Georgia Engel | |
|---|---|
 Engel in 1977 | |
| Born | Georgia Bright Engel (1948-07-28)July 28, 1948 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | April 12, 2019(2019-04-12) (aged 70) Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Resting place | Cape Charles Cemetery,Cape Charles, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Walter Johnson High School |
| Alma mater | University of Hawaii at Manoa |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1969–2018 |
| Known for | |
Georgia Bright Engel (July 28, 1948 – April 12, 2019) was an American actress. She is best known for having playedGeorgette Franklin Baxter in the sitcomThe Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 to 1977,Pat MacDougall onEverybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, and Mamie Sue onHot in Cleveland from 2012 to 2015.[1][2] She was nominated for fivePrimetime Emmy Awards and aBAFTA award.
Georgia Engel was born inWashington, D.C., the daughter of Ruth Caroline (née Hendron) and Benjamin Franklin Engel, who was aVice Admiral in theUnited States Coast Guard.[3][4] Engel attended the Kodiak Island Borough School District,Walter Johnson High School, and the Academy of the Washington Ballet from which she graduated. She earned her theater degree from theUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa.[1][2]
After college, Engel appeared in musical productions with Washington'sAmerican Light Opera Company. She moved toNew York City in 1969, appearingoff-Broadway inLend an Ear, and for a year as Minnie Fay in theBroadway production ofHello, Dolly!, starting in December 1969.[5] A 1971 off-Broadway production ofThe House of Blue Leaves eventually played in Los Angeles, where Engel was seen byMary Tyler Moore and her husband, producerGrant Tinker, her soon-to-be employers.[1][6]
Engel portrayed the character Georgette onThe Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 until thesitcom ended in 1977.[7] The role won her twoEmmy nominations. After that sitcom ended, she teamed up with formerMary Tyler Moore Show co-starBetty White forThe Betty White Show during its only (1977–78) season. She later co-starred on two short-lived 1980s sitcoms,Goodtime Girls as Loretta Smoot,[8] and inJennifer Slept Here featuringAnn Jillian.[9]
Engel had a recurring role onCoach as Shirley Burleigh and starred as the voice of Love-a-Lot Bear inThe Care Bears Movie (1985). She played a good witch in a 2007 recurring role[10][11] of Esmeralda[12] on the now-defunctNBC soap operaPassions.[13] Engel received consecutive Emmy Award nominations as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series in 2003, 2004, and 2005 for her role onEverybody Loves Raymond asRobert Barone's mother-in-law,Pat MacDougall.[14]
Engel made her "big screen" debut inMiloš Forman's first English-language movieTaking Off (1971),[15] playing "Margot", a performance that earned her aBAFTA nomination for best supporting actress. Her other film appearances includeThe Outside Man (1973),[16]Papa Was a Preacher (1987),[17]Signs of Life (1989),[18]The Sweetest Thing (2002),[19] and the made-for-TV moviesThe Day the Women Got Even (1980)[20] andA Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story (1978).[21]
She lent her distinctive voice to the animated filmsOpen Season (2006),[22]Open Season 2 (2008),[23]Open Season 3 (2010)[24] andDr. Dolittle 2 (2001).
Engel returned to her stage roots in 2006, appearing on Broadway in themusicalThe Drowsy Chaperone, withSutton Foster andEdward Hibbert. She created the role of Mrs. Tottendale, which she continued to perform, leaving the Broadway production as of April 1, 2007.[25] She was featured in the North American tour, performing in Toronto in September 2007,[26] through engagements at theOrpheum Theater inSan Francisco, in August 2008,[27] and at the Denver Performing Arts Complex in October 2008.[28]
For the summers of 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010, Engel appeared in various productions atThe Muny Theater inForest Park inSt. Louis, Missouri. She also appeared inShow Boat in August 2010 as Parthy.[29] In July 2005, she appeared inMame as Agnes Gooch,[30] in June 2007, she appeared inOklahoma! as Aunt Eller,[31] and in July 2009, she appeared as Mrs. Paroo inThe Music Man.[32][33]
In June 2010, Engel appeared at theOgunquit Playhouse inOgunquit, Maine, production ofThe Drowsy Chaperone as Mrs. Tottendale.[34] In October through December 2010, Engel was featured in theVineyard Theatre's off-Broadway production ofMiddletown, written byWill Eno.[35][36]
In 2012, she appeared in episodes ofThe Office as Irene, an older lady being helped byErin Hannon (Ellie Kemper). She also appeared in two episodes ofTwo and a Half Men as the mother of Lyndsey McElroy, Alan's girlfriend. The character would also become a lesbian lover of Alan's mom, Evelyn.[37] In March 2012, 35 years after the close ofThe Mary Tyler Moore Show, Engel was reunited with Betty White in the third season ofHot in Cleveland as Mamie Sue Johnson, best friend of White's character Elka, in a recurring role.[38]
Engel appeared in the newAnnie Baker playJohn, which opened off-Broadway at theSignature Theatre on July 22, 2015 (previews), directed bySam Gold. The play ran to September 6, 2015.[39] The cast also featuredLois Smith.[40] Engel won a 2016Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress and was nominated for the 2016Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play for her role in this play.[41]
Engel starred in the musicalGotta Dance, which premiered at the Bank of America Theatre, Chicago on December 13, 2015, and ran until January 17, 2016. The cast also featuredStefanie Powers,Lillias White, andAndré De Shields. The musical was directed and choreographed byJerry Mitchell, with a book byChad Beguelin andBob Martin, and the score byMatthew Sklar andNell Benjamin.[42] The musical, under the new title ofHalf Time, played a limited engagement at thePaper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. The production opened on May 31, 2018, and was scheduled to run to July 1, 2018.[43]
Engel was an adherent ofChristian Science.[44][45] She died on April 12, 2019, at the age of 70 inPrinceton, New Jersey. Her friend John Quilty toldThe New York Times that the cause was unknown as Engel did not consult doctors due to her religious beliefs.[3] She was buried at Cape Charles Cemetery, inCape Charles, Virginia.[46]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Taking Off | Margot | Nominated —BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role |
| 1972 | The Outside Man | Mrs. Joan Barnes | |
| 1978 | A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story | Claire Ruth | TV film |
| 1980 | The Day the Women Got Even | Kathy Scott | |
| 1983 | The Magic of Herself the Elf | Willow Song | Voice; Television special |
| 1985 | Papa Was a Preacher | 'Mama' Porter | |
| The Care Bears Movie | Love-a-Lot Bear | Voice | |
| 1989 | Signs of Life | Betty | |
| 2001 | Dr. Dolittle 2 | Giraffe | Voice |
| 2002 | The Sweetest Thing | Vera | |
| 2006 | Open Season | Bobbie | Voice |
| Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run | Voice; Short film | ||
| 2007 | Nunsensations | Sr. Marie Eugene | Video |
| The Beast | Doris | TV movie | |
| 2008 | Open Season 2 | Bobbie | Voice |
| 2010 | Open Season 3 | ||
| 2013 | Grown Ups 2 | Mrs. Jayne Lamonsoff | |
| 2016 | The Family Lamp | Marsha | TV film |
| 2018 | Groomzilla | Grandma Gigi |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972–77 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Georgette Franklin Baxter | 56 episodes Nominated —Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1976–77) |
| 1974 | Rhoda | Georgette Franklin | 1 episode:Rhoda's Wedding |
| 1975 | Dinah! | Herself | 1 episode |
| The Mike Douglas Show | 3 episodes | ||
| 1975–76 | Tony Orlando and Dawn | ||
| 1977 | The Jacksons | 1 episode | |
| 1977–78 | The Betty White Show | Mitzi Maloney | 14 episodes |
| 1977–82 | The Love Boat | Cleo Bagby | 4 episodes |
| 1978–83 | Fantasy Island | Brenda Rappaport | 5 episodes |
| 1979 | Mork & Mindy | Ambrosia Malspar | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The Associates | Wendy Turner | 1 episode:A Date with Johnny |
| Goodtime Girls | Loretta Smoot | 13 episodes | |
| 1983–84 | Jennifer Slept Here | Susan Elliot | |
| 1991–97 | Coach | Shirley Burleigh | 17 episodes |
| 1992 | Hi Honey, I'm Home! | Georgette Franklin Baxter | 1 episode:Elaine Takes a Wife |
| 1998 | Hercules | Evelyn | 2 episodes |
| 2003–05 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Pat MacDougall | 13 episodes Prism Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Series (2006) Nominated —Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2003–05) |
| 2006 | The View | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Passions | Esmeralda | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | Herself | 1 episode |
| Entertainment Tonight | Herself | ||
| 2012 | The Office | Irene | 3 episodes |
| Two and a Half Men | Jean | 2 episodes | |
| 2012–15 | Hot in Cleveland | Mamie Sue Johnson | 18 episodes |
| 2018 | One Day at a Time | Sister Barbara | 1 episode:Homecoming |
