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Katherine Helmond

Katherine HelmondAKA Katherine Marie Helmond

Born: 5-Jul-1928
Birthplace: Galveston, TX
Died: 23-Feb-2019
Location of death: Los Angeles, CA
Cause of death: Alzheimer's

Gender: Female
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Actor

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Jessica Tate on Soap

Katherine Helmond is an actress best remembered for quirky character roles. She played the ditzy Jessica Tate on the '70s sitcom Soap with Billy Crystal, and the free-spirited Mona on Who's the Boss? with Tony Danza. She also had recurring roles on the sitcoms Coach and Everybody Loves Raymond.

Biographies rarely mention Helmond's father, reporting only that she was raised by her mother and grandmother. As a child, she attended Catholic school, and appeared in numerous school plays and pageants. "Though I was extremely shy, the nuns didn't ask: 'Do you want to participate?' They just assigned you a role. And I found that when I played an elephant I just blossomed."

She worked in local theater while still in high school, "hammering and sawing the scenery, cleaning the bathrooms and pulling the curtain." She made her professional stage debut in As You Like It, and worked for many years as a successful stage actress before she began working in front of cameras instead of audiences.

Her first film was the shocking heroin drama Believe in Me with Michael Sarrazin and Jacqueline Bisset, and her second film was the classic thriller The Hospital with George C. Scott. In her best film, Terry Gilliam's Brazil, she played Jonathan Pryce's mother, addicted to plastic surgery and meddling in his humdrum life.

Though she has a special gift for delivering lines with sexual innuendo, Helmond attended the conservative Bob Jones University. Friends and co-workers say she never drinks alcohol, never smoked, and rarely uses R-rated language unless in a film script.

Father: Joseph Patrick Helmond (firefighter, b. 11-Mar-1904, d. 31-Jan-1983)
Mother: Thelma Malone (b. 13-May-1910, d. 10-Oct-1981)
Husband: George N. Martin (actor, b. 1929, m. 1957, div.)
Husband: David Christian (artist-designer, m. 1962, until her death)

    University: Bob Jones University

    Irish Ancestry Maternal

    TELEVISION
    Everybody Loves Raymond Lois (1996-2004)
    Coach Doris Sherman (1995-97)
    Who's the Boss? Mona Robinson (1984-92)
    Soap Jessica Tate (1977-81)

    FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
    Cars 3 (10-Jun-2017) [VOICE]
    Collaborator (4-Jul-2011)
    Cars 2 (18-Jun-2011) · Lizzie [VOICE]
    A Grandpa for Christmas (24-Nov-2007)
    Cars (14-Mar-2006) [VOICE]
    Beethoven's 5th (2-Dec-2003) · Crazy Cora Wilkens
    Mr. St. Nick (16-Nov-2002)
    How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale (20-Dec-2000)
    Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (22-May-1998) · Reservations Clerk
    Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story (21-May-1995)
    Amore! (1993)
    Inside Monkey Zetterland (12-Sep-1992)
    The Perfect Tribute (21-Apr-1991)
    Lady in White (22-Apr-1988)
    Overboard (16-Dec-1987) · Edith Mintz
    Shadey (Nov-1985)
    Brazil (20-Feb-1985) · Mrs. Ida Lowry
    Rosie: The Rosemary Clooney Story (8-Dec-1982) · Frances Clooney
    World War III (31-Jan-1982)
    Time Bandits (13-Jul-1981) · Mrs. Ogre
    Scout's Honor (30-Sep-1980)
    Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (21-Sep-1979)
    Getting Married (17-May-1978)
    Baby Blue Marine (5-May-1976)
    Family Plot (9-Apr-1976) · Mrs. Maloney
    James Dean (19-Feb-1976)
    The Hindenburg (25-Dec-1975) · Mrs. Mildred Breslau
    Cage Without a Key (14-Mar-1975)
    The Legend of Lizzie Borden (10-Feb-1975)
    The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (31-Jan-1974) · Lady at House
    The Hospital (14-Dec-1971) · Marilyn Mead
    Believe in Me (8-Dec-1971)

Official Website:
http://www.katherinehelmond.com/


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