A file photo of Doris Roberts. (Image Courtesy : AFP)
Los Angeles:
Tributes poured in on Monday for Emmy-winning actress Doris Roberts, the star of Everybody Loves Raymond who has died. She was 90.
Ms Roberts picked up the Best Supporting Actress four times in the early 2000s for her portrayal of Marie Barone, the mother of Ray Romano's sportswriter character in the show, which ran for nine seasons.
"Truly the end of an era," said Patricia Heaton, who played Ms Roberts' TV daughter-in-law.
Ms Roberts died of natural causes on April 17 in her hometown in Los Angeles.
"My wonderful TV mother-in-law and ELR (Everbody Loves Raymond) nemesis Doris Roberts was a consummate professional from whom I learned so much. She was funny and tough and loved life, living it to the fullest."
Ms Roberts joined the show in 1995, having carved a niche in matriarchal roles in the 1980s, including as Donna Pescow's mother on the 1979-80 ABC series Angie and as receptionist Mildred Krebs on NBC detective series Remington Steele.
She won her first of five Emmys in 1983 for a one-season guest role on medical drama St. Elsewhere.
Raised by her single mother in the Bronx, Ms Roberts got her break on Broadway in the play The Time of Your Life in 1955. She moved to California to appear in ABC's The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour in 1975.
She appeared in over 34 films over more than half a century, including 1961's Something Wild, The Honeymoon Killers in 1969 and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three in 1974.She also had guest roles later in her career in Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives.
But she was best known for her role as Marie, the interfering, manipulative mother of Long Island-based Italian American sportswriter Raymond Barone, played by Romano, in Everybody Loves Raymond.
Phil Rosenthal, a producer of the series, tweeted:
Ms Roberts was married to the novelist William Goyen for 22 years, until his death from leukaemia in 1983. She had one son and three grandchildren from a previous marriage.
"Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me," Romano said in a statement.
"She never stopped. Whether working professionally or with her many charities, or just nurturing and mentoring a green young comic trying to make it as an actor, she did everything with such a grand love for life and people."
Ms Roberts picked up the Best Supporting Actress four times in the early 2000s for her portrayal of Marie Barone, the mother of Ray Romano's sportswriter character in the show, which ran for nine seasons.
"Truly the end of an era," said Patricia Heaton, who played Ms Roberts' TV daughter-in-law.
Ms Roberts died of natural causes on April 17 in her hometown in Los Angeles.
"My wonderful TV mother-in-law and ELR (Everbody Loves Raymond) nemesis Doris Roberts was a consummate professional from whom I learned so much. She was funny and tough and loved life, living it to the fullest."
Ms Roberts joined the show in 1995, having carved a niche in matriarchal roles in the 1980s, including as Donna Pescow's mother on the 1979-80 ABC series Angie and as receptionist Mildred Krebs on NBC detective series Remington Steele.
She won her first of five Emmys in 1983 for a one-season guest role on medical drama St. Elsewhere.
Raised by her single mother in the Bronx, Ms Roberts got her break on Broadway in the play The Time of Your Life in 1955. She moved to California to appear in ABC's The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour in 1975.
She appeared in over 34 films over more than half a century, including 1961's Something Wild, The Honeymoon Killers in 1969 and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three in 1974.She also had guest roles later in her career in Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives.
But she was best known for her role as Marie, the interfering, manipulative mother of Long Island-based Italian American sportswriter Raymond Barone, played by Romano, in Everybody Loves Raymond.
Phil Rosenthal, a producer of the series, tweeted:
We loved our mom, the great #DorisRoberts. A wonderful, funny, indelible actress and friend. pic.twitter.com/539JOa8EWo
— Phil Rosenthal (@PhilRosenthal) April 18, 2016
Ms Roberts was married to the novelist William Goyen for 22 years, until his death from leukaemia in 1983. She had one son and three grandchildren from a previous marriage.
"Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me," Romano said in a statement.
"She never stopped. Whether working professionally or with her many charities, or just nurturing and mentoring a green young comic trying to make it as an actor, she did everything with such a grand love for life and people."
