Actress Georgia Engel, known to generations of sitcom fans, died Friday at the age of 70, reports the New York Times. Depending on which generation you lay claim to, you may know Engel’s signature dulcet voice from The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in which she played sweet, daffy Georgette Franklin Baxter, girlfriend and eventual wife of blowhard news anchor Ted Baxter, portrayed by Ted Knight. It’s a role that earned Engel two Supporting Actress Emmy nominations, while her turn as Pat MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond earned her three consecutive Outstanding Guest Actress nominations from 2003 to 2005.
In addition to her work as a benevolent witch on the soap opera Passions, Engel co-starred in The Betty White Show, Jennifer Slept Here, Coach, and Hot in Cleveland. The actress also appeared in season eight of The Office as Irene, Erin’s friend and temporary employer in Florida. Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal remembered Engel on social media Monday evening.
