Everybody Loves Raymond is often considered one of the best sitcoms in the history of TV. It was still in the Nielsen Top 10 when it ended its nine-year run in 2005 and remains popular in syndication.
The show had a long cast list, but every actor added to the show’s charm. They brought heart to its most ridiculous storylines.
Almost all the actors went on to have long and prosperous careers after the series ended. Many are still acting today, but others have passed away.
Keep watching to learn about Everybody Loves Raymond cast deaths that are utterly tragic.
Doris Roberts
Doris Green was born on November 4, 1925. She took her stepfather Chester Roberts’ surname after her father, Larry Green, deserted the family.
She and her mother operated the Z: Rosenfield Agency, a stenographic service for playwrights and actors. That may have begun her interest in her craft. She studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in New York
She made her stage debut in the 1950’s. In, 1951, she went to the small screen in the TV series Studio One. She was also on Remington Steel from 1983-1987.
Doris was allegedly one of 100 actresses considered for the part of Marie in Everybody Loves Raymond. It won her seven Emmy nominations and four wins. Also, she got to be another famous TV mom in the show Alice.
She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003. She also got an honorary doctorate of fine arts from the University of South Carolina in 2005 and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2011. One of her last notable projects was a prominent role in 2012’s Madea’s Witness Protection.
Doris Roberts died in her sleep at the age of 90 on April 17, 2016. She had been suffering from a pulmonary embolism for years and had a stroke. She was memorialized in New York City a month later at the Ambassador Theater. Ray said that when he’d ask fans who their favorite character was, Marie was often the answer.
Peter Boyle
Peter Boyle was born on October 18, 1935. His father Francis was a TV personality from 1951-963.
He started behind the scenes in his hometown of Philadelphia. He was a cameraman on the cooking show Television Kitchen. His life took another turn when he was commissioned to the Navy in 1959. He was sent home after a nervous breakdown.
Peter moved to New York and studied under coach Uta Hagen. He had to work as a postal clerk and mature d’ before he could get hired to act.
He got to be a part of the Wayside Theater’s opening season in 1963. And he toured with several shows such as Summer and Smoke, The Odd Couple, and The Second City, and Medium Cool.
Peter’s breakthrough role came with 1970’s Joe. It was surrounded by controversy but got him noticed and began a friendship with Jane Fonda. He also began protesting against the Vietnam War. He even refused projects like The French Connection that glamorized violence.
One of his most famous parts was the monster in 1974’s Young Frankenstein. He met his wife Loraine Alterman on the set of that film and was in full makeup when he asked her on a date. They were married in 1977 and had two daughters, Lucy and Amy.
Peter suffered an almost fatal stroke in 1990. He was speechless and immobile for almost six months. Then, he recovered and got a career boost with an Emmy Award for The X Files.
He got the role of Frank on Everybody Loves Raymond that year, earning seven Emmy nominations with no wins. Also, he suffered a heart attack on the set of the show but once again recovered and returned to his Catholic faith.
Monster’s Ball In 2001
His final roles were the 2001 film Monster’s Ball, guest spots on the show Mind of Menicia, TV commercials with Alka-Seltzer, and the final Santa Claus film. He was also scheduled to appear in The Golden Boys.
Peter Boyle died at the age of 71 on December 12, 2006. The end credits of All Roads Lead to Home dedicate the film to his memory.
Peter’s Everybody Loved Raymond co-stars had nothing but praise for him. He also had many friends who wanted to honor him. Bruce Springsteen dedicated Meeting Across the River to him on October 18, 2007, which would have been his 72nd birthday. Peter’s wife Loriane has also honored his memory. She established the Peter Boyle Memorial Fund to support the International Myeloma Foundation to raise funds for the condition that killed him. It’s the most successful fundraiser in IMF history, raising $6,000,000 in 2008.
Sawyer Sweeten
Sawyer Sweeten was born on May 12, 1996. He and his twin brother Sullivan and sister Madylin moved to California when the twins were six months old. They were cast only a year later as the Barone children in Everybody Loves Raymond.
Sawyer Sweeten took his own life at the age of 19 on April 23, 2015. The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
His costars came out with tributes. They all remembered them as kind and full of laughter. His actual sister Madilyn released a similar statement to Doris, saying to remember to tell those close to you that you love them before it’s too late. She is still a comedic actress in TV shows and short films.
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Fred Willard and Georgia Engel
Everybody Loves Raymond was not Fred Willard’s first experience with comedy. He shined in mockumentary and spoof TV films such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgan and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. It wasn’t his first time playing a TV father, either. He was Phil Dunphy’s father on Modern Family.
His role in Everybody Loves Raymond as Amy’s father Hank wasn’t a large one, but it was a source of hilarious family antics. It also earned him three Emmy nominations.
Fred Willard died at the age of 86 at his home in Los Angeles, California on May 15, 2020.
Georgia had a successful Broadway and TV career. Her wide eyes and feathery voice made her a fan favorite and earned her two Emmys for her work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It also made her the perfect fit for Amy’s mother Pat. She earned three Emmy nominations during her time on the show.
Georgia Engle died of unknown causes at the age of 70 on April 12, 2019.
Katherine Helmond and Robert Culp
Debra’s parents, Lois and Warren Whelan, were played by two TV veterans.
Katherine specialized in playing refined but edgy ladies. She’d earned Golden Globes for those types of roles on shows such as Soap and Who’s the Boss and films such as Brazil. Her work on Everybody Loves Raymond gave her a seventh Emmy nod in 2002. Her career lasted for almost 10 more years with roles on shows such as True Blood and films such as Cars.
Katherine Helmond died at the age of 89 on February 23, 2019.
Robert Culp was famous in the ’60s for Demon with a Glass Hand, The Outer Limits, and I Spy. His career continued in the 80s with The Greatest American Hero, which he wrote and directed episodes of. The 90’s saw him appear in in 11 episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond.
Robert Culp died at the age of 79 on March 24, 2010.
Jean Stapleton
Jean was well-known for her work on another sitcom, All In the Family. Playing Edith Bunker won her three out of the seven Emmys she was nominated for.
She got to appear in Everybody Loves Raymond in the Season 1 episode I Wish I Were Gus. She played Marie’s sister Alda, giving her a chance to go toe-to-toe and exchange witty dialogue with Doris Roberts.
Jean was still a busy actress at the time. She guest-starred and played supporting roles in TV shows and films. Also, she continued to earn awards, including an Emmy nomination for another sitcom, Grace Under Fire, in 1995. She kept acting until 2001 and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 2002.
Jean Stapleton died at the age of 90 on May 31, 2013.
David Byrd and Anna Berger
David was a classic comedian and appeared on Seinfeld and Hudsecker Proxy. He also appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond twice. He and his wife were landlord couple the Stipes. Robert ended up living under them until realizing they weren’t as dissimilar to his parents as he’d hoped.
The second episode he was featured in was his final screen appearance. He died at the age of 68 on January 26, 2001.
Anna Berger played his wife and a Marie clone. She began her career on Broadway in the 50s and was a veteran actress. She’d been cast as mothers or grandmothers often but also shined as a hostage in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and a nurse in Endless Love. She kept acting into the 2000s in Crimes and Misdemeanors, Deep Clovers, The Sopranos, NYPD Blue, and more. Her final role was in the French film Chinese Puzzle. Ann Berger died at the age of 91 on May 26, 2014.
Max Rosenthal
Everybody Loves Raymond’s opening credits say the show is “based on the comedy of Ray Raymono.” That’s true, but it’s also inspired by the life of series creator Phil Rosenthal.
Frank is inspired by his father. He cast him to play lodge member Max in five episodes between seasons six and nine. He also appeared in his son’s later show Somebody Feed Phil.
Max Rosenthal was a Holocaust survivor who was born in Germany and escaped Berlin in 1938. He went to New York and met fellow survivor Helen.
Phil lost his mother in 2019 at the age of 86. His father died at the age of 95 on June 26, 2021.
Albert Romano
Ray also brought a few of his family members onto the show, including his daughter Molly and sons Greg and Matt, his wife Anna, and his brothers Richard and Robert. He also let his father Albert appear in four episodes as Albert, a lodge friend.
It seemed fitting that he’d be part of the series because a story involving him inspired it. He once found a way to record a message on his son’s answering machine. Phil thought it was so funny that iit led them to talk about other material they could use.
Albert Romano died at the age of 84 on March 11, 2010. His wife Lucie Romano died in 2021.
Who’s your favorite sitcom family? Let us know in the comments below.
