Sitcom and acting veteran Doris Roberts, known as the mother from Everybody Loves Raymond, has died at 90-years-old. She passed away Sunday (April 17) in her sleep from natural causes at her home in LA.
Roberts played Marie Barone, the nosy and overbearing mother to Ray Romano’s character on Everybody Loves Raymond. That role earned her four Emmy awards and a Screen Actors Guild award. This talented actress also appeared in a number of TV shows and movies during her more than six decades in the industry. She also won an Emmy for an appearance on “St. Elsewhere” in 1983.
Many took to social media to pay a tribute to the legendary actress.
Ray Ramano, who played Roberts’ tv son for nine seasons, shared his emotional reaction to the news.
“Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me,” he said. “She never stopped – whether working professionally of 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,” Romano continued. “I will miss her dearly.”
Patricia Heaton also expressed her loss in a Twitter post.
“Truly the end of an era,” Patricia Heaton wrote . “My wonderful TV mother-in-law and (“Everybody 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.”
To my beloved Marie – RIP. pic.twitter.com/TtZCySQnLK
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) April 18, 2016
Madylin Sweeten, who played Romano’s daughter on the show, posted a picture of herself with Roberts with the late Peter Boyle, who played Marie Barone’s husband, Frank on twitter.
“Keep them safe for me up there,” Sweeten said
❤️keep them safe for me up there pic.twitter.com/TkM9K7Xa1P
— Madylin Sweeten (@REALAllyBarone) April 19, 2016
Tyler Perry, who directed Roberts in “Madea’s Witness Protection” in 2012, took to Facebook saying he will be missing his beautiful friend.
Roberts made her film debut in 1961 with “Something Wild”. After that, she appeared in more than three dozen movies including the original “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
Hollywood lost one hell of a talented woman.
