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Patricia Heatoncould tell you some stories about the lateDoris Roberts.
Roberts played Heaton's overbearing mother-in-law onEverybody Loves Raymondfor nine seasons, from 1995 to 2006, and her presence was definitely missed at the recent reunion of the surviving cast members to mark the show's 30th anniversary.
"Doris could drink everybody under the table," Heaton recalled with a laugh. "Champagne, that was her drink."
CreatorPhil Rosenthalhas acknowledged that the character of Marie Barone, which Roberts played, was loosely based on his own mom, while Frank Barone, portrayed by the latePeter Boyle, was inspired byRay Romano's real-life dad.
"No one came close to Doris Roberts. No one," Rosenthal said. "She was what was in my head and in my life. And was so beyond even. My real mother used to say, 'You know, it is a little exaggerated.' But you never saw that with Doris, because she was always spot on. She was always a hundred percent believable. Peter too."
Romano, who played Roberts' onscreen son, noted said Roberts "never stopped working" and was "taking acting classes until she was 90."
Heaton added that Roberts used hiatuses for projects such as directing plays.
In addition toRaymond, Roberts — who started working in the '50s — had appeared on TV shows includingMary Hartman, Mary Hartman;Soap;Angie;St. Elsewhere; andRemington Steele. Her list of credits also included movies such asDickie Roberts: Former Child Star;Grandma's Boy; and, in 1989,National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, in which she proved that she could play an annoying mother-in-law. The perennial favorite features her as Frances, the mother of Beverly D'Angelo's Ellen Griswold. Her character's son-in-law is Chevy Chase's Clark.
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Roberts earned four Emmys for her work as a supporting actress onEverybody Loves Raymond— in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005.
She was 90 years old when she died in 2016.
Heaton paid tribute to her costar then, too.
"Truly the end of an era,"Heaton wroteon social media. "My wonderful TV mother-in-law andELRnemesis 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. Nothing gave her greater joy that her three wonderful grandchildren, of whom she was so proud. It truly was a privilege Doris. I love you and miss you."
TheEverybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunionis streaming on Paramount+.
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