Valerie C Robinson – Facts about Michael Schoeffling's Wife
"Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" actor Michael Schoeffling married model and actress Valerie C. Robinson before the couple decided to quit Hollywood for the peace of rural Pennsylvania.
The couple, who share two children, Zane and Scarlett, appeared to have a bright future in the modeling and film industries. They starred in several films and were models for top modeling agencies in the 1980s.
However, Robinson and Schoeffling left Hollywood life behind and moved to Pennsylvania, where Schoeffling focused full-time on the furniture-making business. The actor said he enjoyed residing there because life was less expensive and the seasons changed.
Valerie C. Robinson Worked in the Same Field as Her Husband
Schoeffling reportedly met his future wife, Robinson, at the Zoli modeling agency where they were both models. In the early to mid-1980s, Schoeffling had a budding modeling career that culminated in his modeling for GQ.
Robinson seems to have had an early start to life in the modeling industry. In March 1980, she appeared in the New York Magazine, showing clothes alongside Rudolf Martin Fick IV, who could be mistaken for Richard Gere.
A Hungarian named Zoli ran the Zoli modeling agency. It was established in the early 1970s and started as an all-girls agency. Zoli became a popular destination for young women seeking to develop their careers because of his ability to manage his employees personally.
However, modeling was not Robinson's only talent, as she expanded her repertoire by going into acting. Using the name Valerie Carpenter Bernstein, she is credited with six television and film appearances, the first of which was in 1977 in "Having Babies II." She has a short film, "Margaret the Brave," currently in post-production.
Valerie and Michael Chose to Live outside the Spotlight
Like many parts of their lives, the love story of Michael and Valerie is shrouded in mystery. However, it is known that they became husband and wife and eventually welcomed two children, Scarlett and Zane Schoeffling.
No publicly available information suggests their wedding date, but Schoeffling and Robinson were still dating in 1984 when Schoeffling was still shooting the film "Sixteen Candles." Haviland Morris, who also starred in the film, says many cast members would hang out after shooting but not Schoeffling. She recalled:
"I remember Michael Schoeffling really just wanted to be in his room on the phone with his girlfriend (Robinson, who he later married)."
Schoeffling featured in at least nine other films and tv series after that before he retired. In 1990, he was cast as one of the main actors in "Mermaids," alongside Cher. His final appearance came in the 1991 film "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken," in which he portrayed Al Carver.
However, a 30-year-old Schoeffling left the celebrity life and decided to pursue furniture-making full-time. His workshop was his home close to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, his home state. Even before he retired, he spent much of his time doing his carpentry work. He told the LA times that:
"Actors spend most of their time out of work, so I actually spend more time making furniture. The thing about furniture that's much better than acting is that it's just me. There's no director, no script--the concept is me unless a client wants something."
In the years after his retirement, Robinson and Schoeffling fell off the radar so much that many people could not find them, and their family in rural Pennsylvania would not give out any information. In 2002, GQ magazine tried to locate them but had no luck.
Valerie's Daughter Followed in Her Footsteps
Whereas Zane followed his parents' footsteps by maintaining a very private life, his sister took an almost opposite route.
The only thing publicly known about Zane is that he is the son of two former models and Hollywood actors. However, more information is available regarding Scarlett, who followed in her parents' early life footsteps.
Scarlett is described as a model and actress. Her Instagram profile says she is part of a modeling agency called LA Models Direct. Her acting career has so far seen her appear in just two productions. The first is a one-episode appearance in "Billions" and the other as Isabel in "Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story," both in 2020.
Scarlett also shared some rare throwback family photos on her Instagram page. The pictures include one where she is embraced by her slightly older brother while she was still in diapers. Another post featured two photographs with her mom and dad holding her. However, there are no recent pictures.