Valerie Anne Bertinelli (born April 23, 1960) is an
American film and
television actress best known for her role as
Bonnie Franklin's daughter, Barbara Cooper Royer, on the long-running
television series One Day at a Time.
Early years
Bertinelli was born in
Wilmington, Delaware to American parents Nancy and Andy Bertinelli (a
General Motors executive). She had an older brother, Mark, who died at 17 months from an accidental poisoning before Valerie was born.
[Bertinelli, Valerie, Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time (2008). Free Press.] Along with her other three brothers, one older and two younger, the family lived in
Claymont, Delaware and
Clarkston, Michigan before moving to
Van Nuys, California, where Bertinelli studied acting at the Tami Lynn School of Artists. She attended
Granada Hills High School until 1978 but did not graduate. As of January 2008, she was pursuing the last few credits needed for her high school diploma.
She was raised
Catholic.
[Lifetime TV]
