Age of The Nerd
Georgia Engel at the Leonard Goldenson Theatre in 2008 (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Veteran television and broadway star Georgia Engel has died. She was 70 years old. The beloved actress enjoyed an incredible career on stage and screen that lasted almost 50 years.
Engle was cast as Georgette Franklin Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1972. She played the character until 1977 when the show ended. During that time, she garnered two Emmy Award nominations.
When the show ended, she teamed up with fellow Mary Tyler Moore Show co-star Betty White on The Betty White Show. The show lasted one season (1977-1978).
On Broadway, Engle was known for roles such as Mrs. Tottendale in The Drowsy Chaperone, The Boys From Syracuse, and My One and Only with Tommy Tune. She also played the role of Minnie Fay in Hello, Dolly! where she co-starred alongside Ethel Merman.
She also performed in Off-Broadway productions like Will Eno’s Middletown at the Vineyard Theatre and Uncle Vanya at Soho Rep. She earned an Obie Award for her performance in Annie Baker’s John at Signature Theatre. Her most recent role was in the musical Half Time at Paper Mill Playhouse, where she appeared alongside Lillias White, Donna McKechnie, and Andre de Shields.
Later in her career, Engle was perhaps best known for her role on the acclaimed sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. She played Pat McDougall, the flighty mother-in-law of Ray’s older brother Robert (Brad Garrett). Garrett posted a loving tribute to Engle on his official Instagram page.
Her performances on Everybody Loves Raymond earned her three consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Throughout her television career, Engle appeared in many series including The Office, Two and a Half Men, Coach, The Love Boat, Mork & Mindy, One Day at a Time, and Hot In Cleveland, where she reunited with Betty White.
Engle was no stranger to the big screen, either. She had roles Open Season, Dr. Doolittle 2, The Sweetest Thing, and Adam Sandler‘s Grown Ups 2.
