Valerie C. Robinson: Meet Michael Schoeffling’s Wife

Valerie C. Robinson is an American former actress and model best known as the wife of Michael Schoeffling, the former actor who played Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles. Valerie had her own career in modeling and acting before the couple left Hollywood for a quieter life in Pennsylvania. They have two children, Zane and Scarlett Schoeffling.

Quick Facts

Valerie C. Robinson’s Early Life

Very little reliable information is available about Valerie’s childhood.

Her reported birth date is January 25, 1950. If this date is correct, she is 76 years old in 2026.

Sources disagree about her birthplace. One lists New York City, while another says Newfoundland. Her exact birthplace should therefore be considered unconfirmed.

Information about her parents and siblings is also not publicly documented.

Valerie C. Robinson’s Education

Valerie’s educational background is not well documented.

There is no reliable public information about the high school or college she attended, her degree, or what she studied.

Her Full Name and Acting Name

Valerie is commonly known as Valerie C. Robinson.

One source gives her full name as Valerie Carpenter Robinson.

Her acting credits have also been connected with the name Valerie Carpenter Bernstein.

The available information does not clearly explain when or why she used the Bernstein surname.

Valerie’s Modeling Career

Valerie C. Robinson worked as a model before or alongside her acting career.

She was reportedly connected with the Zoli modeling agency, which represented models in New York.

One source also reports that Valerie appeared in New York Magazine in March 1980. She modeled clothing alongside Rudolf Martin Fick IV.

Her modeling career is also important to her personal life because she reportedly met Michael Schoeffling through the modeling industry.

Valerie C. Robinson’s Acting Career

Valerie also worked as an actress.

Her screen career reportedly began in 1977.

She did not build a large filmography, but she appeared in several film and television productions during the late 1970s and 1980s.

Some of these credits appear under the name Valerie Carpenter Bernstein.

Having Babies II

Valerie’s earliest reported acting role was in the 1977 television movie Having Babies II.

She reportedly played a character named Terri.

This is generally listed as her first known screen appearance.

One Shoe Movie

In 1982, Valerie C. Robinson reportedly appeared in One Shoe Movie.

Her role is listed as herself.

Little additional information about the appearance is available.

Over the Brooklyn Bridge

Valerie appeared in the 1984 movie Over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Her role is listed as Fashion Centre Beauty.

This was during the same period when Michael Schoeffling’s acting career was beginning to receive wider attention.

Lottery!

Another reported 1984 credit is the television series Lottery!

Valerie C. Robinson is listed as playing Mary Beth Linderman.

Patty Hearst

Valerie also appeared in the 1988 film Patty Hearst.

Her role is credited as 1st Female.

This is one of the acting projects most often connected with her name.

Valerie’s Reported Later Acting Work

One secondary source lists Valerie as playing Frances Ledbetter in a 2018 project called Awful.

Another source connects Valerie Carpenter Bernstein with a short film titled Margaret the Brave, which was reportedly in post-production.

These later credits are less clearly documented than her earlier work. They should not be treated as confirmed evidence of a full return to acting without stronger information.

How Did Valerie Meet Michael Schoeffling?

Valerie reportedly met Michael Schoeffling while both were involved with the Zoli modeling agency.

Michael also worked as a model before becoming known as an actor.

Their relationship had begun by at least 1984.

Haviland Morris, who worked with Michael in Sixteen Candles, later recalled that he often spent his free time during filming talking on the phone with his girlfriend instead of socializing with other cast members. That girlfriend was identified as Valerie, whom he later married.

Valerie and Michael Schoeffling’s Marriage

Valerie C. Robinson and Michael eventually became husband and wife.

One source gives their marriage year as 1987. However, another says their exact wedding date has not been publicly documented.

It is therefore safer to describe 1987 as a reported marriage year rather than a firmly confirmed date.

The couple later left Hollywood and built a private family life in Pennsylvania.

Who Is Michael Schoeffling?

Michael Schoeffling is an American former actor, model, and furniture maker.

He is best known for playing Jake Ryan in the 1984 John Hughes film Sixteen Candles.

Michael also appeared in several other films, including Vision Quest, Mermaids, and Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.

Before and during his acting career, he worked as a model. He was associated with GQ and photographer Bruce Weber.

Michael also had a background in wrestling.

Michael Schoeffling’s Retirement From Acting

Michael left acting around 1991.

His final widely known movie role was Al Carver in Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.

Before that, he appeared alongside Cher in the 1990 film Mermaids.

Michael later explained that acting often involved long periods without work. He preferred furniture making because it allowed him to have more control over the creative process.

Michael Schoeffling’s Furniture Business

After leaving acting, Michael focused on carpentry and furniture making.

He reportedly operated a workshop near his home in Pennsylvania, close to the Wilkes-Barre area.

Michael had already been making furniture while he was still acting.

Some reports say Valerie also helped run the family’s carpentry business. However, the available information more clearly identifies Michael as the furniture maker, so Valerie’s exact role in the business is uncertain.

Valerie and Michael’s Children

Valerie C. Robinson and Michael have two children:

• Zane Schoeffling
• Scarlett Schoeffling

Both were raised largely outside Hollywood.

Zane has maintained a very private life, while Scarlett later entered modeling and acting.

Who Is Zane Schoeffling?

Zane Schoeffling is Valerie and Michael’s son.

Very little verified information about his personal or professional life is publicly available.

Some sources claim both Schoeffling children became models, but stronger information mainly supports Scarlett’s modeling career.

Zane appears to share his parents’ preference for privacy.

Who Is Scarlett Schoeffling?

Scarlett Schoeffling is Valerie C. Robinson and Michael’s daughter.

She followed parts of her parents’ early career path by working as a model and actress.

She has been associated with LA Models, while another source connects her with ONE Model in New York.

Scarlett has also appeared on screen.

In 2020, she appeared in an episode of Billions and played Isabel in Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story.

Scarlett’s Family Photos

Scarlett has shared some older family photographs on social media.

One photo showed her with her older brother Zane while she was still very young.

Other throwback photos showed Scarlett with Valerie and Michael.

Recent family photographs remain limited because the Schoefflings generally keep their personal lives private.

Why Valerie and Michael Left Hollywood

After Michael retired from acting, the couple moved away from Hollywood life and settled in Pennsylvania.

Michael reportedly preferred the area because living costs were lower and he enjoyed the changing seasons.

Valerie C. Robinson also stepped away from regular public attention.

The couple became difficult for entertainment media to follow because they kept their family life private.

Where Is Valerie C. Robinson Now?

Valerie C. Robinson is reported to have continued living privately in Pennsylvania with Michael.

However, there is little reliable recent information about her daily activities.

It is also unclear whether she remains professionally active in acting, modeling, or another field.

Her exact current residence has not been publicly confirmed.

Valerie C. Robinson’s Social Media

Valerie does not appear to have a clearly verified public social media presence.

Some online accounts share photographs connected with the Schoeffling family, but there is not enough information to establish that Valerie personally operates them.

Her daughter Scarlett has maintained a more visible online presence.

Valerie C. Robinson’s Net Worth

Valerie’s personal net worth is not reliably known.

One source estimates her wealth at around $500,000, but the same report connects the figure with the combined finances of Valerie C. Robinson and Michael.

There are no reliable public financial records confirming Valerie’s individual wealth.

The $500,000 amount should therefore be treated as an unverified online estimate.

Interesting Facts

• Valerie C. Robinson is a former actress and model.
• She is the wife of former actor Michael Schoeffling.
• Her reported birthday is January 25, 1950.
• Sources disagree about her exact birthplace.
• She reportedly used the acting name Valerie Carpenter Bernstein.
• She worked as a model before or alongside her acting career.
• Valerie reportedly modeled for New York Magazine in 1980.
• She was connected with the Zoli modeling agency.
• Her earliest reported acting credit is Having Babies II from 1977.
• She appeared in Over the Brooklyn Bridge in 1984.
• She also appeared in Lottery! and Patty Hearst.
• Valerie C. Robinson and Michael were already dating around 1984.
• They reportedly met through the modeling industry.
• Their marriage year is sometimes given as 1987, although the exact date is not firmly confirmed.
• They have two children, Zane and Scarlett Schoeffling.
• Scarlett became a model and actress.
• Zane maintains a private life.
• Michael is best known as Jake Ryan from Sixteen Candles.
• Michael left acting around 1991.
• He later focused on furniture making.
• Valerie and Michael settled in Pennsylvania.

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