THE HAT SQUAD: WENDIE JO SPERBER

There's no denying that Wendi Jo Sperber put up a brave fight against her cancer all these years. I'd like to point out that she also succeeded in creating characters with dignity despite the attempts to cash in on easy humor dealing with weight and appearance.

Ms. Sperber co-starred in a pretty bad movie about a stewardess school with my friend Mary Cadorette, and she ended up being the butt - literally! - of a bad sight gag near the end of the movie. But the whole film seemed to harken back to those old movies that relied on that type of goofy humor, so at least in that regard, it worked.

In the final season of 'Murphy Brown', she appeared in an episode with other actresses battling breast cancer, to help the year-long story arc bring the issue to the forefront of awareness.

Hopefully it did help some women think about early detection. It's just a shame Ms. Sperber lost her life to the disease when she should have been racking up even more TV work for many years to come.

TV SHOWS
"Hearts Afire" (1992) TV Series .... Mavis Davis (1992-1993)
"Babes" (1990) TV Series .... Charlene Gilbert (1990-1991)
"Women in Prison" (1987) TV Series .... Pam (1987-1988)
"Private Benjamin" (1981) TV Series .... Pvt. Stacy Kouchalakas (1982-1983)
"Bosom Buddies" (1980) TV Series .... Amy Cassidy (1980-1982)

TV SEQUEL
The Return of Hunter (1995) (TV) .... Lucille

TV MOVIES
The Image (1990) (TV) .... Anita Cox
Dinky Hocker (1979) (TV) .... Susan 'Dinky' Hocker

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter" playing "Mrs. Wells" in episode: "The Teachers Lounge" (episode # 3.22) 1 April 2005
"8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter" playing "Louise"
in episode: "Merry Christmas: The Story of Anne Frank and Skeevy" (episode # 2.9) 23 December 2003
in episode: "Premiere" (episode # 2.1) 23 September 2003
"8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter" playing "Rachel" in episode: "Career Woman" (episode # 1.23) 28 March 2003
"Touched by an Angel" playing "Tricia" in episode: "And a Nightingale Sang" (episode # 9.12) 8 February 2003
"JAG" playing "Landlady" in episode: "Standards of Conduct" (episode # 8.13) 21 January 2003
"Bette" playing "Penny" (episode # 1.18)
"Home Improvement" playing "Sue" in episode: "The Long and Winding Road: Part 1" (episode # 8.25) 18 May 1999
"Will & Grace" playing "April" in episode: "My Fair Maid-y" (episode # 1.12) 2 February 1999
"Unhappily Ever After" playing "Ms. Lewolsky" in episode: "Ross' IQ" (episode # 5.7) 1 November 1998
"Murphy Brown" playing "Ann" in episode: "Turpis Capillus Annus (Bad Hair Day)" (episode # 10.13) 14 January 1998
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show" playing "Herself" 13 January 1998
"You Wish" playing "Margo" in episode: "A Real Don Juan" (episode # 1.5) 24 October 1997
"Kirk" playing "Saleswoman" in episode: "S'Wonderbra" (episode # 1.2) 30 August 1995
"Dinosaurs" playing "Wendy Richfield" (voice) in episode: "License to Parent" (episode # 3.8) 20 November 1992
"Parker Lewis Can't Lose" in episode: "Hungry Heart" (episode # 3.8) 13 September 1992
"Parker Lewis Can't Lose" in episode: "Love Is Hell" (episode # 3.5) 13 August 1992
"Married... with Children" playing "Sandy" in episode: "I Who Have Nothing" (episode # 6.13) 22 December 1991
"Who's the Boss?" playing "Lori" in episode: "Micelli's Marauders" (episode # 6.18) 30 January 1990
"Designing Women" playing "Estelle" in episode: "The Women of Atlanta" (episode # 3.19) 1 May 1989
"Marblehead Manor" in episode: "Madame Butterfat" (episode # 1.3) 27 September 1987

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby