Actress Katherine Helmond, an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress who played two very different matriarchs on the ABC sitcoms 害羞草研究所淲ho害羞草研究所檚 the Boss?害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淪oap,害羞草研究所� has died, her talent agency said Friday. She was 89.
Helmond died of complications from Alzheimer害羞草研究所檚 disease last Saturday at her home in Los Angeles, talent agency APA said in a statement.
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A native of Galveston, Texas, Helmond害羞草研究所檚 credits date back to the 1950s and she worked steadily in small roles through the decades. But her real fame, and all seven of her Emmy nominations, didn害羞草研究所檛 start arriving until she was nearly 50.
She was probably best known for playing Mona Robinson, Judith Light害羞草研究所檚 mother on 害羞草研究所淲ho害羞草研究所檚 the Boss?,害羞草研究所� which also starred Tony Danza and a young Alyssa Milano.
She won a best supporting Golden Globe for her work in 1989.
害羞草研究所淢y beautiful, kind, funny, gracious, compassionate, rock,害羞草研究所� Milano mourned on Twitter. 害羞草研究所淵ou were an instrumental part of my life. You taught me to hold my head above the marsh! You taught me to do anything for a laugh! What an example you were!害羞草研究所�
On the show, Light was an uptight single mother who hired the 1980s heartthrob Danza to be her live-in housekeeper, and Helmond was her foil, a lover of nightlife, pursuer of men and flaunter of sexuality who would have been at home on 害羞草研究所淭he Golden Girls,害羞草研究所� which ran during the same years.
害羞草研究所淜atherine Helmond was a remarkable human being and an extraordinary artist; generous, gracious, charming and profoundly funny,害羞草研究所� Light said in a statement. 害羞草研究所淪he taught me so much about life and inspired me indelibly by watching her work. Katherine was a gift to our business and to the world.害羞草研究所�
Danza tweeted, 害羞草研究所淲e all lost a national treasure today. No words can measure my love.害羞草研究所�
An only child, raised by her mother and grandmother, who began acting while a girl in Catholic school, Helmond began her professional career in theatre and returned to it often, earning a Tony Award nomination in 1973 for her Broadway role in Eugene O害羞草研究所橬eill害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭he Great God Brown.害羞草研究所�
She was a favourite of director Terry Gilliam, who put her in his films 害羞草研究所淏razil,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所漈ime Bandits,害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淔ear and Loathing in Las Vegas.害羞草研究所�
In 害羞草研究所淏razil,害羞草研究所� a dystopian comedy from 1985, she played a surgery-addicted woman whose elastic face became one of the most memorable images from the cult film.
Her major break came with 害羞草研究所淪oap,害羞草研究所� a parody of soap operas that aired from 1977 to 1981. She played wealthy matriarch Jessica Tate, one of two main characters on the show, which co-starred Robert Guillaume and was also a breakthrough for Billy Crystal, who played her nephew.
She was nominated for Emmys for all four seasons of the show and won a best actress in a comedy Golden Globe in 1981.
Helmond kept working into her 80s doing mostly voice work, most notably as the Model T Lizzie in the Pixar 害羞草研究所淐ars害羞草研究所� films.
She had a recurring role on 害羞草研究所淓verybody Loves Raymond害羞草研究所� from 1996 to 2004 as the title character害羞草研究所檚 mother-in-law.
害羞草研究所淜atherine Helmond was such a class act and incredibly down to earth,害羞草研究所� tweeted actress Patricia Heaton, who co-starred with Ray Romano on the show. 害羞草研究所淪he was terrific as my mother on 害羞草研究所楨verybody Loves Raymond害羞草研究所� and I looked up to her as a role model.害羞草研究所�
She is survived by her husband of 57 years, David Christian, her half-sister, Alice Parry, and many nieces and nephews, her agency害羞草研究所檚 statement said.
A memorial is being planned.
Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
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