Early Years
Bertinelli was born in Wilmington, Delawareto American parents Nancy and Andy Bertinelli (a General Motors executive). She had an older brother, Mark, who died at 17 months from an accidental poisoning before Valerie was born. Along with her other three brothers, one older and two younger, the family lived in Claymont, Delaware and Clarkston, Michigan before moving to Van Nuys, California, where Bertinelli studied acting at the Tami Lynn School of Artists. She attended Granada Hills High School until 1978 but did not graduate. As of January 2008, she was pursuing the last few credits needed for her high school diploma. She was raised Catholic.
Career
Following her guest-star role on Apple's Way, Bertinelli was approached by producer Norman Lear to audition for the role of a cooperative daughter, Barbara Cooper Ramano, in a new sitcom called One Day at a Time. The show debuted in late 1975. For the show's first season, Bertinelli was 15, and her character was written as a tomboy. The following year, in addition to the show having a full season, Bertinelli's character was revised to become more likable to a traditional male demographic.
During the show's third season, Mackenzie Phillips, who played Bertinelli's sister, began to have drug problems, and was later arrested. Partly as a result of this, Bertinelli and Phillips didn't speak for several years, except when in character. During the show's eighth season, both Bertinelli's and lead Bonnie Franklin's characters married male characters.
Bertinelli appeared in all but two episodes of One Day at a Time, and remained on the show until it was canceled in 1984. At one point, she and Franklin were involved in plans for a spin-off series, but it was never produced. Two decades later in 2005, during the One Day at a Time Reunion Special, Bertinelli was reunited with Phillips, Franklin, and Pat Harrington Jr. to watch memorable clips from the original show's nine seasons. They talked about actors who had left the show, as well as about Phillips' drug problem, which had wreaked havoc on the set.
After One Day at a Time, Bertinelli went on became a prolific actress. She starred in one short-lived TV series, Sydney. In 2001, she joined the cast of Touched By An Angel opposite Roma Downey and Della Reese for the show's last two seasons. Bertinelli, who had slowly gained weight over the years, had lost a total of 40 lb (18 kg) as of January 2008, and had become a spokesperson for the Jenny Craig weight-loss program. She could be seen in Jenny Craig commercials along with Kirstie Alley and other celebrity Jenny Craig participants.
Celebrities who promote such things as weight-loss programs are often perceived to be in professional decline. However, although Bertinelli is compensated for her Jenny Craig appearances, she has stated that she considers herself a health and weight-loss activist rather than a hired weight-loss spokesperson, and that she continues to receive proposals for more conventional acting work. She is currently promoting her new autobiography, Losing It—And Gaining My Life Back One Pound At A Time, which culminates in a description of her Jenny Craig experience. (The book's title contains a wordplay on One Day at a Time.)
Valerie was recently cast in a new sitcom for the TV Land network, "Hot in Cleveland" which is set to air in June 2010.
Personal Life
Before marriage, Bertinelli dated Steven Spielberg and Scott Colomby. Bertinelli married Eddie Van Halen on April 11, 1981. They had a son, Wolfgang "Wolfie" William Van Halen, on March 16, 1991. On July 9, 2002, they announced that they had been separated since October 2001. She filed for divorce on December 5, 2005 which was finalized on December 20, 2007.
In a candid interview on February 25, 2008 with Oprah Winfrey, Bertinelli revealed that she and ex-husband Eddie both cheated. Valerie says, "I cheated. He claims to this day that I cheated first, but I don't know. I don't know about the timing." She has also spoken out about a lusty "lesbian moment" when she kissed another woman. Bertinelli has been in a relationship with financial planner Tom Vitale since 2004. Bertinelli remains close to her former One Day at a Time co-star, Glenn Scarpelli. Bertinelli also has a nephew in a rock Group, Joseph Vincent.
Valerie Bertinelli Fast Facts:
- Has three brothers.
- Best-known for her role as Barbara Cooper on the sitcom One Day at a Time.
- Her son is named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, her ex-husband Eddie Van Halen's favorite composer.
- Became a spokesperson for the Jenny Craig weight-loss program in 2007.
- Valerie Bertinelli Relationships:
- Nancy Bertinelli - Mother
- Wolfgang Van Halen - Son
- Andrew Bertinelli - Father
- Tom Vitale - Husband
- Eddie Van Halen - Ex-husband
- Valerie Bertinelli Awards:
- 1981 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Winner
- 1983 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Nominee
- 1982 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Winner
- 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee.
Valerie Bertinelli:
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