| Kari Michaelsen | |
| Birth Name: | Kari Markussen |
| Birth Date: | 3 November 1961 |
| Birth Place: | Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Actress, motivational speaker |
| Years Active: | 1976–2001 (Acting) 1990–present (Motivational speaking) |
| Children: | 1 |
| Website: | http://www.karimichaelsen.com |
Kari Michaelsen (born Kari Markussen, November 3, 1961) is an American actress, television personality, and motivational speaker. As an actress, she is best known for her role as Katie Kanisky on the sitcom Gimme a Break! (1981–1987).
Born in Manhattan, Michaelsen followed her parents into show business. Her father, Arne Markussen, is a singer. Her mother, Roberta Stevenson, was a dancer. She sang on the soundtrack for Sesame Street and was performing in Off-Broadway plays by age 11. In 1975, her family moved to Beverly Hills, and Michaelsen (who changed her name from Markussen) soon won guest spots on such shows as Diff'rent Strokes and Eight Is Enough. Her father is of Norwegian heritage.[1] She graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1979 and studied at University of California, Los Angeles. She retired from television work in 2001. Kari has been doing public speaking and hosting educational seminars since 1990. She married David Waldock, a Mercedes-Benz executive, in July 2002. The couple had a son named Nickolas. Michaelsen and David Waldock were divorced in 2009.[2]
Michaelsen dated pop star Andy Gibb in 1983.[3] Michaelsen is longtime friends with retired actress Kristy McNichol.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Joy Ride: An Auto Theft | Kari | Short | |
| 1981 | Saturday the 14th | Debbie Hyatt | ||
| 1984 | Terror in the Aisles | Herself | ||
| 1989 | Girl Talk | Marcia |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Scared Straight! Another Story | Television film | ||
| 1980 | Diff'rent Strokes | Ellen Marshall | Episode: "Little Mother" | |
| 1980 | ABC Afterschool Special | Karala Murtaugh | Episode: "The Gymnast" | |
| 1981 | The Choice | Teenager | Television film | |
| 1981 | Eight Is Enough | Lisa | Episode: "Vows" | |
| 1981 | CHiPs | Teri | Episode: "Karate" | |
| 1981 | The Incredible Hulk | Linda | Episode: "The First: Part 1" | |
| 1981-86 | Gimme a Break! | Kathleen "Katie" Kanisky | Main role | |
| 1981-1983 | Rosie | Kelly Larson | 25 episodes | |
| 1982 | Fantasy Island | Cassie | 1 episode | |
| 1983 | The Kid with the 200 I.Q. | Julie Gordon | Television film | |
| 1983 | ABC Afterschool Special | Fran Davies | Episode: "Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents?" | |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart | Lisa Carrigan | Episode: "Trust Your Hart" | |
| 1989 | Full House | Stacey Fleetwood | Episode: "Joey & Stacy and... Oh, Yeah, Jesse" |
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Comedy Series | Gimme a Break! | ||
| 1984 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television | The Kid with the 200 I.Q. |