"Everybody Loves Doris!" Remembering our "Mrs. Miracle" Doris Roberts!

A Cherished, Beloved Actress Doris Roberts has sadly passed away on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at the age of 90. She leaves behind her son Michael Cannata, Jr. and three grandchildren.

image: "Everybody Loves Raymond" star Doris Roberts
Doris Roberts had a long acting career on Broadway, Film, and TV, and while her memorable roles are numerous, the most well known, of course, was her role as Marie Barone, the intrusive busy-body, meddlesome Mother - albeit respected homemaker and matriarch of the Barone family in "Everybody Loves Raymond" which ran on CBS from 1996 to 2005 and continues to live on and make us laugh in re-runs today!

image: "Everybody Loves Raymond" cast
Ray Romano, who played her son Raymond on "Everybody Loves Raymond" said in a statement to ET, "Doris Roberts had an energy and a spirit that amazed me. She never stopped. Whether working professionally or with her many charities, or just nurturing and mentoring a green young comic trying to make it as an actor, she did everything with such a grand love for life and people and I will miss her dearly."

Actress Patricia Heaton, who portrayed Doris Roberts Daughter-n-law Debra on "Everybody Loves Raymond" shared this message via twitter... "Truly the end of an era. My wonderful TV mother-in-law and ELR nemesis Doris Roberts was a consummate professional from whom I learned so much. She was funny and tough and loved life, living it to the fullest."

Brad Garrett, who played her son Robert shared this message via twitter, "Thank you everyone for your wishes regarding Doris. She was one-of-a-kind on and off stage. Love you mama."

image credit: sitcoms online
In the beginning of her acting career, Doris worked on New York-based soaps and live television dramas, (via TCM biography) as well as in films including "The Out-of-Towners", "Barefoot in the Park", and "Hester Street", in which she became noticed and moved to Hollywood, where she played character roles, here and there... in shows, such as: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "All in the Family", "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman", "Barney Miller", "Alice", and "The Love Boat", to name a few.

image credit: Doris Roberts in Remington Steele
Doris Roberts became a integral member of the "Remington Steele" show and detective team as the no nonsense Mildred Krebs in it's second season and beyond, solving crimes and starring opposite of Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, on NBC from 1983 to 1987.

image credit: movieandtvcorner.com
Christmas movie fans will remember Doris Roberts best from her comedic role as Clark Griswold's relative, Francis Smith in "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation".

She co-starred in two made-for-TV Christmas movies, "A Mom for Christmas" and "The Sons of Mistletoe".

And, Christmas movie fans will also recall her two most recent Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, portraying the clever and enchanting "Mrs. Miracle"!

image credit: Doris Roberts in Mrs. Miracle, Hallmark Crown Media
There was certainly something very special about Doris Roberts. As a motherly figure, she made you feel loved and protected, and with her charming ways, she always brought a smile to your face and warmth to your heart! We remember her now with bittersweet sadness and joy, in remembering all the happiness and laughter she has brought into all of our homes!

Our prayers reach out now to her dear family and friends...

"Everybody Loves Doris"!

image credit: Doris Roberts in Call Me Mrs. Miracle, Hallmark Crown Media

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Remembering Actress Patty Duke... "To Everything there is a Season..."

I know we were all saddened to hear of the sudden, recent passing of actress Patty Duke, on Tuesday March 29th at the age of 69. She was wife, mother, and actress on stage, television, and film.

- Actress Patty Duke -

Patty was born Anna Marie Duke on December 14, 1946 in Elmhurst, New York, to Frances and John Brock Duke. At the age of 8, her mother sent her to live with talent managers, who changed her name to Patty, hoping for success.

Patty will best be remembered from The Patty Duke show, which aired from 1963-66, where she portrayed the roles of identical cousins. Her rise to fame and notoriety first came when at 16 she played the role of Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker". She received an Academy Award in 1960 for Best Supporting Actress for her amazing portrayal.

At her passing, Patty was married to Michael Pierce for nearly twenty years. She had three sons, Sean Astin, Mackenzie Astin, and Kevin Pearce.

Patty Duke pictured with her two actor sons Mackenzie and Sean Astin

Patty Duke portrayed countless roles on TV shows & movies... including: The Virginian, Valley of the Dolls, Two on a Bench, Hawaii Five-O, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Streets of San Francisco, Captains and the Kings (Mini-Series), The Miracle Worker (TV Movie portraying Ann Sullivan this time as Melissa Gilbert portrayed Helen), The Babysitter, It Takes Two, George Washington (Mini-Series), The Love Boat, Perry Mason, Prelude to a Kiss, One Woman's Courage, Cries from the Heart, Harvest of Fire, Frasier, A Christmas Memory, and many more... plus she won 3 Emmys for her roles on the TV series Touched by an Angel!

Hallmark movie watchers have also been blessed to see Patty Duke in a number of Hallmark made-for-television movies, including the Hallmark Hall of Fame film "A Season for Miracles" in which she portrays, so poignantly now, an angel.

Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie: A Season for Miracles

Patty Duke also starred in the fun Hallmark Channel movie "Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door" with Patrick Duffy, Shelley Long, and Bruce Boxleitner, as well as one of the Pioneer Series "Love Comes Softly" films "Love Finds a Home". Ironically her actor son Mackenzie, had a role in the second film from the series "Love's Enduring Promise" and her eldest son Sean, also an actor, had a role in the last film of that series (so far)... "Love's Christmas Journey".

Actress Patty Duke in Hallmark's "Love Finds a Home"

Patty also worked with her son Sean in 2012 on the faith based film, "Amazing Love", which is a touching story of the Old Testament prophet Hosea.

Following Patty Duke's passing her family released this statement, "This morning, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, matriarch and the exquisite artist, humanitarian, and champion for mental health, Anna PATTY DUKE Pearce, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascended to a beautiful place."

"We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life. I love you mom" added Sean Astin.

Our prayers go out now to her dear family and friends, as they enter this new season without their beloved Anna "Patty" Duke.

Patty Duke, image via Hallmark Crown Media

"To every thing there is a season,

and a time to every purpose under the heaven"

Ecclesiastes 3: 1 (KJV)

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In Rememberance, "Goodnight Earl Hamner", Creator and Narrator of "The Waltons"...

Earl Hamner on The Waltons porch

Surrounded by his family, Earl Hamner, best known as the Creator and Narrator of "The Waltons" television series... passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016 at the age of 92.

From the beginning, and still today, we devoted fans welcome Earl Hamner's show, The Waltons, into our homes with high regard, knowing each episode will give us a warm, heartwarming family story and values we can always depend on. Based upon his own upbringing and family life growing up, The Waltons in a way over the years have become extended members of our own family. The character of John Boy, on the series was based on Earl's Hamner's own childhood days growing up in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.

Earl Hamner, creator of The Waltons with Richard Thomas (John Boy Walton)

Earl Hamner pictured in front with cast members of The Waltons
Kami Cotler, David Harper, Eric Scott, Jon Walmsley, Michael Learned,
Ralph Waite, Ellen Corby, Mary Beth McDonough, and Judy Norton

Video Clip via INSP, of Earl Hamner talking about The Waltons and John Boy...



Born on July 10, 1923, Earl Hamner, Jr. was the eldest son of Doris Marion Giannini and Earl Henry Hamner, Sr. Earl would eventually have eight siblings, one more than portrayed on The Waltons weekly television series... Cliff (Jason), Marian (Mary Ellen), Bill (Ben), Paul (Ben), Audrey (Erin), James (Jim Bob), and Nancy (Elizabeth).

Earl Hamner pictured with his family, Mother and siblings...

Earl Hamner pictured on porch with Cast Members of The Waltons
image via: 2013 Entertainment Weekly article
Ralph Waite (John), Michael Learned (Olivia), Mary McDonough (Erin), David W. Harper (Jim-Bob),
Eric Scott (Ben), Earl Hamner, Jr. (Narrator), Kami Cotler (Elizabeth),
Richard Thomas (John-Boy), Jon Walmsley (Jason), and Judy Norton (Mary Ellen)

According to Earl Hamner's official web-site, "Money was short, and books were a luxury they could not afford. Their "library" consisted of the Holy Bible, (the King James Version), and a manual of bee-keeping. Doris and Earl strongly encouraged all the children in their growing family to excel, and Earl Jr. became interested in writing at an early age. He was writing his numbers at the age of two and reading at four. His poem "My Dog" was published on the Children's Page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch when he was six. Earl claims he knew he was going to become a writer from that day."

While studying at the University of Richmond, in 1943, Earl was drafted into the army. "Hamner then spent several months at the 19th Replacement Depot in England learning how to diffuse land mines, one of the most dangerous of Army jobs." via his bio. "Two months after D-day he landed on Omaha Beach, and, because his officers had discovered that he knew how to type, he was re-assigned to the 542nd Quartermaster Corps which he served in Paris. He loved Paris, learned to speak French, and made friends with the French people including a special girl named Jeanine. It was here, after the end of the war, that he began in earnest sending off stories for publication and amassing rejection slips."

Earl Hamner, served in the US Army 1943-1946
image via: http://www.allaboutthewaltons.com/ham-fam.php

After being discharged from the army in 1946, he found work in radio, and in 1948, "received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in broadcasting from the College of Music of the University of Cincinnati." (source)

Earl's own life experiences during the depression were the basis for his writings and the eventual Waltons TV show, beginning with his novel, The Homecoming, which first became a Christmas TV Special. Before the success of The Waltons, however, he wrote episodes of The Twilight Zone, and the movie Spencer's Mountain was based on his novel.

Earl Hamner married Jane Martin in 1954. They had two children, Scott and Caroline. Both had roles, as teenagers, in The Homecoming Christmas Special when it first appeared on TV, CBS, in 1970.

The Waltons - The Homecoming Special

Writing was a part of Earl Hamner, all of his life, from that first moment he learned to read at a young age of 4. At a time, when a man, or even a young boy, was expected to work with his hands and money was scarce, I would say that was quite fortuitous of his parents to instill the love of learning at such a young age, especially in that day and age, where times were truly hard.

Young Earl Hamner Jr.

Image Credit: Media Heritage

If you would like to know more about Earl Hamner's life, writings, and TV shows, I encourage you to visit Earl's web-site, and read the tribute given there, written by Earl's devoted friend, James Person, Jr., who wrote Earl Hamner's Biography, Earl Hamner From Walton's Mountain to Tomorrow.

Biography of Earl Hamner

The Waltons series began in 1972 and ended in 1981. Six Reunion movies followed, with the last one airing in 1998, A Walton Easter.

The INSP web-site gave a wonderful tribute to Earl that includes heartfelt, touching statements from The Waltons cast members. Thankfully, we can continue to watch The Waltons every weekday on the INSP television network and hear the amazing voice of Earl Hamner narrating the story.

Earl Hamner at John Boy's desk
Courtesy: Ray Castro, Jr. on Earl Hamner Storyteller Facebook page 

The Waltons Home - Saying Goodnight...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Earl Hamner's dear family, friends, and the cast members of The Waltons, who I know are like family.

Earl's son shared that his dad died peacefully in his sleep, so it is appropriate that we all say now...

"Goodnight Earl".

We are grateful to Earl Hamner for the joy he has brought into our homes and our families lives each time we turn on The Waltons and return to a simpler time. I pray the legacy of this endearing series will carry on forever...

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