama Logue and Daytime Emmy Awards, she was awarded by the City of Hope for creating and producing the yearly event Halloween for Hope to benefit children's cancer research and received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Mayor of Los Angeles for her concerts for the homeless. Chartoff is listed in Who's Who in California, and Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.

On July 5, 2013, Chartoff married psychologist Stan Friedman, her longtime boyfriend.

YearTitleRoleNotes1978American Hot WaxDebbieFilm debut1979Can You Hear the Laughter? The Story of Freddie PrinzeFanTelevision film, uncredited1982Having It AllDaceTelevision film1985Doin' TimeLinda Libel1986StoogemaniaBeverlyHardesty HouseJudy WernerTelevision film1987Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend ContinuesDeborahTelevision film1993Wind in the Wireunknown roleTelevision film1997Plato's RunStephanieDirect to video1998The Rugrats MovieDidi Pickles, MinkaVoice2000Big Brother TroubleFrances DobsonRugrats in Paris: The MovieDidi PicklesVoice2001The Rugrats: All Growed UpVoice, television film2003Rugrats Go WildVoice2006Dr. Dolittle 3Black and White HenVoice, direct to video2012And Out, Into the Bright Skyunknown roleShort film2017Alexander IRLMaureen Finn

YearTitleRoleNotes1976Search for TomorrowNancy Craig Television debut1973The DoctorsNurse (uncredited)Episode: "#1.2824"1978Wonder WomanNadiaEpisode: "Screaming Javelins"The Tony Randall ShowGinnyEpisode: "Adios, Mr. Chips"Richie Brockelman, Private EyePolice Woman RonnieEpisode: "Escape from Caine Abel"1978–1980Challenge of the SuperfriendsAdditional voices16 episodes1980–1982FridaysVarious54 episodes1983Oh Madelineunknown roleEpisode: "Sisters"1985Mr. BelvedereDetective WentworthEpisode: "What I Did for Love"St. ElsewhereKate LarsonEpisode: "Fathers and Sons"1986The Love BoatBetty BellEpisode: "Hippies and Yuppies/Frat Wars/Return of the Lambdas"FresnoDesiree DeMornayMiniseries; 5 episodes1987Take FiveLaraine McDermottRecurring role, 6 episodes1987–1990NewhartDr. Mary KaiserRecurring role, 5 episodes1988WiseguyLillah WarfieldRecurring role, 3 episodes1989The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!Tawny TylerEpisode: "Adee Don't/Karate Koopa"1990The Fanelli BoysBeckyEpisode: "Pilot"1990 1993Parker Lewis Can't LosePrincipal Grace Musso72 episodes1991–2004RugratsDidi Pickles, Minka Kropotkin, additional voicesVoice, 155 episodes1993Married with ChildrenLaurie Diamond, AttorneyEpisode: "Un Alful Entry"1994Living Single Madeline FlayvinEpisode: "They've Gotta Have It"1994, 1998SeinfeldRobin2 episodes1996–1998Weird ScienceMarcia Donnellyrecurring role; 5 episodes1996–1999JumanjiAunt Nora ShepherdVoice, 22 episodes1998Ally McBealJoanne PooleEpisode: "Happy Trails"2000Touched by an AngelConnie BurgerEpisode: "Bar Mitzvah"Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildGrape FoxVoice, episode: "Aesop's Fables: A Whodunit Musical"2001JAGSenator Anne PickEpisode: "Ambush"2002TainaSasha SimmonsEpisode: "Desperately Seeking Agent"The Zeta ProjectLead ScientistVoice, episode: "Cabin Pressure"Body & SoulColleen McKinneyEpisode: "Letting Go"Half & HalfBridgetEpisode: "The Big in with the in Crowd Episode"2003–2008All Grown Up!Didi Pickles, Minka KropotkinVoice, 32 episodes2005UnfabulousHealth TeacherEpisode: "The Little Sister"2006Desperate HousewivesSallyEpisode: "Remember (Part 1)"2007Tak & the Power of JujuChief Tina TinaVoice, episode: "The Three Chiefs"2010No Ordinary FamilyIris MitchellEpisode: "Pilot"2014Extraordinary FaithDirector/Consulting Producer
Television Documentary; 2 episodes2015Switched at BirthProducerEpisode: "There Is My Heart"2018OK K. O.! Let's Be HeroesSunshineVoice, 4 episodes