Katherine Helmond

She also appeared as a guest on several talk and variety shows. Helmond had featured roles in a number of films including Alfred Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976), Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (1981) and Brazil (1985), and Garry Marshall's Overboard (1987). She also voiced Lizzie in the Cars film franchise by Disney/Pixar between 2006 and 2017.

Katherine Helmond studied at Bob Jones University and American Film Institute. The recorded working language is English. Residence is recorded at Los Angeles. Works named in the authority record are Soap and Who's the Boss? Distinctions recorded are Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.

• Name — Katherine Helmond • Birth Name — Katherine Marie Helmond • Born — 5 July 1929 • Died — 23 February 2019 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Birthplace — Galveston, Texas, U.S. • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1955–2019 • Known for — Soap Who's the Boss? Coach Everybody Loves Raymond

Helmond was born on July 5, 1929, in Galveston, Texas, to Irish Catholic parents Thelma Louise (née Walker) and Patrick Joseph Helmond, a laborer. Her name on her birth certificate was misspelled as "Catherine". She had a younger sister, Jo Ann, born three years later, who died in infancy. Helmond experienced economic hardship during her childhood: ‘we were very poor...from as early as I can remember I had to work to help support the family. I had to learn to stand on my own two feet’. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, both devout Catholics. Her father left the family and her mother eventually remarried in 1937, to Marshall Phillips. She attended a Catholic primary school and appeared in school plays.

After graduating from high school, she moved to Houston, Dallas and New York. She was not professionally trained, but learned her craft through experience: ‘My training was all practical and on the job'. She cleaned toilets and repaired costumes while acting in plays in New York. After her stage debut in As You Like It, Helmond began working in New York City in 1955. She later ran a summer theatre in the Catskills for three seasons and taught acting in university theatre programs. She made her uncredited television debut in 1962 on Car 54, Where Are You?, but did not begin to appear on television regularly until 1973. She also acted on stage, earning a Tony Award nomination for her performance on Broadway in Eugene O'Neill's The Great God Brown (1973). Her other appearances on Broadway included roles in Private Lives, Don Juan, and Mixed Emotions. Helmond appeared in such feature films as Family Plot (1976), Time Bandits (1981), Brazil (1985), in which she played the mother of Jonathan Pryce's character, and Overboard (1987). In 1983, she studied at the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop. She picked up Emmy nominations for her role as Mona Robinson in Who's the Boss and as Lois Whelan in Everybody Loves Raymond. She also received acclaim for her stage performance in Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues. • Illustration — Helmond in 1979 Helmond appeared in The Legend of Lizzie Borden (1975) as Emma Borden, the title character's sister. She appeared in an episode of the short-lived 1976 CBS adventure series, Spencer's Pilots, starring Gene Evans. Helmond gained prominence as Jessica Tate, the ditzy matriarch of the Tate family in Soap (1977–1981) on ABC. From 1984 to 1992, she played the role of Mona Robinson on the ABC sitcom Who's the Boss? She appeared in a 1993 episode of The Upper Hand, the British version of Who's the Boss? From 1995 to 1997, she starred in the ABC sitcom Coach as Doris Sherman, eccentric owner of the fictional Orlando Breakers professional football team. From 1996 to 2004, she had a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond as Lois Whelan (Ray Barone's mother-in-law). On July 25, 2010, she guest-starred on A&E Network's The Glades and as Caroline Bellefleur on HBO's True Blood. She was also the voice of Lizzie in the Cars film franchise (2006–2017).

In 1959, Helmond married George N. Martin in New York; they divorced in 1962. She met her second husband, David Richard Christian, in 1962, when he was 19. They married in 1969, in New York, after dating for seven years. They remained married until her death, residing in Los Angeles, New York City, Long Island, and London. She and Christian had a history as students of Zen. After Helmond died, her husband said: ‘She was the love of my life...We spent 57 beautiful, wonderful, loving years together, which I will treasure forever… The night she died, I saw that the moon was exactly half-full, just as I am now … half of what I’ve been my entire adult life.’

Helmond died on February 23, 2019, from Alzheimer's disease at her home in Los Angeles, aged 89. Her death was announced a week later.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1962 — Car 54, Where Are You? — Betty Lou Creco (uncredited) — 1 episode • 1972 — Gunsmoke — Ena Spratt in "The Judgment." • 1973 — The Bob Newhart Show — Dr. A.J. Webster • 1974 — Mannix — Mrs. Sylvia Jarrud/Martha Cole • The Rookies — Molly Phillips - Season 3, Episode 10 • The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman — Lady at House — TV film • Larry — Maureen Whitten • 1975 — The Legend of Lizzie Borden — Emma Borden • The Six Million Dollar Man — Middy — Episode: "The White Lightning War" • The Rookies — Joyce Lanson — Season 4 Episode 7 "The Death Lady" • 1977–81 — Soap — Jessica Tate — 85 episodes Won — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1980) Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1978–1981) • 1979 — $weepstake$ — Sarah — Episode: "Lynn and Grover and Joey" • 1979–83 — Benson — Jessica Tate — 2 episodes also as director • 1982 — Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story — Frances Clooney — TV film • 1983 — Faerie Tale Theatre — Jack's mother — 1 episode • 1984–92 — Who's the Boss? — Mona Robinson — 196 episodes Won — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1989) Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1986) Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1988–1989) • 1986 — Girls on Top — Mrs DuPont — 1 episode “Mr Yummie Brownie” • 1993 — The Upper Hand — Madame Alexandra — 1 episode "Tunnel of Love" • 1995–97 — Coach — Doris Sherman — 11 episodes • 1996–2004 — Everybody Loves Raymond — Lois Whelan — 14 episodes Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2002) • 2002 — Mr. St. Nick — Queen Carlotta — TV film • 2007 — A Grandpa for Christmas — Roxanne "Roxie" Ritter • 2010 — Pound Puppies — Mildred — 1 episode "My Fair Rebound" • The Glades — Evelyn — 1 episode • Melissa & Joey — Mrs. Geller • 2011 — True Blood — Caroline Bellefleur • Harry's Law — Mrs. Gold • 2012 — Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales — Lizzie (voice) — Episode: "Time Travel Mater"

Katherine Helmond is recorded as having received Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.