'Everybody Loves Raymond' star Doris Roberts dead at 90

Los Angeles: Emmy award-winning actress Doris Roberts, celebrated for her portrayal of a loving but meddling mother on "Everybody Loves Raymond", has passed away. She was 90. Her “Everybody Loves Raymond” co-star Patricia Heaton confirmed the news on Twitter, reports variety.com. According to reports, Roberts died here on Sunday. CBS also confirmed the news. The cause of death has not yet been released Roberts was nominated for 11 Emmy awards, including seven for playing Marie Barone on “Raymond”, winning four for her work on that series. She picked up her first Emmy in 1983 for a guest appearance on “St. Elsewhere”, making for a total of five wins overall. On “Everybody Loves Raymond”, Roberts’ almost omnipresent Marie Barone (she appeared on every episode of the show, which ran from 1996-2005) made life difficult for her son, Ray Romano’s Ray, and especially for his wife Debra, played by Heaton. Recent film work included romantic comedy “All Over the Guy” (2001); “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star” (2003); comedies “Grandma’s Boy”, “I-See-You.Com” and “Keeping Up With the Steins” (all in 2006); the romantic comedy “Play the Game”, in which she had a substantial role opposite Andy Griffith; family adventure comedy “Aliens in the Attic” (2009); and Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Witness Protection” (2012), in which she played the mother of Eugene Levy’s character. Roberts was married twice, the first time to Michael Emilio Cannata from 1956 until their divorce in 1962 and the second time to novelist and playwright William Goyen, to whom she was married from 1963 until his death in 1983. She is survived by her son Michael, from her first marriage (who was also her manager) and three grandchildren. IANS