March 25th in TV History: Nancy Walker Passes Away From Cancer At Age 69

[Brian Damage]

:rip:

1992 - Nancy Walker, actress (Ida Morgenstern-Rhoda), dies of cancer at 69

[scotsguy]

Thanks for all the laughs Nancy,a whole new generaton can appreciate you through the Mary Tyler Moore and Rhoda DVDs.

[catlover79]

^ Not to mention she was also in an episode of The Muppet Show that is now on DVD. :D

1992? I always thought she passed in 1990, for some reason. At the time, all I knew her for was Rosie the Bounty Paper Towel lady. She had that nagging Jewish mother character down to a tee - and in real life, she wasn't even Jewish!! :lol:

:rip: Nancy Walker!

[Torgo]

Nancy Walker was great. She was definitely a part of my childhood with all of her appearances on TV- Rosie(the Bounty paper towel commercials) Plus she's in one of my favorite comedies- Murder By Death as the deaf/mute maid

[OOliver]

To this day, I still remember being home and hearing this on the (local) news. They had gotten word that Walker had passed away.

A little trivia: Supposedly, because she was a great singer/dancer, she auditioned to star in a new B'way musical in 1964 and almost got the part. Walker was considered to play the legendary vaudeville actress 'Fanny Brice' in the musical 'FUNNY GIRL' after she impressed the producers with her audition! She eventually lost out to Barbra Streisand.

Streisand was 22 when she created the role, while Walker would have been 41.

[LittleRickyII]

^ Not to mention she was also in an episode of The Muppet Show that is now on DVD. :D

AND, she was in the 1943 Lucille Ball film, Best Foot Forward, which is also on DVD. She was only 20 years old! That was her film debut. I love that movie. Buckle Down Winsockie!

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Foot-Forward-Lucille-Ball/dp/B00005JN99/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1269573426&sr=1-1

[Marvo301]

Nancy also played Emily Turner in the final season of Family Affair another series which is available on DVD.

[Stuck In The '70's]

Nancy was starring in the Fox sitcom True Colors when she died. I was a fan of that show and she was great in it. The show was canceled about a month after her death. I didn't even know she was sick. Her death came as a complete shock to me. :(

[scotsguy]

Nancy was the housekeeper,Midred in "Macmillan and Wife",when she left,Martha Raye took over as her sister Agatha.

Nancy appeared in an episode of "Fame" too,she was certainly busy in the 70s and 80s.

[catlover79]

Here are a couple of pics of Nancy as Rosie:

[catlover79]

Here are some of Nancy's commercials as Rosie the Bounty Paper Towel lady!! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDeDNidI74Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m4JCV5SmZQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZj4l0clvNo

[scotsguy]

Thanks for posting these,never seen them.

When Nancy Walker left "MacMillan And Wife",Rock Hudson made a comment about Mildred(Nancy)opening a diner somewhere,get the joke now,lol!

[catlover79]

My pleasure!! :D

[DJM77]

Nancy was starring in the Fox sitcom True Colors when she died. I was a fan of that show and she was great in it. The show was canceled about a month after her death. I didn't even know she was sick. Her death came as a complete shock to me. :(

I remember being in 8th grade and hearing someone at school saying something about the "old woman from True Colors" dying. That's all I knew Nancy Walker as then. I loved True Colors. I watched it every week. It wasn't until the late 90's that I saw her on reruns of Rhoda and Blansky's Beauties.