Katherine Helmond Dead: "Soap", the actress of "Who's The Boss" was 89 years old

Katherine Helmond, who played Tate's matriarch on the revolutionary comedy of the 1970s Soap and later played on Who is the boss ?, She died on February 23 from Alzheimer's complications at home in Los Angeles. She was 89 years old. APA has announced the news.

Helmond is best known for her starring roles as thief Jessica Tate alongside Billy Crystal and Robert Guillaume in the sit-on-top television series aired on ABC in 1977-1981. Soap, for which she has received four Emmy Award nominations for best actress, and as sexy and wise Mona Robinson – who has shown that romance and excitement are not over for older women – alongside Tony Danza , Judith Light and Alyssa Milano in the 1984-92 series of ABC Who is the boss?, for which she won two supporting actresses, Emmy names.

Danza shared her feelings about her "soulmate" with Deadline today. "I was in love with her," he said. "She had such an influence on me. Single with a hit show in Hollywood, despite my marriage and my kids, she was with me. No matter what problem I encountered, I could go see her. Very few people could match it.

Remember the first days of Who is the boss? he added, "We were lucky to have Jessica from Soap. Oh my God, we went to the lottery. She was a consummate professional – never went astray and always had the laugh. She was the sexy old lady who could keep up with young people. She just had a way to do it.

Helmond was also known for her recurring roles as Doris Sherman in ABC Coach (1995-97) alongside Craig T. Nelson and Jerry Van Dyke and Debra Barone's mother, Lois Whelan, alongside Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton in the CBS hit series Everyone loves Raymond (1996-2004). More recent TV credits included guest roles in A & E The clearings, as well as the role of Caroline Bellefleur in HBO True blood.

She also spoke about Lizzie, the original Radiator Springs who was married to the city's founder and who runs her gift shop in the three Disney / Pixar parks. Cars movies. She appeared on the big screen in Family ground – Alfred Hitchcock's latest film – Garry Marshall's At the seaTerry Gilliam's Bandits of time, Brazil and Fear and disgust in Las Vegas.

The actress has participated in four Broadway series, winning the Best Actress Award in a supporting film or star, for playing Margaret in the revival of Eugene O'Neill's The big god Brown. His other credits on Broadway are the covers of Private life (1969) Don Juan (1972) and 1993 Mixed emotions. She appeared on Broadway in 1999 Monologues of the vagina.

Helmond was born on July 5, 1929 in Galveston, TX and developed an early love for theater. She played in many plays at school before making her stage debut in Shakespeare. As you like in 1955. She spent seven years performing at the famous Hartford Stage Company in Hartford, Connecticut, and Trinity Repertory Theater in Providence, Connecticut. After winning the Drama Critics Award for his Off Broadway performance in the Pulitzer Prize-winning piece The house of blue leaves by John Guare, Helmond follows the production in Los Angeles, where she is finally discovered by talent scouts and lands her first televised role in an episode of Gunsmoke.

She met her husband, David Christian, at the Hampton Playhouse Summer Stock Theater, where he was the decorator and she was the main lady. They married in 1962 and remained married until her death.

"[Christian] I called "Jessica Whisperer," Danza told Deadline. The actor stated that he had spoken to Helmond for the last time less than a month ago and that he had been singing "I Go to Pieces" for her while playing l & # 39; ukelele. "I will miss her terribly."

A memorial service is planned for family and friends to celebrate his life and career.