Godspeed Georgia Engel

Georgia Engel, best known for playing Georgette on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died on April 12 2019. She was 70 years old.

Georgia Engel was born on July 28 1948 in Washington, D.C. She attended Walter Johnson High School and the Academy of the Washington Ballet. She received a degree in theatre from University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu. Once she had graduated she appeared in productions by the American Light Opera Company. She appeared in the off-Broadway play Lend an Ear. Miss Engel made her Broadway debut in 1969 in Hello Dolly.

Georgia Engel made her film debut in Taking Off in 1971. In 1972 she made her television debut on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the recurring role of Georgette Franklin. She would appear on the show for the rest of its run. She also had regular roles on The Betty White Show and Goodtime Girls. She guest starred on the TV shows Rhoda (playing Georgette), The Associates, and Mork & Mindy. She appeared in the film Un homme est mort (1972).

In the Eighties Miss Engel had regular roles on the TV show Jennifer Slept Here. She guest starred on the shows The Love Boat and Fantasy Island. She appeared in the films Papa Was a Preacher (1985) and Signs of Life (1989). She appeared on Broadway in My One and Only.

In the Nineties Georgia Engel had a recurring role on the TV show Coach. She guest starred on Working. She was a guest voice on the animated shows Hercules and Hey Arnold. In the Naughts she she had a recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond and Passions. She appeared in the films Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and The Sweetest Thing (2002). She was the voice of Bobbie in the animated films Open Season (2006) and Open Season 2 (2010). She appeared on Broadway in The Boys from Syracuse and The Drowsy Chaperone.

In the Teens Miss Engel had a recurring role on Hot in Cleveland. She guest starred on the TV shows The Office, Unsupervised,  Two and a Half Men, and One Day at a Time. She appeared in the movie Grown Ups 2.

Georgia Engel was a remarkable actress with a particular gift for comedy. She will always be remembered best as the sweet natured, if at times clueless Georgette on The Mary Tyler Moore. If one needed no further proof of how sweet Georgette was, she married egomaniacal newsman Ted Baxter (it would take a saint to be married to Ted). Miss Engel had a knack for delivering lines in such a way as to maximise their comedy. In her many roles on television it was not unusual for her to play the funniest character in any given episode. It should be little wonder that she had regular or recurring roles on so many TV shows.