Julie Hagerty Bio
Julie Beth Hagerty (born June 15, 1955) is an American actress and former Ford model best known for her deadpan delivery and comic timing. She first gained national attention as Elaine Dickinson in the parody film Airplane! (1980) and went on to reprise the role in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982). Over four decades, she has built a versatile resume spanning stage work, off-Broadway productions, comedic film roles, and recurring television appearances.
Beyond her early comedy work, Hagerty has appeared in dramatic features such as Marriage Story (2019) and holiday films including A Christmas Story Christmas (2022). She has also done voice work on the animated series Family Guy, taking over the role of Carol starting in 2011. Her career reflects a steady, working actress who moves easily between stage, screen, and television.
Early Life and Background
Julie Beth Hagerty was born on June 15, 1955, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the daughter of Harriet Yuellig, a model and singer, and Jerald William “Jerry” Hagerty Jr., a musician. She grew up alongside her brother, Michael Hagerty, who also became an actor. Her parents later divorced.
Hagerty attended Indian Hill High School, where her interest in performing began to take shape. At the age of 15, she was signed as a model with Ford Models, and she spent her summers working in New York City. Those early trips introduced her to the world of fashion and helped lay the groundwork for her later transition into acting.
After high school, Hagerty moved to New York City in 1972 to pursue modeling full-time. She began working at her brother’s theater group, The Production Company, which gave her early exposure to stage work. She also studied acting with the seasoned performer and teacher William Hickey, sharpening the craft that would soon define her career.
Path to Celebrity
Hagerty’s entry into professional acting began on the off-Broadway stage. In 1979, she made her off-Broadway debut at her brother’s theater, starring in Mutual Benefit Life. The following years brought more stage work, including an off-Broadway appearance in Shel Silverstein’s Wild Life at the Vandam Theatre in 1983 and a role in the Broadway production of The House of Blue Leaves.
Her first film assignment was a small part in All That Jazz, but the scene did not make the final cut. That setback led to her casting opposite Robert Hays in Airplane!, which became a cultural phenomenon and established her as a recognizable comedic presence. From there, her path to wider fame in film and television quickly took shape.
Julie Hagerty Career
Early Career (1979-1985)
Airplane! was released in June 1980 and became the third-highest-grossing comedy at the time, behind Smokey and the Bandit and National Lampoon’s Animal House. The film cemented Hagerty’s reputation as a comedic actress with a unique deadpan style. She followed that breakthrough with Woody Allen’s A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy in 1982 and then reprised her famous role in Airplane II: The Sequel.
She closed out the early period of her film career with the Albert Brooks comedy Lost in America (1985), in which she played Linda Howard. The role became one of her signature performances and is widely remembered as a highlight of 1980s comedy. These projects helped shape her image as a steady, scene-stealing supporting player in major studio releases.
Breakthrough (1986-2010)
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hagerty built a busy career in television and supporting film roles. She starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom Princesses (1991) alongside Fran Drescher and Twiggy, appeared in the comedy What About Bob? (1991), and joined the ensemble of Noises Off. In 1999, she played Charlotte Sterling on Everybody Loves Raymond, showing her range in guest performances.
On television, she took on recurring roles including a babysitter named Polly on Malcolm in the Middle starting in 2003. In film, she appeared in Just Friends (2005) and the teen comedy She’s the Man (2006). Her pattern during this period was a steady flow of supporting work that kept her visible across comedy and family entertainment.
On stage, she appeared in the 2002 Broadway revival of Morning’s at Seven. In 2011, she took over the voice of Carol on Family Guy, the sister of Lois Griffin. She also starred in the 2013 film A Master Builder and appeared in a series of Old Navy commercials that playfully referenced her famous Airplane! character.
Notable Works and Milestones
Among Hagerty’s most recognized works are Airplane! (1980), Lost in America (1985), What About Bob? (1991), She’s the Man (2006), Instant Family (2018), Noelle (2019), Marriage Story (2019), and A Christmas Story Christmas (2022). Her recurring voice role as Carol on Family Guy is another notable milestone in her long career.
Julie Hagerty Award Nominations
Verified award nomination totals for Julie Beth Hagerty are not available in the source material provided for this page.
Julie Hagerty Awards Won
Verified award wins for Julie Beth Hagerty are not available in the source material provided for this page.
Julie Hagerty Family
Julie Beth Hagerty was born to Harriet Yuellig, a model and singer, and Jerald William “Jerry” Hagerty Jr., a musician. Her brother, Michael Hagerty, also pursued a career as an actor. Her parents later divorced, and she grew up in Cincinnati before moving to New York to chase her own ambitions in modeling and acting.
Personal Life
In the late 1970s, Hagerty was in a relationship with legendary director and choreographer Bob Fosse during 1978, following his breakup with Ann Reitting. The couple considered marriage but parted ways as Hagerty’s acting career began to grow. She later married Peter Burki in 1986, and the couple divorced in 1991. In 1999, she married insurance executive Richard Kagan.