Doris Roberts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Roberts

Doris Roberts (born Doris May Green; November 4, 1925 – April 17, 2016) was an American actress. She received five Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild award during her acting career, which began in 1951. She was perhaps best known for her role as Raymond Barone's mother, Marie Barone, on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005).

Roberts was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her mother, Ann Meltzer raised Roberts in the The Bronx, New York with the assistance of her own parents, after her husband Larry deserted the family. Roberts' stepfather, whose surname she took as her own, was Chester H. Roberts. Chester and Roberts' mother operated the Z.L. Rosenfield Agency, a stenographic service catering to playwrights and actors. Roberts was Jewish (her family was from Russia).

An avid cook, Roberts wrote Are You Hungry, Dear? Life, Laughs, and Lasagna in 2005, co-written with Danelle Morton and published by St. Martin's Press.

In May 2005, Roberts received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the University of South Carolina. She was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor on May 7, 2011.

An animal rights advocate, Roberts worked with the group Puppies Behind Bars, which works with inmates in training guide dogs and assistance dogs for the physically disabled and elderly, as well as dogs trained in explosives detection to be used by law enforcement agencies. She was also active with the Children with AIDS Foundation, where she served as chairwoman.

Roberts married Michael Cannata; they divorced in 1962. Their son, Michael Cannata, Jr. (born 1957) is her only child. She had three grandchildren: Kelsey, Andrew, and Devon. Her second husband was writer William Goyen. They were married from 1963 until his death from leukemia.

On September 4, 2002, Roberts testified before a U.S. Congressional panel that age discrimination is prevalent in Hollywood, advocating that such discrimination be treated on par with biases against race and gender. She was a registered Democrat.

Doris Roberts died on April 17, 2016 in Los Angeles, California, aged 90.