Georgia Engel, a five-time Primetime Emmy-nominated actress, has died aged 70. The actress who starred in Mork & Mindy, The Office and The Mary Tyler Moore Show passed way in Princeton, New Jersey on Friday. She was best known for her role in Ray Romano’s comedy series Everybody Loves Raymond and won hearts across the world with her gentle speaking voice. The TV star played the role of Pat MacDougall in the show, acting as the mother of Robert Barone’s (Brad Garrett) girlfriend Amy (Monica Horan).
According to The New York Times, her friend and executor John Quilty said her cause of death is not yet known.
Express.co.uk has contacted a representative for Georgia Engel for comment.
Before her passing Georgia starred in the TV series One Day at a Time in 2018 and portrayed Sister Barbara in the comedy.
She also had a part in the hugely popular programme Two and a Half Men, as well as the movie Grown Ups 2.
Born in Washington on July 28, 1948 Georgia trained as a ballerina and started her career in musical theatre, although she once said: “I was never much of a singer”.
However, her claim to fame came when she starred in the American sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, playing Georgette, the wife of anchorman Ted Baxter.
The late actress was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on the series, which she joined in 1972, in the show’s third season.
“It was only going to be one episode,” she told The Toronto Star in 2007, “I was just supposed to have a few lines in a party scene.”
She continued: “But they kept giving me more and more to do.”
Georgia was also nominated for an Emmy for her recurring role in Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 and 2005.
Since her passing her fellow actors and those alike have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late star.
On Twitter, American television writer, Phil Rosenthal, called the performer “his sweet friend” in a touching post.
He said: “To our dear sweet friend, we’ll love and miss you and your brilliant talent always.”
Actress Valerie Bertinelli tweeted: “Georgia Engel was the sweetest, kindest, dearest woman. And crazy talented.
I will miss her,” while TV presenter Andy Cohen simply wrote: “RIP GEORGETTE!!!”(sic)
Meanwhile, Tony and Emmy award-winning actress and singer, Donna Murphy, described her as the “master of comedy”.
“My daughter just saw her on an episode of One Day At A Time and not knowing who she was asked why she got a lot of applauses,” she added.
“Me [I said] because she’s a beloved actress who’s been making people laugh for many years.’”
Meanwhile, journalist Brett White tweeted: “Every sitcom has a secret weapon performer. If they only have one line in an episode, cutting to them will get a big laugh, energise a scene, or save an episode.
“Mary Tyler Moore was filled with those performers. But Georgia Engel was the secret weapon’s secret weapon.”