# RIP Katherine Helmond. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 1, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394 "2019-03-01T19:11:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/1 "2019-03-01T19:11:23Z")
[RIP Katherine Helmond](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/katherine-helmond-dead-whos-the-boss-star-89-877766?fbclid=IwAR0Rdwg7ADC2Uh-KOVimPxJNBrMocOp6_Rw0I2AiwPoRFF-1kgY0sR-uDxA) TBH, I thought she was old enough for the Grim Reaper back in the '70’s when she looked old and frail on Soap. Thought she WAS in her 70s on Whose The Boss. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/2 "2019-03-01T19:15:33Z")
Awwwww. ☹ RIP Mrs. Helmond; you were amazing. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/3 "2019-03-01T19:16:44Z")
Yes, she did seem to be a “woman of a certain age” for as long as I can remember, and that’s about 40 years. She was funny as hell though, and though I of course don’t know her, I feel like a teeny tiny part of my life is gone. RIP, Mona. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/4 "2019-03-01T19:26:41Z")
I am sorry to hear this. Aside from _Soap_, I best remember her from some Terry Gilliam films–Sam Lowry’s mom in _Brazil_, and the ogre’s wife in _Time Bandits_ (which I always saw as a take on Beauty & the Beast 40 years on). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/5 "2019-03-01T20:01:27Z")
She was so very good at playing a slightly dotty, but lovable, person. I adored her in _Soap_. [“Mickey Mouse’s dog was gay???”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vudJivvHWqI) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/6 "2019-03-01T20:05:37Z")
Nobody could wear a shoe like a hat the way she could. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/7 "2019-03-01T20:58:41Z")
You want me to get that? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/8 "2019-03-01T21:09:00Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > You want me to get that? If you don’t mind. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/9 "2019-03-01T21:38:26Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > She was so very good at playing a slightly dotty, but lovable, person. I adored her in _Soap_. [“Mickey Mouse’s dog was gay???”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vudJivvHWqI) That’s one of my top five favorite funny scenes on TV. Thanks for the link. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/10 "2019-03-02T00:02:04Z")
I’m so sad to hear this. She was what made Soap so watchable. She was so sweet, pure, innocent, and completely out of touch with reality, and she played it so well. She made me laugh so often, made me cry a few times, and made me just ache for her regularly. [Tventy tree years!](https://youtu.be/-4hjBu23hws?t=81) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/11 "2019-03-02T00:22:34Z")
One of my all-time favorites. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/12 "2019-03-02T00:24:24Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > That’s one of my top five favorite funny scenes on TV. Thanks for the link. You’re welcome! I’d found that clip last year, when I was visiting with my parents and my sister, and we were reminiscing about _Soap_. It’s one of my all-time favorite TV scenes, too. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/13 "2019-03-02T00:46:48Z")
And what about Chuck and Bob? Find out next time… . ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/14 "2019-03-02T00:51:32Z")
She was good, if underused as Ray Barone’s mother-in-law too. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/15 "2019-03-02T01:29:52Z")
I remember on Soap when she was on trial, and a psychiatrist was trying to determine if she was insane. He opened up a case of blocks and holes, and told her to put the blocks in the correct holes as quickly as possible. She slammed the case shut, picked it up over her head, shook it for a few seconds and put it back on the table. When she opened it all the blocks were in the proper holes and she gave a perfectly satisfied look to the psychiatrist. Wordless and absolutely hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/16 "2019-03-02T01:35:21Z")
She was hilarious on _Soap._ Her talents was wasted in some of the other sitcoms she appeared in, like _Who’s the Boss._ The actors who played Chester and Dutch both passed away last year, and Robert Guillame (Benson) in 2017. The older generation of actors on _Soap_ are all gone now. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/17 "2019-03-02T02:18:37Z")
I loved her on _Soap_, of course, but she also appeared in _Coach_ for its last two seasons, playing the owner of the fictional NFL team the Orlando Breakers, who hires Hayden Fox to coach her team. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/18 "2019-03-02T12:16:59Z")
I remember Katherine from Who’s the Boss. I watched the early seasons regularly because of Tony Danza and Judith Light. The characters early season development was quite interesting. I didn’t follow Katherine’s other work. I recall she appeared in a lot of roles. She played slightly offbeat, mature female roles quite well. RIP ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/19 "2019-03-02T16:44:37Z")
Oh, Jessica! I will miss you. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394/20 "2019-03-02T17:41:41Z")
Oh man, this does give me a sad, such a funny, funny lady. Getting old sucks, not for me personally but for the thinning of the touchstone people all around me. It’s getting way too common. ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-katherine-helmond/830394.md?page=2)