Georgia Engel, who played Georgette Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, has died aged 70.
The actress passed away in Princeton, New Jersey on Friday (April 12).
John Quilty, her friend and executor, told the The New York Times that the cause of death is unknown as Engel, who was a Christian Scientist, did not consult doctors.
Engel appeared in 56 episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and earned two Emmy nominations for the role. Georgette was the girlfriend and subsequent wife of Ted Baxter, the show's vain and dim news anchor (think: a benign Kent Brockman).
She was also nominated for three Emmy Awards for playing Pat McDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond.
Her other acting credits included film appearances in Dr Dolittle 2, The Sweetest Thing and TV shows such as The Office and Two And A Half Men.
Tributes to the late actress have been paid on Twitter.
RIP Georgia Engel. The ensemble of The Mary Tyler Moore Show is the gold standard and Georgia’s sweet, beguiling line deliveries are timelessly funny.
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) April 16, 2019
Georgia Engel was the sweetest, kindest, dearest woman. And crazy talented.
— Valerie Bertinelli (@Wolfiesmom) April 16, 2019
I will miss her. 💔
RIP Georgette. Such a sweethart. https://t.co/pW5kyiKUUX@WGNMorningNews @WGNTV @WGNRadio
— DeanRichards (@DeanRichards) April 16, 2019
I'm heartbroken to hear of the passing on Georgia Engel. Working with her, on an unsold pilot, was one of the joys of my life. Just this past weekend I watched her wonderful performance in THE OUTSIDE MAN (1972). She was one of the very best comic actors of her generation. pic.twitter.com/9aOBNqkG7g
— Film Freaks Forever! (@filmfreaks4ever) April 16, 2019
Every sitcom has a secret weapon performer. If they only have one line in an episode, cutting to them will get a big laugh, energize a scene, or save an episode. "Mary Tyler Moore" was filled with those performers. But Georgia Engel was the secret weapon's secret weapon. pic.twitter.com/dpR3APhRa1
— Brett White (@brettwhite) April 16, 2019
RIP Georgia Engel. Grew up watching her kill it on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (she was one of my mom's favorite characters) and I was genuinely delighted to see her on stage in NY a few years ago in Annie Baker's great Uncle Vanya, her layered comic acting perfectly Chekhovian.
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) April 16, 2019
