# Florence Stanley
**Florence Stanley** (born Florence Schwartz; July 1, 1924 – October 3, 2003) was an American actress of stage, film, and television, best known for playing Bernice Fish, the wife of Detective Phil Fish ([Abe Vigoda](https://www.edgepedia.org/abe-vigoda)), on the ABC sitcom *Barney Miller* and its spinoff *Fish*, and for the role of Judge Margaret W. Wilbur on *My Two Dads*.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Florence Schwartz, July 1, 1924, Chicago, daughter of Hanna (née Weil) and Jack Schwartz[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476) • [3](https://cinepassion34.fr/celebrity/florence-stanley/) |
| Died | October 3, 2003, age 79, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, of complications of a stroke[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) |
| Signature television roles | Bernice Fish on *Barney Miller* (1975–77) and the spinoff *Fish* (1977–78); Judge Margaret W. Wilbur on *My Two Dads* (1987–1990)[4](https://www.museum.tv/tvencyclopedia1/barney-miller) • [1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) |
| Broadway credits | *The Prisoner of Second Avenue*, *Fiddler on the Roof*, *The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild*, and *Fools*[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) |
| Film work | *Up the Down Staircase* (1967), *The Day of the Dolphin* (1973), *The Fortune* (1975), *Outrageous Fortune*, and the voice of Packard in *Atlantis: The Lost Empire* (2001)[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476) |
| Education and family | Graduate of Northwestern University; survived by her husband Martin Newman, a son Adam, a daughter Judith, and two grandchildren[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) |
## Television career
Stanley achieved television fame as Bernice Fish on *Barney Miller*, the ensemble comedy set in a New York police precinct that premiered on ABC on January 23, 1975. Her character was the long-suffering, neglected wife of the sexagenarian Detective Phil Fish, played by Abe Vigoda.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476) • [4](https://www.museum.tv/tvencyclopedia1/barney-miller) When Vigoda's character was retired after the second season to star in his own spinoff, *Fish* (ABC, 1977–78), Stanley carried the Bernice role into the new series, which was short-lived.[4](https://www.museum.tv/tvencyclopedia1/barney-miller) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476)
Her other principal television role was Judge Margaret W. Wilbur on *My Two Dads* (1987–1990), the NBC comedy starring [Paul Reiser](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-reiser), Greg Evigan, and [Staci Keanan](https://www.edgepedia.org/staci-keanan).[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476) The Los Angeles Times obituary notes that she was also a series regular on *Nurses* and a guest star on many other shows.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html)
## Stage and film work
The gravelly voiced Stanley began her career in New York, appearing on Broadway in *The Prisoner of Second Avenue*, *Fiddler on the Roof*, *The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild*, and *Fools*, and in the Manhattan Theater Club productions *It's Only A Play* and *What's Wrong with This Picture?* An Associated Press review of the latter play in 1994 singled her out: "As the mother-in-law from hell, Stanley deadpans with the best of them." In 1996 she performed in *And the Apple Doesn't Fall ...* at the Tiffany Theatre in West Hollywood.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html)
Her film appearances included small roles in Robert Mulligan's *Up the Down Staircase* (1967), [Mike Nichols](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-nichols)'s *The Day of the Dolphin* (1973), and *[The Fortune](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-fortune-1975-film)* (1975), as well as *Outrageous Fortune*.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476) Late in her career she voiced the character Packard in the Disney animated film *Atlantis: The Lost Empire* (2001).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476)
## Life and death
Stanley was born in Chicago and graduated from [Northwestern University](https://www.edgepedia.org/northwestern-university). She died on October 3, 2003 at [Cedars-Sinai Medical Center](https://www.edgepedia.org/cedars-sinai-medical-center) in Los Angeles at age 79; her husband, Martin Newman, attributed the death to complications of a stroke. She was survived by a son, Adam of Los Angeles, a daughter, Judith of New York City, and two grandchildren.[1](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html)
## References
1. [Florence Stanley, 79; Broadway Actress Turned to TV, Movies, Los Angeles Times (October 10, 2003)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-10-me-stanley10-story.html)
2. [Florence Stanley, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822476)
3. [Stanley Florence, Ciné Passion 34](https://cinepassion34.fr/celebrity/florence-stanley/)
4. [Barney Miller, Museum of Broadcast Communications encyclopedia](https://www.museum.tv/tvencyclopedia1/barney-miller)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sm to Su*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license