| Florence Halop | |
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![]() Halop as she appeared in her role as "Florence Kleiner" on the popular sitcom Night Court |
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| Born | January 23, 1923 Queens, New York |
| Died | July 15, 1986 (aged 63) Los Angeles, California |
| Other name(s) | Flo Halop |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse(s) | George Gruskin (19??-1976; his death; 2 daughters) |
Florence Halop (January 23, 1923 – July 15, 1986) was an American actress. Best known for her role as the raspy-voiced bailiff Florence Kleiner on the sitcom Night Court, Halop was the sister of Billy Halop, one of the original Dead End/East Side Kids.
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Born in Queens, New York, Halop had a long career on radio and got her start at age 4 when she appeared on Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre. She transitioned to television in the early-1950s with a role in the series Meet Millie. After the series ended in 1956, Halop guest starred on various television series during the late 1950s and 1960s including roles in Playhouse 90, Going My Way, and I Spy.
Between 1976 - 1982, she played six different characters on the TV series Barney Miller. In 1984, she had a guest stint on St. Elsewhere. Halop’s character, Mrs. Hufnagel, was originally intended to be a one-episode spot, but her role was so well received the writers found a way to get her into 15 more episodes over the course of the season.
In 1985, Halop succeeded Selma Diamond as a female bailiff on Night Court after Diamond's death from lung cancer. Halop herself developed breast cancer and died during the series run. (She was replaced on Night Court by Marsha Warfield, who played Roz Russell until the series ended in May 1992).[1]
Halop was married to George Gruskin, who died in 1976. They were the parents of two daughters, Georgeanna and Benita. She is buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1939 | Nancy Drew... Reporter | Phyllis Gimble, Journalism Student | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Junior G-Men | Mary | |
| 1966 | The Glass Bottom Boat | Lady on Telephone | Uncredited Alternative title: The Spy in Lace Panties |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | 1 episode | |
| Holiday Hotel | Unknown episodes | ||
| 1952 | I Love Lucy | Woman on Phone | 1 episode |
| 1952–1956 | Meet Millie | Mrs. Bronson | Unknown episodes |
| 1958 | Playhouse 90 | Mrs. Laurie | 1 episode |
| 1959 | The Untouchables | Flora Weinberg | 1 episode |
| 1962 | Saints and Sinners | Ruth Melton Foss | 1 episode |
| 1963 | Going My Way | Mrs. Kravitz | 1 episode |
| The Alfred Hitchcock Hour | Jenny, Mr. Crawford's maid | 1 episode | |
| 1965 | The Dick Van Dyke Show | Mrs. Spaulding | 1 episode |
| Hank | Mrs. Wallace | 1 episode | |
| 1967 | Captain Nice | 1 episode | |
| 1967–1968 | That Girl | Clerk Librarian |
2 episodes |
| 1968 | I Spy | Clara | 1 episode |
| 1970 | The Mod Squad | Nurse | 1 episode |
| But I Don't Want to Get Married! | Mrs. Green | Television movie | |
| 1971 | Allan | Blanche Fisher | Television movie |
| The Chicago Teddy Bears | Mrs. Krausmeyer | 1 episode | |
| Love, American Style | 2 episodes | ||
| 1972 | Insight | 1 episode | |
| Wait till Your Father Gets Home | Voice | 1 episode | |
| The New Scooby-Doo Movies | Voice | 2 episodes | |
| 1974 | Here's Lucy | Old Woman | 1 episode |
| 1975 | Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | Sylvia | Television movie |
| Police Woman | Hannah Victor | 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Gemini Man | Miss Evans | 1 episode |
| All in the Family | Martha Linfoot | 1 episode | |
| 1976–1982 | Barney Miller | Various roles | 6 episodes |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Millie Lindsay | 1 episode |
| CHiPs | Mrs. Abel | 1 episode | |
| The Betty White Show | Marian | 3 episodes | |
| 1977–1983 | Alice | Annie Old Lady |
2 episodes |
| 1978 | Soap | Aunt Esther | 1 episode |
| 1979 | Archie Bunker's Place | Aunt Gussie | 2 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | Angie | Ceil | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | This Is the Life | Old Woman | 1 episode |
| 1982 | Gimme a Break! | Mrs. Falkenberg | 1 episode |
| 1983 | Condo | 1 episode | |
| It Takes Two | Florence | 1 episode | |
| Hill Street Blues | Fish Store Customer | 1 episode | |
| 1984 | Diff'rent Strokes | Mrs. Gruber | 1 episode |
| Brothers | Mrs. Veltnelman | 1 episode | |
| 1984–1985 | St. Elsewhere | Mrs. Hufnagel | 18 episodes |
| 1985 | Joanna | Mrs. Benson | Television movie |
| Anything for Love | Claire | Television movie | |
| 1985–1986 | Night Court | Bailiff Florence Kleiner | 22 episodes |
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