Georgia Engel – who played Georgette Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show – dead at 70
The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Georgia Engel died at 70 on Friday in Princeton, New Jersey.
The cause of death for the actress, best known for her role as Georgette Baxter on the hit 70s comedy series, has yet to be known, her executor John Quilty told The New York Times. Quilty said that Engel, a Christian Scientist, did not seek medical help for what was ailing her.
Engel was a five-time nominee for a Primetime Emmy award, twice for playing Baxter, the girlfriend of Ted Baxter (Ted Knight); and three times for her role as Pat MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond.
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Sad news: Georgia Engel of The Mary Tyler Moore Show died at 70 on Friday in Princeton, New Jersey, her executor John Quilty told The New York Times. She was snapped in 2016 in NYC
The TV veteran was a mainstay on the tube over the course of her career, having appeared on a number of hit shows over nearly 50 years in the medium.
They included Hot in Cleveland, Two and a Half Men, The Office, Coach, Mork & Mindy and The Betty White Show. Her final appearance on a show came last year with a role on the One Day at a Time reboot on Netflix.
Her resume also included credits in stage productions both on Broadway and off-Broadway productions, claiming an Obie Award for her work in Annie Baker’s play John. She also appeared in the Hello, Dolly! production on Broadway followed by John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves play off-Broadway.
She told Playbill in 2006 of the twist of fate that led to a major break in her career. She said that a fire at the theater that the latter was held at, and the play’s subsequent relocation to Los Angeles paved the way for her to cross paths with Moore, who had enjoyed her performance in the play.
Breakout role: Engel played Georgette Baxter on the hit 70s comedy series. She was pictured between the show’s Ted Knight and Mary Tyler Moore
Fondly remembered: Engel appeared alongside late actors Robert Donner and Robin Williams on a 1979 episode of Mork & Mindy
Accomplished: Engel appeared on The Office with Ellie Kemper, Ed Helms and Brad Morris
‘Six months later I was collecting unemployment in New York and got asked to do a three-day role,’ on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, she said. ‘My manager at the time, who’s long since gone, didn’t think I should go because it would cost me money to go out there for such a little part.
‘But even as a very young person, my instincts knew that sometimes you pay for the privilege of working with the best.’
The actress is survived by her sisters Robin Engel and Penny Lusk.
