The agency APA confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. Katherine Helmond, whose career spanned over five decades, played matriarch Jessica Tate on soap spoof sitcom Soap. According to the publication, she died on February 23 following complications from Alzheimer’s disease. She is survived by her husband David Christian. Katherine won four Emmy nominations for her role in Soap and starred in the series from when it first aired in 1977 until it came to an end in 1981.
She was also known for playing Mona Robinson, in ABC’s Who’s the Boss?.
Between 1996 and 2004 she appeared in 14 episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, playing Debra Barone’s (played by Patricia Heaton) mother Lois Whelan.
The American star famously appeared in three of director Terry Gilliam’s movies, including playing a surgery enthusiast in Brazil and a hotel clerk in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Katherine’s illustrious acting career included stage roles in The Great God Brown and Private Lives.
In recent years, she also appeared in an episode of True Blood and voiced Lizzie in Cars 3.
Tributes have poured in
