Doris Roberts - # 132

Doris Roberts, Star of 'Everybody Loves Raymond,' Dies at 90

She was number 132 on the list.

Doris Roberts, who delighted audiences as the meddling mother next door on Everybody Loves Raymond, has died, her representative told The Hollywood Reporter. She was 90.

Roberts, who won Emmys for best supporting actress in a comedy for playing Marie Barone, the mother of Ray Romano's sportswriter character, in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005, died Sunday night in her sleep of natural causes in Los Angeles, Janet Daily said.

In 1996, Roberts landed the part of Marie Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, playing Ray's mom and the wife of the cranky Frank (Peter Boyle). She was with the hit CBS sitcom for every one of the show's nine seasons, covering 210 episodes.

"When Peter Boyle and I met for the first time on the show it was as if we had known each other for 45 years," she said in a 2014 interview with Parade magazine. "We got more laughs just giving each other dirty looks than anything else."

She was scheduled to appear at an Everybody Loves Raymond reunion in June in Austin.

"Truly the end of an era," Patricia Heaton, who did battle with Roberts as daughter-in-law Debra on the show, wrote on Twitter. "My wonderful TV mother-in-law and ELR 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."

Roberts once said she based Marie on a combination of Romano's mother, an Italian, and series producer Phil Rosenthal's mom, a German Jew.

"Everything [Marie does, she does] because she wants them [the other characters] to make a better life, a better home," she said. "It all comes from love. That's why I'm very pleased and excited that I have that much of a contribution for that character that makes everyone laugh, because if you laugh at me, you can laugh at your own parents."

Wrote Rosenthal on Twitter: "We loved our mom, the great #DorisRoberts. A wonderful, funny, indelible actress and friend."

"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."

Roberts excelled in motherly roles throughout her career. She played Donna Pescow's mother on the 1979-80 ABC series Angie, created by Garry Marshall, and joined NBC's Remington Steele as Mildred Krebs, the receptionist for the detective agency run by Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist, in 1983. She stayed with the show through 1987.

Roberts also won another Emmy in 1983 for a stint on St. Elsewhere. She received 11 noms in all, three more for Everybody Loves Raymond, one for Remington Steele and one apiece for Perfect Strangers and American Playhouse.

A native of St. Louis who was raised in the Bronx after her father left the family when she was 10, Roberts made her Broadway debut in 1955 in The Time of Your Life, written by William Saroyan, and appeared in The Desk Set that year as well.

She left New York when Lily Tomlin saw her in the Terrence McNally play Bad Habits  -  for which she won an Outer Critics Circle Award - and brought her to California to do ABC's The Lily Tomlin Comedy Hour in 1975.

Her big-screen résumé included Something Wild (1961), Barefoot in the Park (1967), The Honeymoon Killers (1969), A New Leaf (1971), The Heartbreak Kid (1972), Hester Street (1975), Rabbit Test (1978), The Rose (1979), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) and Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003).

She reunited with Heaton on ABC's The Middle for three episodes a few years ago and wrote a 2005 best-seller, Are You Hungry, Dear? Life, Laughs and Lasagna.

Her marriage to novelist and short story writer William Goyen lasted 22 years until he died of leukemia in 1983 at age 68. Survivors include her son Michael, daughter-in-law Jane and grandchildren Kelsey, Andrew and Devon.

Asked in the Parade interview why the audience seemed to identify with her, Roberts replied: "I'm not a bull artist. I tell it like it is. I'm not some celebrity thinking, 'I'm greater than anybody else.' I'm one of the people. And they know that. It's wonderful when they say to me, 'Thank you for the humor you've brought us all these years.' I am a lucky son of a gun. I get paid for it."

Filmography


Film


Year Title Role Notes Ref.


1961 Something Wild Mary Ann's Co-Worker


1967 Barefoot in the Park Hotel Maid


Divorce American Style Hypnotic Subject


1968 No Way to Treat a Lady Sylvia Poppie


A Lovely Way to Die Feeney


1970 The Honeymoon Killers Bunny


1971 Little Murders Mrs. Chamberlain


A New Leaf Mrs. Traggert


Such Good Friends Mrs. Gold


1972 The Heartbreak Kid Mrs. Cantrow


1974 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Jessie


1975 Hester Street Mrs. Kavarsky -


1978 Rabbit Test Mrs. Carpenter


1979 Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff Marie


The Rose Mrs. Foster Loosely based on the life of singer Janis Joplin


1987 Number One with a Bullet Mrs. Barzak


1989 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Frances


1992 Used People Aunt Lonnie


1995 The Grass Harp Mrs. Richards


Taffy


1997 Walking to Waldheim Mina Goldblatt Short drama film


1998 My Giant Rose Kaminski


1999 A Fish in the Bathtub Frieda


2001 All Over the Guy Esther


2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Peggy Roberts


2006 Grandma's Boy Grandma Lilly


Keeping Up with the Steins Rose Fielder Showcase for Gary Marshall and Doris Roberts produced by Scott Marshall. Excellent/ethnic.


2009 Play the Game Rose Sherman


Aliens in the Attic Nana Rose Pearson


2010 Another Harvest Moon Alice


2011 Margarine Wars Grandma Betty Johansson


2012 Madea's Witness Protection Barbara


2014 The Little Rascals Save the Day Grandma


2015 The Secret of Joy Grandma Short film


2016 Job's Daughter Ruth Morrison


2016 The Escort Margaret Short film


2016 The Red Maple Leaf Mrs. Samantha Adams Posthumous release,


2018 Zizi and Honeyboy Zizi Short drama film Posthumous release, Final performance




Television


Year Title Role Notes


1951 Starlight Theatre Operator Episode: "Act of God Notwithstanding"


1952 Studio One in Hollywood The Madwoman Episode: "Jane Eyre"


Suspense Woman Episode: "A Time on Innocence"


1954 Look Up and Live Minnah Episode: "Rider Number Six"


1961 'Way Out Edna Episode: "Side Show"


1962 Naked City Miss Tresant Episode: "One of the Most Important Men in the Whole World"


1963 Ben Casey Claire Forest Episode: "Father Was an Intern"


1969 CBS Playhouse Shimmy Episode: "Shadow Game"


1975 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Helen Ferrell Episode: "Phyllis Whips Inflation"


Medical Center Gladys Callahan Episode: "Two Against Death"


Baretta Mrs. Asher Episode: "Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"


1976 All in the Family Marge Episode: "Edith's Night Out"


Viva Valdez Gladys Episode: "The Nurse's Pipes"


Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Dorelda Doremus 3 episodes


The Streets of San Francisco Mrs. Strauss "The Thrill Killers" (Parts I and II)


Family Etta Episode: "Home Movie"


Rhoda Sylvia Levy Episode: "Meet the Levys"


1977 It Happened One Christmas Ma Bailey Movie


1978–1980 Barney Miller Harriet Brauer 3 episodes


1978 Soap Flo Flotsky 4 episodes


1979–1980 Angie Theresa Falco 36 episodes


1979 Fantasy Island Marjorie Gibbs Episode: "Goose for the Gander/The Stuntman"


1980 The Diary of Anne Frank Mrs. Van Daan Movie


Fantasy Island Madam Clooney Episode: "Delphine/The Unkillable"


1981–1982 Maggie Loretta 8 episodes


Alice Mona Spivak 2 episodes


1982 St. Elsewhere Cora Episode: "Cora and Arnie"


1983 Romance Theatre Maggie 5 episodes


Cagney & Lacey Helen Freitas Episode: "Jane Doe #37"


1983–1987 Remington Steele Mildred Krebs Recurring: season 2, main role: seasons 3-5 (71 episodes)


1985 California Girls Mrs. Bowzer Movie


1986 Mr. Belvedere Judge Westphall Episode: "Deportation: Part 2"


1989 Perfect Strangers Mrs. Bailey Episode: "Maid to Order"


1990 Full House Claire Tanner Episode: "Granny Tanny"


Murder, She Wrote Helen Owens Episode: "Shear Madness"


Blind Faith Tessie McBride Miniseries


A Mom for Christmas Philomena Movie


1991 Empty Nest Aunt Retha Episode: "The Last Temptation of Laverne"


American Playhouse Mimi Finkelstein Episode: "The Sunset Gang"


1993 The Boys Doris Greenblat 6 episodes


The John Larroquette Show Mrs. Shenker Episode: "Pilot"


1993–1995 Dream On Angie Pedalbee 6 episodes


1994 Murder, She Wrote Mrs. Leah Colfax Episode: "The Murder Channel"


Step by Step Aunt Edna Episode: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"


A Time to Heal Maddy Movie


1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Elaine Portugal Episode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle"


1996–2005 Everybody Loves Raymond Marie Barone Main role (210 episodes)


1997 A Thousand Men and a Baby Sister Philomena Movie


1999 The King of Queens Marie Barone Episode: "Rayny Day"


2000 The Wild Thornberrys Cow #1 Episode: "Critical Masai"


One True Love Lillian Movie


2001 The Sons of Mistletoe Margie Movie


2002 Touched by an Angel Rose Episode: "The Bells of St. Peters"


2003 Lizzie McGuire Grandma Ruth Episode: "Grand Ole' Grandma"


A Time to Remember Maggie Calhoun Movie


2004 Raising Waylon Great Aunt Marie Movie


Sesame Street Herself Episode: "The Street We Live On"


2006 Our House Ruth Movie


2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Virginia Harrington Episode: "Privilege"


2009 Mrs. Miracle Mrs. Merkle Movie


2010 Miracle in Manhattan Mrs. Miracle Movie; originally titled Call Me Mrs. Miracle


2010–2011 The Middle Mrs. Rinsky 3 episodes


2011 Grey's Anatomy Gladys Polcher Episode: "It's a Long Way Back"


Hot in Cleveland Lydia Episode: "Dancing Queens"


Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension Mrs. Thompson Disney Channel original movie


2012 Desperate Housewives Doris Hammond Episode: "Lost My Power"


2013 Major Crimes Vera Walker Episode: "There's No Place Like Home"


2013–2014 Melissa & Joey Sofia 3 episodes


2014 Touched Norma Movie


2015 Merry Kissmas Mrs. Billing Movie


2016 Adam Astra Casting Dame Daisy Phillips / Lois Willard / Lana delPeno / Carla Lockwood / Cleo Benington Movie


Stage


Year Title Role Venue Dates Ref.


1955 The Time of Your Life The Streetwalker's Sidekick CityCenter January 19 - January 30


The Desk Set Miss Rumple Broadhurst Theatre October 24, 1955 - July 7, 1956


1963 Marathon '33 Rae Wilson ANTA Playhouse December 22, 1963 - February 1, 1964


1966 Malcolm Standby for:

Alice Drummond as Eloisa Brace
Ruth White as Madame Girard

Shubert Theatre January 11 - January 15


The Office Miss Punk Henry Miller's Theatre Never officially opened - April 30, 1966


Under the Weather Standby for: Shelley Winters as Flora Sharkey / Marcella Vankuchen / Hilda Cort Theatre October 27 - November 5


1967 The Natural Look Edna Longacre Theatre March 11 - March 11


1969 Last of the Red Hot Lovers Jeanette Fisher Eugene O'Neill Theater Center December 28, 1969 - September 4, 1971


1972 The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild     Miss Manley


Standby for: Maureen Stapleton as Mildred Wild


Ambassador Theatre November 14 - December 2


1974 Bad Habits Dolly Scupp Booth Theatre May 5 - October 5


1978 Cheaters Grace Biltmore Theatre January 15 - February 11