The Only Major Actors Still Alive From 1984's Night Court
The NBC sitcom "Night Court" was a satirical take on the zany and chaotic underworld of the midnight shift at the courthouse. With an unconventional, free-loving judge at the helm of this circus, there's no telling what might happen. The series was such a massive hit that it ran for nine whole seasons, featuring a cast of relatively unknown actors that, when assembled, formed one of the most acclaimed ensembles of all time. The show won eight Primetime Emmys and was nominated no less than 32 times. "Night Court" won in a variety of categories, but the actor that ended up taking home the most gold was John Larroquette, who played egotistical D.A. Dan Fielding.
A "Night Court" reboot landed on NBC in 2023. Sadly, few members of the original cast are still around to reprise their old roles, and the show is comprised almost entirely of new characters. Harry Anderson, whose performance as Judge Harry T. Stone earned him three Emmy nominations, passed on in 2018. Markie Post, who portrayed public defender Christine Sullivan, died in 2021 at 70 years old. That same year, her former co-star Charlie Robinson, who played court clerk Mac Robinson, passed away as well. Richard Moll, the actor behind Aristotle Nostradamus "Bull" Shannon, died just last year in 2023.
John Larroquette is one of the few surviving cast members from the original series that brought us out of the '80s and into the '90s. But which other actors from the "Night Court" cast are still alive, and which ones have appeared in the new reboot?
John Larroquette (Dan Fielding)
Larroquette started acting in 1974 with a rather unconventional role — the voice-only narrator for the slasher that started it all, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre." He quickly moved into television with small, single-episode roles on shows like "Three's Company" and "Nine to Five." The actor landed his role as a series regular on "Night Court" in 1984, and his performance on the show earned him four sequential Primetime Emmys for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
After the hit NBC sitcom ended in 1992, Larroquette went on to star in "The John Larroquette Show," another workplace comedy about a recovering alcoholic. His performance on the show achieved an Emmy nomination in 1994. When the actor's self-named series ended in 1996, his success continued to grow. He starred in a short-lived sitcom called "Happy Family" opposite Christine Baranski of "Mamma Mia!" fame, and made guest appearances in major shows like "West Wing" and "Arrested Development" throughout the '90s and early aughts. He even had a small role in the star-studded 2006 film "Southland Tales." There are no small parts, however, and Larroquette's work did not go unnoticed — his guest appearance on the courtroom drama "The Practice" earned him another Primetime Emmy in 1998.
Larroquette continued to work primarily in television into the late 2010s, with bigger roles on smaller shows like NBC's short-lived drama "Deception" and Freevee's adventure series "The Librarians." Most recently, the actor reprised his beloved "Night Court" character on the 2023 reboot of the '80s television staple. The reboot has aired for two seasons so far, this time with Larroquette starring opposite new cast members like Melissa Rauch. A third season has not yet been confirmed by NBC.
Marsha Warfield (Rosalind Roz Russell)
Roz wasn't introduced until season 4 of the long-running courtroom sit-com, but she quickly became a staple of "Night Court." This role was far from Marsha Warfield's first time working in television comedy. The actress got her start on the Richard Pryor Show, in which she appeared for three episodes. Soon after her guest appearance in "Family Ties," a sitcom starring Michael J. Fox, Warfield landed her role as a new series regular on "Night Court."
Very soon after the hit NBC show wrapped, the actress went on to earn another spot as a late series regular on the family sitcom called "Empty Nest." In the meantime, she continued to make guest appearances in various television shows through the '90s, including a reunion with her "Night Court" castmate on "The John Larroquette Show."
Warfield is still acting today, primarily in network television. Most of her recent film work has been in holiday movies, like the 2023 film "A Holiday I Do." Warfield was featured in eight episodes of "9-1-1," the action series about first responders, between 2021 and 2023. The comedienne also appeared in two episodes of the "Night Court" reboot, first in season 1 and again in season 2 for her character's titular episode "The Roz Affair." If the series is renewed for a third season, it's possible that her character will make another appearance. At only 69 years old, it's safe to say we have not seen the last of Warfield.
Joleen Lutz (Lisette Hocheiser)
Lisette was only in the final two seasons of "Night Court," but she quickly became a fixture of the series. Joleen Lutz's acting career was just getting started when she landed the role of Lisette, having only had small roles on soap operas like "Dynasty" and "Generations." While shooting the sitcom, she continued to star in films like "A Nightmare on Drug Street" and "Deadly Spygames" starring Tippi Hedren.
When "Night Court" went off the air in 1992, Lutz continued acting primarily in television. Throughout the '90s and early '00s, she had guest spots and recurring roles in a number of hit series, from "Desperate Housewives" to "Pushing Daisies," even returning to the world of criminal justice with a single-episode appearance in "Boston Legal."
Lutz's acting dropped off significantly in the 2010s, and she has only appeared in three projects since her 2008 "Pushing Daisies" appearance. Her most recent role was as a doctor in a 2016 short film called "First Timers," which also featured "Mad Men" and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." actor Patrick Cavanaugh.
In her free time, Lutz has been volunteering at the Los Angeles Zoo, according to a 2013 radio interview. Although she has not announced any upcoming projects, Lutz might continue to act in the future and has not announced an official retirement, either. While she has not publicized any plans to return to "Night Court" in the reboot, there is still a chance that she could revive her old role.
William Utay (Phil/Will Sanders)
William Utay started acting in television just a few years before landing his long-standing recurring role in "Night Court." Although Phil the homeless man appears in only 35 episodes, he is present in every season of the sitcom from season 2 on. Utay was such a fan favorite that, when his character was killed off, the actor was brought back to play his evil twin. This was Utay's first recurring role in a series, although he did guest star in episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and other shows in the early '80s.
Shortly after the NBC courtroom comedy went off the air, Utay landed a role as Dr. Rolf on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives" and would go on to appear in almost 500 episodes of the show spanning several decades. Although the daytime soap is still on air today, Utay's most recent episode was in 2021. Meanwhile, he still managed to make single-episode appearances in several hit shows, from "Married... with Children" to "Modern Family" while working on the soap.
The "Night Court" actor also had supporting roles in several notable films of the '90s, including "Cobb" starring Tommy Lee Jones, and "Species" led by Michael Madsen and Ben Kingsley. Although Utay has not acted in film in quite some time, he may foray back into Hollywood now that his extended run on "Days of Our Lives" is over. The actor is not slated to appear in any upcoming projects, and at 76 years old, it's possible he has opted to retire. However, Utay has not announced an official retirement, so there is hope we will see him on our screens again soon.
Ellen Foley (Billie Young)
Her stint on the show might have been short-lived, but Billie Young was one of the most prominent characters of "Night Court" season 2. The public defender was played by Ellen Foley, a movie star who had already been featured in the likes of "Tootsie" and Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" before appearing in the NBC sitcom.
Soon after leaving the show, Foley landed supporting roles in major films like "Fatal Attraction," Jonathan Demme's "Married to the Mob," and "Cocktail" featuring rising star Tom Cruise. In the '90s and early '00s, Foley was featured in television shows like "All My Children" and "Law & Order" in guest or recurring roles. Her acting career petered out over the late 2000s and early 2010s until her most recent role, a 2016 film led by "Young Sheldon" star Zoe Perry and "Succession" actress J. Smith Cameron.
Foley has also had a successful singing career alongside her acting oeuvre. Her first album, "Nightout," was a breakout success, with hits like "We Belong to the Night" and "What's A Matter Baby." She soon followed it up with a sophomore album in 1981 and seems to have re-focused on music later in life, having released two more albums in 2009 and 2013, along with her most recent album "Fighting Words" in 2021. We might not see Foley on television again, but I have a feeling we haven't heard the last of her.
Denice Kumagai (Quon De Luc Robinson)
Denice Kumagai began her career in film and television in the 1970s, quickly landing a guest spot on the hit show "M*A*S*H" as Oksun Li. She appeared in several episodes of "Night Court" throughout its nine seasons on air as the fiancee and wife of court clerk Mac Robinson. All the while, Kumagai continued to land more supporting roles in films like "Suburban Commando" with Hulk Hogan and "The Room Upstairs" with Sarah Jessica Parker.
After "Night Court," the Hawaiian-born actress continued to have a successful career as a character actor, guest starring in some of the biggest shows of the '90s like "Full House" and "Columbo." In the late '90s and early '00s, she dabbled in voice-acting and was featured in hugely popular animated series like "The Simpsons" and "King of the Hill." Her most recent onscreen role was Aunt Jun in "Gilmore Girls."
Kumagai has since moved into ADR voice acting and coordination, a career track that she began with "Rush Hour" in 1998. She most recently worked in this capacity on the 2022 film "Tyler Perry's A Madea Homecoming." We may have seen the last of Kumagai onscreen, but she is still working diligently behind the scenes to make great films and television.