Katherine Marie Helmond (July 5, 1929 â€" February 23, 2019) was an
American actress. Over her five decades of television acting, she was
known for her starring role as ditzy matriarch Jessica Tate on the
sitcom Soap (1977â€"1981) and her co-starring role as feisty mother
Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? (1984â€"1992). She also played Doris
Sherman on Coach and Lois Whelan (the mother of Debra Barone) on
Everybody Loves Raymond. She also appeared as a guest on several talk
and variety shows.Helmond had supporting roles in films such as Alfred
Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976), Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985) and
Garry Marshall's Overboard (1987). She also voiced Lizzie in the Cars
film franchise by Disney/Pixar between 2006 and 2017.Helmond was born
on July 5, 1929, in Galveston, Texas, the only child of Thelma (née
Malone; May 13, 1910 â€" October 10, 1981) and Joseph P. Helmond
(March 11, 1904 â€" January 31, 1983). She was raised by her mother
and grandmother, both devout Catholics. She attended a Catholic
primary school and appeared in school plays.
American actress. Over her five decades of television acting, she was
known for her starring role as ditzy matriarch Jessica Tate on the
sitcom Soap (1977â€"1981) and her co-starring role as feisty mother
Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? (1984â€"1992). She also played Doris
Sherman on Coach and Lois Whelan (the mother of Debra Barone) on
Everybody Loves Raymond. She also appeared as a guest on several talk
and variety shows.Helmond had supporting roles in films such as Alfred
Hitchcock's Family Plot (1976), Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985) and
Garry Marshall's Overboard (1987). She also voiced Lizzie in the Cars
film franchise by Disney/Pixar between 2006 and 2017.Helmond was born
on July 5, 1929, in Galveston, Texas, the only child of Thelma (née
Malone; May 13, 1910 â€" October 10, 1981) and Joseph P. Helmond
(March 11, 1904 â€" January 31, 1983). She was raised by her mother
and grandmother, both devout Catholics. She attended a Catholic
primary school and appeared in school plays.
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