GRANITE CITY HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1975

Winnie Freedman is the daughter of Julie Freedman and the late Dr. Melvin Freedman. She was born in Granite City while her father delivered a baby in the next room. She has three siblings: Barry Freedman, Leesa Goren, and Dr. Mark Freedman, all graduates of the Granite City school system.

Winnie attended Niedringhaus Elementary School and Coolidge Junior High School. She is a 1975 graduate of Granite City High School South where she was President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of the Social Studies Club, and active in the Speech Department. She was also Salutatorian of the Class of ’75.

After high school, she majored in theatre at Northwestern University, where she was elected Homecoming Queen in 1978. She graduated in 1979 and moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career. Her first “break” came soon after when she was cast as a series regular on the infamous spin-off of television’s Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi.

She was also a regular cast member on the series, The Ellen Burstyn Show, Good Company, and enjoyed a recurring role on Mr. Belvedere. She has appeared in more than a dozen movies including The Last American Virgin, Naked Gun, and Evolution. More recently, she has guest-starred on the shows Without A Trace, Desperate Housewives, and Greek. You may recognize her from commercials where she has sold everything from Wendy’s hamburgers to Subway sandwiches!

Winnie has remained active in the theatre, appearing in the Los Angeles premieres of the plays Found A Peanut, Dearly Departed, and The Babysitter, among others, and worked with the comedy improvisation group, The Groundlings. In San Francisco, she has been the guest of the 42nd Street Moon Lost Musical Series appearing in Peggy-Ann and High Spirits.

Winnie learned the importance of community participation from growing up in Granite City. To that end, she has volunteered her time teaching theatre to senior citizens and working in California encouraging high school students through speech contests and playwriting programs.

Winnie is married to actor/music director, Scott Harlan, and resides in Los Angeles.