It’s been nine years since the tragic demise of beloved, Emmy-winning actress Doris Roberts. Roberts was best known for her feisty, maternal-in-law role as Marie Barone on TV’s classic sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS, 1996-2005).
The show starred Ray Romano and Brad Garrett as Roberts’ dueling sons, Patricia Heaton as her daughter-in-law, and Peter Boyle, who played Frank Barone, Roberts’ TV husband.
Roberts died at 90 from a stroke on April 17, 2016. Boyle died of a heart attack in 2006. Together, they became two of the most beloved TV in-laws in the history of the medium.
This is their story.
A Closer Look at Doris Roberts
Doris Roberts was born on November 4, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Ann (Meltzer) and Larry Green. She was raised in New York and took her stepfather’s surname.
Roberts was a 20-year veteran of the Broadway stage before she began appearing steadily in character roles in film and on television during the 1970s.
Beyond Everybody Loves Raymond, Roberts made regular appearances in other small-screen gems like Norman Lear’s ground-breaking syndicated late-night comedy serial Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and ABC’s prime-time hit Angie. Roberts also found TV fame as the secretary on NBC’s Remington Steele adventure drama series.
Additionally, Roberts was seen on stage and in several big-screen films such as The Rose, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Madea’s Witness Protection, among others.
However, it was Everybody Loves Raymond that put Roberts on the mainstream media map. She won four Emmys for her performance as Marie Barone on the show and received a total of seven nominations as Best Supporting Actress for the legendary comedy.
A Closer Look at Peter Boyle
Peter Boyle was born on October 18, 1935, in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the son of a local TV personality in Philadelphia. He attended Roman Catholic schools and spent three years in a monastery before abandoning his religious pursuits.
He traveled to New York to study with Uta Hagen, supporting himself for five years as a postal worker, waiter, maitre d’, and office temp, and more.
Then came his casting in a road company of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. When the play arrived in Chicago, Boyle left the production to study with the famed improv group Second City.
Upon returning to New York, Boyle was cast in TV commercials, off-Broadway plays, and on the big screen.
Through his wife, a friend of Yoko Ono, the actor became close friends with John Lennon, and subsequently, the best man at the former Beatles’ wedding.
Boyle was known for her angry blue-collar Joe feature film to taking the tap-dancing lead in the monster-hit-comedy, Young Frankenstein, and as Robert Redford’s campaign manager in The Candidate.
In 1976, Boyle portrayed the philosophical man behind the wheel in Taxi Driver, opposite Robert DeNiro’s violent Travis Bickle.
Boyle’s other movies include Conspiracy: Trial of the Chicago 8, The Santa Clause franchise, and While You Were Sleeping, among others.
In 1990, Boyle suffered a stroke and was incapable of speaking for six months. Nine years later, he had a heart attack on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond, recovered, and returned to work.
The series would have suffered without both he and Doris Roberts.
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This article originally appeared on Newsbreak.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
Featured Image Credit: IMDb.
