{{short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Kari Michaelsen | image = | caption = | birth_name = Kari Markussen | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|11|3}} | birth_place = Manhattan, New York, U.S. | alma_mater = | occupation = Actress, motivational speaker | years_active = 1976–2001 (Acting)<br>1990–present (Motivational speaking) | spouse = {{marriage|David Waldock|2002|2009|end=divorced}} | children = 1 | website = http://www.karimichaelsen.com }}

'''Kari Michaelsen''' (born '''Kari Markussen'''; November 3, 1961) is a former American actress, television personality, and motivational speaker. She is best known for her role as Katie Kanisky on the NBC sitcom ''Gimme a Break!'' (1981–1987).

==Biography== {{More citations needed section|date=May 2026}} Born in Manhattan, Michaelsen followed her parents into show business. Her father, Arne Markussen, was a singer; and her mother, Roberta Stevenson, was a dancer.<ref>[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20135965,00.html ''Former Gimme a Break Star Kari Michaelsen Returns to TV as a Talk Show Host''] ''People Magazine''. December 10, 2001)</ref> She sang on the soundtrack for ''Sesame Street''{{Clarify|date=May 2026}} 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) began appearing on television shows such as, ''Diff'rent Strokes'' and ''Eight Is Enough''. Michaelsen 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.{{Update inline|date=May 2026}} She married David Waldock, a Mercedes-Benz executive, in July 2002. Michaelsen and Waldock divorced in 2009.<ref>[http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2011-05-05/news/get-motivated-peter-lowe-investools-wealth-magazine/ The Get Motivated! tour that barnstormed into St. Louis last week is as American as a get-rich-quick scheme] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504203131/http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2011-05-05/news/get-motivated-peter-lowe-investools-wealth-magazine/ |date=2015-05-04 }}, By Sarah Fenske of the ''Riverfront Times'', May 5, 2011</ref> They have a son named Nickolas.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}

Michaelsen dated pop star Andy Gibb in 1983.<ref>{{cite web | title=Looking for Answers | website=PEOPLE.com | date=December 10, 2001 | url=https://people.com/archive/looking-for-answers-vol-56-no-24/ | access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref> Michaelsen is longtime friends with retired actress Kristy McNichol.

==Filmography==

===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | 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 | |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | 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" |}

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Title of work ! Result |- | 1983 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Comedy Series | ''Gimme a Break!'' | {{nom}} |- | 1984 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television | ''The Kid with the 200 I.Q.'' | {{nom}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|0584566}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michaelsen, Kari}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American actresses Category:American child actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American motivational speakers Category:American women motivational speakers Category:American people of Norwegian descent Category:American television actresses Category:Actresses from Manhattan Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:21st-century American women

{{US-tv-actor-1960s-stub}}