Doris Roberts: Everybody loved US actress dies at age 90

Veteran actress Doris Roberts, best known for her role as the mother of Ray Romano’s character on the hit sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, died Sunday in her sleep of natural causes, her son said Monday evening. She was 90.

“Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me. She never stopped,” Romano, who plays the title character in the show, told the People magazine. “Whether working professionally or with her many charities, or just nurturing and mentoring a young, green comic trying to make it as an actor, she did it all with such a grand love for life and people and I will miss her dearly,” he added.

Roberts’ co-stars in the popular CBS show, Romano and Patricia Heaton, were among the first to react to her demise. Heaton took to the microblogging site Twitter to express her affection for the late actress: “Truly the end of an era. My wonderful TV mother-in-law and ELR nemesis Doris Roberts was a consummate professional from whom I learned so much.”

Over a period of more than six decades, the celebrated actress won five Emmys, four for her playing the role of the sharp-tongued Marie Barone — mother of Raymond. Roberts had bagged an early Emmy at the beginning of her career for the role of a supporting actress in NBC’s St Elsewhere. She had several other shows and movies to her credit including Remington Steele, Grey’s Anatomy, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

She was a popular figure on Broadway as well. Her career on the stage included shows like The Desk Set, and The Last Of The Red Hot Lovers for which she was honoured with the Outer Critics Circle Award.

The actress, who was also the author of the 2005 book Are You Hungry, Dear? Life, Laughs And Lasagna, is survived by her son Michael, daughter-in-law Jane and three grandchildren.

Tributes to the late actress have poured in on Twitter.

So sad to say goodbye to #DorisRoberts today. She was a great and funny woman. #thebest pic.twitter.com/WnuJg1SFWE

— Lea Thompson (@LeaKThompson) April 19, 2016

Me and the amazing Doris Roberts. Heavens got another great one! pic.twitter.com/QDMQ4LBUXx

— Joey Lawrence (@joeylawrence) April 19, 2016

Rest in peace Doris Roberts 💜 pic.twitter.com/ARVtJDqttD

— Linda Cardellini (@lindacardellini) April 19, 2016

Thanks 4 all the joy& laughs u brought us for so many years, Doris Roberts! U will be missed!https://t.co/mmzb4i8caH pic.twitter.com/skznbNyCh9

— Nancy O'Dell (@nancyodell) April 19, 2016

RIP @doris_roberts – you were a dream to work with. Such beauty, so funny and so charming. @bobsaget @JohnStamos pic.twitter.com/dFqmq7KuLL

— Dave Coulier (@DaveCoulier) April 19, 2016

#DorisRoberts you were one of the funniest people to work with, you lived life to the fullest in NZ. We will miss u pic.twitter.com/34N8PbbQlB

— AshleyTisdaleFrench (@ashleytisdale) April 19, 2016

Agencies/Canadajournal