Katherine Helmond, an actress whose star shined in beloved television series like "Soap" and "Who's the Boss?" has died. Helmond was 89.
The Emmy-nominated actress, known for her sultry voice, red hair and sense of humor, passed away at her Los Angeles home on February 23 from complications of Alzheimer's disease, APA Agency announced on Friday, according to Deadline. She is survived by her second husband of more than five decades years, David Christian. She had no children.
“She was the love of my life. We spent 57 beautiful, wonderful, loving years together, which I will treasure forever," Christian said in a statement. "I’ve been with Katherine, since I was 19 years old. 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 was perhaps best known for playing the feisty, man-crazy mother Mona Robinson on the long-running ABC sitcom "Who's the Boss?" Her "Who's the Boss?" co-stars Alyssa Milano and Tony Danza took to social media to mark her passing.
Helmond also starred as the wide-eyed socialite sister Jessica Tate on another popular ABC comedy, "Soap," which spoofed the wildly popular soap operas of the time.
In 1973, Helmond earned a Best Supporting or Featured Actress Tony Award for her Broadway performance in Eugene O'Neill's 'The Great God Brown.' Other Broadway productions include 'Private Lives,' 'Don Juan' and 'Mixed Emotions.'
