Who’s the Boss? star Katherine Helmond has died aged 89 after a battle with Alzheimer’s.
The actress sadly passed away on February 23 at her home in Los Angeles following complications with the disease, Variety reports.
Katherine made a name for herself in the acting industry with a career spanning more than five decades.
She was best known for her stint on American sitcom Who’s the Boss? where she played the role of feisty mother Mona Robinson from 1984 to 1992.
Katherine also appeared on show Coach as Doris Sherman, while she also took on roles in Overboard, Soap, Everybody Loves Raymond and Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plot.
Over the course of her career she received two Golden Globe awards, first in 1981 for Soap and next in 1989 for her role in Who’s the Boss?
Tributes have begun to flow in following the announcement of her death with Who’s the Boss? co-star Judith Light describing Katherine as a “gift to our business and to the world” in a statement provided to Variety.
“Katherine Helmond was a remarkable human being and an extraordinary artist; generous, gracious, charming, and profoundly funny,” she reportedly said.
“She taught me so much about life and inspired me indelibly by watching her work. Katherine was a gift to our business and to the world, and will be deeply missed.”
Meanwhile, others have taken to social media to express their sadness following her passing.
Fellow actress Robin Strasser took to Twitter to share a touching message with the public.
She wrote: “#KatherineHelmond what a marvelous [sic] actor! Her work always sharp and smart! #Overboard as #GoldieHawn’s impossibly spoiled brat of a mother – who couldn’t help but love her? RIP may your costumes always glitter and the lighting always be good”.
#KatherineHelmond what a marvelous actor! Her work always sharp & smart! #Overboard as #GoldieHawn's impossibly spoiled brat of a mother-who couldn't help but love her? RIP may your costumes always glitter & the lighting always be good… https://t.co/mGFqZ7Rtds
— Robin Strasser (@robinstrasser) March 1, 2019
Actor Joe Mantenga also shared a post via Twitter writing: ” R.I.P. dear Katherine Helmond. You were a joy and an inspiration in my career and my life”.
While American journalist Mark Harris added: “RIP Katherine Helmond, blithe spirit of Soap. She beautifully embodied an airy, throwaway style of sitcom acting that doesn’t really exist anymore and that I suspect was much harder than it appeared to be”.
Katherine is survived by her husband David Christian.
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