Veteran actress Helen Siff, who appeared in the likes ofMarried… With Children,Will & Grace, andModern Family, has died. She was 88.
According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Siff passed away on Thursday (December 18) in Los Angeles, California, due to complications from surgery for a "long, painful illness."
"Those who worked with Helen knew her not just as a talented performer, but as someone who brought professionalism, dedication and genuine kindness to every set," Siff's family said in a statement toTHR. "She understood that every role, no matter how large or small, was an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to the story being told."
Siff's four-decade-plus on-screen career began in 1981 with an appearance in the CBS drama seriesLou Grant. She'd continue to pop up in TV series throughout the 1980s, including roles inCagney & Lacey,Silver Spoons,L.A. Law,Highway to Heaven,Simon & Simon, andDoogie Howser, M.D.
In the 1990s, Siff originated the role of Helga in a 1993 off-Broadway production ofGrandma Sylvia's Funeral. Her stage work also included roles inLilies of the Field, Lost in Yonkers, andOver the River and Through the Woods.
She'd also continue to make TV appearances, starring in shows such asKnots Landing,Ellen,Dragnet,Sister, Sister,Mad About You, and a two-episode run on the hit sitcomMarried… With Children.
Her roles in the 2000s includedSpin City,Scrubs,Will & Grace,The Tracy Morgan Show,My Name Is Earl, and more.
On the big screen, Siff played a cashier in John G. Avildsen'sThe Karate Kid(1984), a woman named Mrs. Skitzer inYou Don't Mess With the Zohan(2008), and a maid in the Coen brothers'Hail, Caesar!(2016).
Her more recent roles include appearances inS.W.A.T.,Mom,Curb Your Enthusiasm,Good Trouble, andHigh Desert.
"She had the rare gift of making even the smallest part memorable," Siff's family added.
She is survived by her sisters, Carol and Janet; her son, Matt; her daughters, Susie, Karen, Victoria, and Jenny; and her grandchildren, Chelsea, Zach, Robert, Josh, Spencer, Megan, and Dean. She is predeceased by her husband of 41 years, Marshall Siff, who died in 2007, and a son, Bruce, who died in 1999.
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