Doris Roberts, star of 'Everybody Loves Raymond,' dies at 90

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Doris Roberts attends the premiere of "Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection" on Monday, June 25, 2012 in New York.
Doris Roberts attends the premiere of "Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection" on Monday, June 25, 2012 in New York.
AP-AP

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Actress Doris Roberts, best known for her role as Ray Romano's meddlesome mother in "Everybody Loves Raymond," died Sunday in Los Angeles, a family spokeswoman said. She was 90.

The Emmy Award-winning actress passed away in her sleep, according to spokeswoman Janet Daily. Daily didn't know the cause of Roberts' death but said she had been healthy and active.

Roberts began her career on Broadway and worked steadily in theater until TV called. She spent her life as an actress, but it was her role as Marie Barone on the long-running sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" that made her a household name.

She won four Emmy Awards and received a total of seven nods as best supporting actress for the show.

The sitcom, which aired from 1996 to 2005, also starred Romano, Brad Garrett and Patricia Heaton. Peter Boyle, who played husband Frank to Roberts' Marie, died in 2006.

"Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me. She never stopped. 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," Romano said.

Heaton tweeted a message, calling Roberts a "consummate professional from whom she learned so much."

"Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Phil Rosenthal tweeted the following message: "We loved our mom, the great Doris Roberts. A wonderful, funny, indelible actress and friend."

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In this Feb. 10, 2012 file photo, actor Max von Sydow poses at the International Film Festival Berlinale, in Berlin.
AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File

Besides her son, she is survived by her daughter-in-law, Jane, and three grandchildren, Kelsey, Andrew, and Devon Cannata.

Flowers will be placed on her Hollywood Walk of Fame star Tuesday morning. Her star is located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.

The Associated Press contributed to this report