Character acting legend and multiple Primetime Emmy nominee Francis Sternhagen has passed away peacefully of natural causes in New Rochelle, New York. She was 93.
A double Tony winner and star of numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, she is known for her feisty portrayals and sardonic humor and first made the jump to television in 1951 with “Love of Life”.
She’s best remembered for mother roles on TV playing mom to John Ratzenberger’s character Cliff Clavin on “Cheers,” grandmother to Noah Wyle’s Dr. Carter on “ER,” mother ‘Bunny’ to Kyle MacLachlan’s Trey MacDougal on “Sex and the City,” and the very Southern mother Willie Rae Johnson to Kyra Sedgwick’s Brenda Leigh Johnson on “The Closer”.
She also had memorable roles in two acclaimed Stephen King adaptations – Rob Reiner’s “Misery” and Frank Darabont’s “The Mist” as well as “The Golden Years” mini-series, and worked twice with Michael J. Fox on “Bright Lights, Big City” and “Doc Hollywood”.
Other notable roles include as psychiatrists – both in Brian DePalma’s “Raising Cain” and the Christopher Walken-led “Communion” film. Sternhagen is survived by her 6 children, 9 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. She also had a major role in Peter Hyams’ sci-fi western “Outland”.
Source: Bloody Disgusting
