Doris Roberts

Doris Roberts

Roberts in December 2010
Born Doris May Green
November 4, 1925
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1951–present
Spouse(s) Michael E. Cannata (m. 1956; div. 1962)
William Goyen (m. 1963; died 1983)
Children 1 son

Doris May Roberts (née Green; November 4, 1925) is an American character actress of film, stage, and television. She has received five Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild award during her acting career, which began in 1952. She is perhaps best known for her role as Raymond Barone's mother, Marie Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005).

Early life

Doris May Green[1] was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1925.[N 1][2] Her mother, Ann Meltzer, who was of Russian Jewish descent,[3] raised her daughter in the New York City borough of The Bronx with the assistance of her own parents, after her husband Larry deserted the family.[2][4]

Doris' stepfather, whose surname she took as her own, was Chester H. Roberts, whose name is included with Ann and Doris Green in the 1940 census as "lodger". Chester and Ann Roberts operated the Z.L. Rosenfield Agency, a stenographic service catering to playwrights and actors.[5]

Television and film career

Roberts' acting career began in 1952 with a role on the TV series Studio One. She appeared in episodes of The Naked City (1958–63), Way Out (1961), Ben Casey (1963), and The Defenders (1962–63). In 1961, she made her film debut in Something Wild (1961).[6] She appeared in such 1960s and 1970s cult films as A Lovely Way to Die, No Way to Treat a Lady, The Honeymoon Killers, Such Good Friends, Little Murders, and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. In 1978, she appeared in a film about John F. Kennedy's assassination, Ruby and Oswald, in which she played Jack Ruby's sister. She also appeared very briefly in The Rose, as the mother of the title character (played by Bette Midler).

In an interview with the Archive of American Television, Rue McClanahan confirmed that in 1972 she was approached by Norman Lear during the taping of an All In The Family episode to be a late replacement for Roberts, who was originally intended for the role of Vivian in Maude.[7] (Roberts later guest starred in a 1976 All in the Family episode, "Edith's Night Out".) She has usually been cast as a mother or mother-in-law on television, i.e. as Theresa Falco on Angie. She later appeared as Mildred Krebs on Remington Steele. After that show ended, she starred in the TV movie remake of If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium (1987) and the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). She appeared on Alice, playing the mother of the title character (played by her former Broadway co-star Linda Lavin), on Barney Miller as the wife of a man who secretly went to a sex surrogate, and on Full House as Danny Tanner's mother. She played the unhinged "Flo Flotsky" on four episodes of Soap, Dorelda Doremus, a faith healer, on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; and lonely Aunt Edna on Step by Step.[1]

Roberts achieved her widest fame for her role as Marie Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond. She was reportedly one of 100 actresses considered for the role.[8] For her work on the series, she was nominated for seven Emmy Awards (and won four times) for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

She previously won an Emmy for a guest appearance on St. Elsewhere, playing a homeless woman, and she was also nominated once for her role on Remington Steele. She was nominated for appearances on Perfect Strangers and a PBS special called The Sunset Gang. In 2003, she made a guest appearance as Gordo's grandmother in Lizzie McGuire. The same year, Roberts received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2006, she starred in Our House where she portrayed a wealthy woman who took homeless people in her house, and in the Adam Sandler-produced comedy Grandma's Boy. In 2007, she made a guest appearance on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 2008, Roberts appeared in the romantic comedy Play the Game alongside Andy Griffith, who plays a lonely, widowed grandfather re-entering the dating world after a 60-year hiatus.

She appeared in the 2009 film Aliens in the Attic, which was filmed in Auckland, New Zealand. She played George Needleman's mother in Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection (2012). On September 23, 2010, she played Ms. Rinsky, Brick Heck's schoolteacher in the second season premiere episode of The Middle. This appearance reunited her with Patricia Heaton, her co-star from Everybody Loves Raymond; the character disliked Frankie. Roberts returned in two other episodes that season, "The Math Class" and the finale, "Back to Summer".

Stage career

Roberts' stage career began in the 1950s on Broadway. She has appeared in numerous Broadway shows including The Desk Set (with Shirley Booth), Neil Simon's The Last of the Red Hot Lovers (with James Coco and Linda Lavin) and Terrence McNally's Bad Habits. She starred in McNally's Unusual Acts of Devotion at the LaJolla Playhouse in June 2009.[9]

Personal life

Roberts with Rip Taylor in November 2010

Roberts' first husband was Michael Cannata; they divorced in 1962. Their son, Michael Cannata, Jr. (born 1957) is her only child. He serves as her manager. She has three grandchildren: Kelsey, Andrew, and Devon. Her second husband was writer William Goyen. She was married to Goyen from 1963 until his death from leukemia on August 30, 1983.[10]

On September 4, 2002, she testified before a U.S. Congressional panel that age discrimination is prevalent in Hollywood, advocating that such discrimination be treated on par with biases against race and gender.

An avid cook, she wrote Are You Hungry, Dear? Life, Laughs, and Lasagna (in 2005), co-written with Danelle Morton and published by St. Martin's Press. In May 2005, she received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the University of South Carolina. An animal rights advocate, she has worked with the group Puppies Behind Bars which works with inmates in training guide dogs and assistance dogs for the physically disabled and elderly, as well as dogs trained in explosives detection to be used by the ATF and other law enforcement agencies. She is active with the Children with AIDS Foundation, of which she has served as the chairwoman.[1]

Roberts was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 7, 2011.

Roberts is a registered Democrat.[11]

Emmy Awards

Emmy Award nominations

Outer Critics Circle

Filmography

Roberts in April 2011

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1961 Something Wild Mary Ann's Co-Worker
1967 Barefoot in the Park Hotel Maid Uncredited
1967 Divorce American Style Hypnotic Subject Uncredited
1968 No Way to Treat a Lady Sylvia Poppie
1968 A Lovely Way to Die Feeney
1970 The Honeymoon Killers Bunny
1971 Little Murders Mrs. Chamberlain
1971 A New Leaf Mrs. Traggert
1971 Such Good Friends Mrs. Gold
1974 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Jessie
1975 Hester Street Mrs. Kavarsky
1978 Rabbit Test Mrs. Carpenter
1979 Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff Marie
1979 The Rose Mrs. Foster
1980 The Diary of Anne Frank Mrs. Petronella Van Daan Television film
1985 California Girls Mrs. Bowzer Television film
1987 Number One with a Bullet Mrs. Barzak
1989 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Francis
1990 Blind Faith Tessie McBride Television miniseries
1990 A Mom for Christmas Philomena Television film
1992 Used People Aunt Lonnie
1995 The Grass Harp Mrs. Richards
1999 A Fish in the Bathtub Frieda
2001 All Over the Guy Esther
2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Peggy Roberts
2003 A Time to Remember Maggie Calhoun Television film
2004 Raising Waylon Great Aunt Marie
2006 Grandma's Boy Grandma Lilly
2006 Our House Ruth Television film
2006 Keeping Up with the Steins Rose Fielder
2009 Play the Game Rose Sherman
2009 Aliens in the Attic Nana Rose Pearson
2009 Another Harvest Moon Alice
2009 Mrs Miracle Mrs Miracle Television Film
2010 Miracle in Manhattan Mrs Miracle Television Film
2011 Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension Mrs. Thompson
2012 Madea's Witness Protection Barbara
2014 The Secret of Joy (short film; "Woman of the Flowers" section) Grandma
2015 Job's Daughter Ruth Morrison
2015 Old Soldiers Gracie McBee

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1951 Starlight Theatre Operator Episode: "Act of God Notwithstanding"
1952 Studio One in Hollywood The Madwoman Episode: "Jane Eyre"
1952 Suspense Woman Episode: "A Time on Innocence"
1954 Look Up and Live Minnah Episode: "Rider Number Six"
1962 Naked City Miss Tresant Episode: "One of the Most Important Men in the Whole World"
1963 Ben Casey Claire Forest Episode: "Father Was an Intern"
1963 Naked City N/A Episode: "Color Schemes Like Never Before"
1969 CBS Playhouse Shimmy Episode: "Shadow Game"
1975 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Helen Ferrell Episode: "Phyllis Whips Inflation"
1975 Medical Center Gladys Callahan Episode: "Two Against Death"
1975 Baretta Mrs. Asher Episode: "Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth"
1976 All in the Family Marge Episode: "Edith's Night Out"
1976 Viva Valdez Gladys Episode: "The Nurse's Pipes"
1976 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Dorelda Doremus 3 episodes
1976 The Streets of San Francisco Mrs. Strauss 2 episodes
1976 Family Etta Episode: "Home Movie"
1976 Rhoda Sylvia Levy Episode: "Meet the Levy's"
1978–1980 Barney Miller Harriet Brauer 3 episodes
1978 Soap Flo Flotsky 4 episodes
1979–1980 Angie Theresa Falco 36 episodes
1979 Fantasy Island Marjorie Gibbs Episode: "Goose for the Gander/The Stuntman"
1981 Fantasy Island Madam Clooney Episode: "Delphine/The Unkillable"
1981–1982 Maggie Loretta 8 episodes
1981–1982 Alice Mona Spivak 2 episodes
1982 St. Elsewhere Cora Episode: "Cora and Arnie"
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1983 Romance Theatre Maggie 5 episodes
1983 Cagney & Lacey Helen Freitas Episode: "Jane Doe #37"
1983–1987 Remington Steele Mildred Krebs 71 episodes
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
1986 Mr. Belvedere Judge Westphall Episode: "Deportation: Part 2"
1990 Full House Claire Tanner Episode: "Granny Tanny"
1990 Murder, She Wrote Helen Owens Episode: "Shear Madness"
1991 Empty Nest Aunt Retha Episode: "The Last Temptation of Laverne"
1991 American Playhouse Mimi Finkelstein Episode: "The Sunset Gang"
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
1993 The Boys Doris Greenblat 6 episodes
1993 The John Larroquette Show Mrs. Shenker Episode: "Pilot"
1993–1995 Dream On Angie Pedalbee 6 episodes
1994 Murder, She Wrote Mrs. Leah Colfax Episode: "The Murder Chanel"
1994 Step by Step Aunt Edna Episode: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
1995 Walker, Texas Ranger Elaine Portugal Episode: "The Big Bingo Bamboozle"
1996–2005 Everybody Loves Raymond Marie Barone 210 episodes
American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2001–03, 2005)
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television Series
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series (1998–2000)
Nominated—American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Female Performer in a TV Series
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1999–2000, 2004)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series (2004–05)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (1999–2000, 2002, 2004–06)
1999 The King of Queens Marie Barone Episode: "Rayny Day"
2000 The Wild Thornberrys Cow #1 Episode: "Critical Masai"
2002 Touched by an Angel Rose Episode: "The Bells of St. Peters"
2003 Lizzie McGuire Grandma Ruth Episode: "Grand Ole' Grandma"
2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Virginia Harrington Episode: "Privilege"
2010–2011 The Middle Mrs. Rinsky 3 episodes
2011 Grey's Anatomy Gladys Polcher Episode: "It's a Long Way Back"
2011 Hot in Cleveland Lydia Episode: "Dancing Queens"
2012 Desperate Housewives Doris Hammond Episode: "Lost My Power"
2013–2014 Melissa & Joey Sofia 3 episodes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 IMDb gives Roberts' birth name as Doris May Green
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Doris Green". ancestry.com.
    Name: Doris M Green
    Mother: Ann Green
    Birth: abt 1926 – Missouri
    Residence: New York, New York, New York
  3. ↑ "Doris Roberts profile at Film Reference.com". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  4. ↑ Kelly Wilson (November 6, 2008). "Doris Roberts in the News". Members.aol.com. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  5. ↑ "New York Times article, "Mrs. Chester Roberts"". Select.nytimes.com. June 19, 1974. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  6. ↑ Something Wild (1961 film) profile, imdb.com; accessed November 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Rue McClanahan Interview, part 2 of 5". Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ Larry King Live transcript, interview with Everybody Loves Raymond Cast, CNN, March 8, 2002
  9. ↑ Mandell Weiss Theatre (June 28, 2009). "Unusual Acts of Devotion". Lajollaplayhouse.com. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Doris Roberts profile at". Biography.com. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  11. ↑ Profile, hollywoodreporter.com; accessed April 5, 2015.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Year of birth was 1925 per U.S. census of April 1940 at ancestry.com (Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: T627_2638; Page: 61B; Enumeration District: 31-646), which, aside from Doris M Green, aged 14, lists Ann Green, aged 46, as "Head" and Chester Roberts, Doris's future stepfather, aged 48, as "lodger"

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