Katherine Helmond, the late actress who starred as Jessica Tate on the sitcom Soap was always a shining star on TV. She was also famous for her role as Lois Whelan, Raymond's mother-in-law in Everybody Loves Raymond.
Helmond was an example of the American Dream who made it big as a star as a little girl from an Irish Catholic Working class family. She was born Katherine Marie Helmond on July 5, 1929, to her father Joseph P. Helmond, and her mother Thelma Malone.
Helmond's place of birth is in the southeast coastal resort city of America in Galveston, Texas. She has roots in America dating back to the Confederacy. Her father also has roots in England while her mother had an Irish background.
What Was The Net Worth Of Katherine Helmond?
Helmond was estimated to have a net worth of $5 million at the time of her passing. Most of her net worth is calculated to be from her acting career and her endorsements.
Helmond's estate will continue to profit from her TV career and her royalties. Her inheritors are her widower and her siblings.
This Is What Happened To Katherine Helmond From Who's the Boss
Katherine Helmond passed away on February 23, 2019, in her Los Angeles home in California, at eighty-nine years of age. She had dementia for a long time from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
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At the time of Helmond's passing, she had been retired for about a decade. She was survived by her widowed husband, David Christian, as well as her half-sister Alice, and her nephews and nieces. Katherine never had any children of her own.
Early Life And Family Details
Helmond was born on July 5, 1929, in Texas. Her parents divorced when she was young ad she was raised by her mother and grandmother.
Later, Helmond's mother, whose maiden name was Thelma Walker, remarried Mr. Malone who was Helmond's stepfather. Her biological father, Patrick Helmond, was a firefighter.
From an early age, Helmond was very interested in theatre. The interest became a lifelong career after she started participating in a local community theatre in high school. According to her:
I did everything. I pulled the curtain, I learned to do the lights, I did the props, I held the script. And I truly learned everybody’s job that contributed toward the total piece. I think that that helped me tremendously when I became a professional actor. I didn’t have the deluded notion that I was ‘it.
Regarding Helmond's education, she went to a local Catholic school. Later she attended a semester at Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina. But she did not graduate from college as she chose to pursue a career in acting.
Helmond's Relationship History: She Was Married Twice
At the time of Helmond's passing, she was in a long happy marriage with her second husband, David Christian. They had been wed for fifty-seven years. They tied the knot in 1969 after dating for a period of time.
Helmond has previously married the American television, stage, and movie actor George N. Martin for five years. The ex-pair married in 1957 and split up in 1962. The couple allegedly broke up due to personal reasons.
Helmond And Her Second Husband Were Notorious For Their Age Gap
When Katherine Helmond and David Christian made their relationship public, there was quite an outrage. At the time, Helmond was a divorced actress in her thirties and David was a young stagehand who met her when he was just nineteen.
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While the age gap would have been nothing if the gender roles were reversed, their coupling caused quite a sensation. Katherine is ten years older than her husband.
Katherine was previously wed to a fellow actor, George N. Martin. they split up after a couple of years.
About David Christian
Helmond's longtime spouse was just nineteen when he met his leading lady. David Christian was born in 1939 and was a high school dropout from Dallas. He is the son of an engineer in the aerospace industry.
David met Helmond when he was working as an assistant set designer in her theatre project. Later, he changed his career and started as an apprentice in a foundry, which led to a job executing bronzes for renowned artist Willem de Kooning.
Christian later worked as a production head and designer in de Kooning's East Hampton studio. Christian was lauded for his talent for carrying out other artists' ideas. Art dealer John Richardson spoke highly of Christian's ability to interpret other artists' ideas but expressed regret that it overshadowed his own work.
Christian's craftsmanship was shown in a tinfoil sculpture he built for Salvador Dali, which sold for a staggering $125,000. However, his own most profitable works have been in the $5,000 range.
About Helmond's First Husband
George Martin, born Nathan Barnert George Martin, was an American actor, born on August 15, 1929, in New York City, New York. He has a long career in TV and film but was never a leading man.
Martin appeared in numerous films, including Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, and Dave. He was most famous for his role as a receptionist in Léon: The Professional. Martin was also known for his stage performances and appeared in several Broadway productions.
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Helmond's Martin tied the knot with Katherine Helmond in 1957. They remained married for only two years but sources suggest that they officially divorced in 1962.
Martin died on June 1, 2010, in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, at the age of 80. The cause of his death was undisclosed. Martin's acting career spanned several decades, and he left behind a dedicated fanbase.
Career Highlights
- Helmond was involved in theatre productions and set design since high school.
- She made her stage debut in New York City in 1955.
- She taught acting in university theatre programs and ran a summer theatre in the Catskills. (She met her second husband here.)
- Helmond supported herself between roles with secretarial work.
- Helmond appeared in Broadway productions including Private Lives, Don Juan, and Mixed Emotions, and received a Tony award nomination for The Great God Brown.
- Her film credits include Family Plot, Time Bandits, and Brazil, where she played the mother of Jonathan Pryce's character.
- Helmond earned Emmy nominations for her roles in Who's the Boss and Everybody Loves Raymond and was acclaimed for her performance in The Vagina Monologues.
- She gained prominence as Jessica Tate in Soap and played Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? from 1984 to 1992.
- Helmond also starred in Coach as Doris Sherman and had a recurring role as Lois Whelan on Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2004.
- Helmond made guest appearances on The Glades and True Blood before passing away in 2019 at the age of 89.
Appearance - How Tall Was Helmond?
Katherine Helmond was an attractive redhead with a height of 5 ft 2 in. She has kept her hair short and highlighted her European Gallic bone structure.
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Helmond had lovely green-grey eyes along with a pale complexion which highlighted her elegant features similar to American actress Cheryl Howard. She had a full set of teeth and aged naturally. She did not get treatment for her wrinkles or get any Botox.
How Did The Family Support Helmond?
Katherine Helmod decided to pursue a different career path and do full-time acting. However, she was not initially supported by her family.
According to Helmond, her family was against this and alluded to an acting career being the same as white slavery. Katherine had to struggle a lot and initially did a lot of manual jobs such as cleaning toilets and washing dishes.
Later when Helmond opened her theatre at Catskills with a few friends, her family came from Texas to support their struggling daughter. They helped build the barn theatre, paint the props, and arrange the wire and fences.
Which Productions Is Helmond Most Remembered For?
Katherine was a beloved figure in TV series for years. She was nominated for multiple roles and her charm remains unforgettable. Some of her most recognized productions are:
Soap
In the TV show Soap, Helmond played the role of Jessica Tate, the matriarch of the Tate family. Jessica was portrayed as a wealthy, yet ditzy woman who was often out of touch with reality. Despite her flaws, she was a loving wife to her cheating husband Chester, and a caring mother to her children.
The show was a satirical look at soap operas & Jessica's character often found herself in various comical situations. She struggled to keep her family together amidst the chaos and drama that ensued.
Helmond's performance as Jessica was highly acclaimed & earned her two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. The character became one of the most iconic roles of her career, and the show remains a classic example of 1970s television.
Who's The Boss?
Katherine Helmond played the role of Mona Robinson, the widowed mother of Angela Bower in Who's the Boss? She was portrayed as a free-spirited and sexually open widow. Mona is a loving mother and grandmother, and an independent woman who often offered advice to her daughter and grandson.
A fan praised Helmond's role as Mona by saying:
‘When my husband passed away I thought it was the end of the world for me, but by watching your silly show I found out that there were other things in life
Throughout the series, Mona had several romantic relationships, ranging from young men to silver-haired men. That included a character played by actor Robert Mandan, who had previously co-starred with Helmond on Soap. Her character also had a close friendship with Tony Micelli, the housekeeper played by Tony Danza.
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Helmond's portrayal of Mona Robinson was highly praised, and she earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1988.
The show aired for eight seasons, from 1984 to 1992, and remains a beloved classic of 1980s television. She had a great relationship with her costars Tony Danza, Alyssa Milano, Danny Pintauro, and Judith Light.
Coach
Katherine Helmond played the recurring role of Doris Sherman, the eccentric owner of the fictional Orlando Breakers professional football team In the ABC sitcom Coach.
She first appeared in the show in season 8 and continued to make occasional appearances until the show's end in 1997. Her character, Doris, was known for her quirky personality and off-beat behavior, often providing comic relief on the show.
Everybody Loves Raymond
Helmond played the recurring role of Lois Whelan, the mother of Debra Barone, the titular character's wife, in the popular CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.
Lois first appeared in season 1 and continued to make occasional appearances throughout the series until its end in 2005. Her character, Lois, was known for her sharp tongue and often difficult personality, leading to humorous interactions with the other characters on the show.
Helmond's performance as Lois earned her critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2002.
Helmond Was A Christian: Changed Religious Beliefs Later
Helmond was a Christian woman who followed her faith. She was raised in an Irish Catholic household. She continued her studies in convent schools.
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It is unknown if she continued her faith in her later life as she left that life to pursue showbiz. She was divorced and lived with David for years without marriage for years which was against the Catholic faith.
Later it was revealed in an interview that she and her husband practiced Zen Buddhism. They even did T’ai Chi Ch’uan; a meditation-in-motion technique, and pursued a vegetarian lifestyle.
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