Georgia Bright Engel (July 28, 1948 – April 12, 2019) was an American actress and comedian.
She played Georgette Franklin Baxter in the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 to 1977, Pat MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, and Mamie Sue on Hot in Cleveland from 2012 to 2015. She was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards and a BAFTA award.
Early life Georgia Engel was born on July 28, 1948, in Washington, D.C. She was the daughter of Ruth Caroline (née Hendron) and Benjamin Franklin Engel, who was a vice admiral in the United States Coast Guard. Engel attended a school in Kodiak, Alaska, Walter Johnson High School in North Bethesda, Maryland, and the Academy of the Washington Ballet from which she graduated. She earned a theater degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Career
After college, Engel appeared in musical productions with Washington's American Light Opera Company. She moved to New York City in 1969, appearing off-Broadway in Lend an Ear, and for a year as Minnie Fay in the Broadway production of Hello, Dolly!, starting in December 1969." Hello, Dolly! Cast replacements" Playbill (vault), accessed March 31, 2016 A 1971 off-Broadway production of The House of Blue Leaves eventually played in Los Angeles, where Engel was seen by Mary Tyler Moore and her husband, producer Grant Tinker, her soon-to-be employers.Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: Chatting with Drowsy's Georgia Engel PLUS Audra McDonald and [title of show] on Disc" Playbill, August 11, 2006
Engel portrayed the character Georgette on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 until the sitcom ended in 1977.The Mary Tyler Moore Show museum.tv, accessed March 31, 2016 The role won her two Emmy nominations. After that sitcom ended, she teamed up with former Mary Tyler Moore Show co-star Betty White for The Betty White Show during its only (1977–78) season. She later co-starred on two short-lived 1980s sitcoms, Goodtime Girls as Loretta Smoot,Terrace, Vincent. "Goodtime Girls", Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2, VNR AG, 1985, , p. 174 and in Jennifer Slept Here featuring Ann Jillian."Two New Fantasy TV Shows Make Unimaginative Debuts". The Toledo Blade. November 4, 1983. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
Engel had a recurring role on Coach as Shirley Burleigh, and starred as the voice of Love-a-Lot Bear in The Care Bears Movie (1985). She played a good witch in a 2007 recurring role of Esmeralda on the now-defunct NBC soap opera Passions. Engel received consecutive Emmy Award nominations as outstanding guest actress in a comedy series in 2003, 2004, and 2005 for her role on Everybody Loves Raymond as Robert Barone's mother-in-law, Pat MacDougall."Georgia Engel Emmy" emmys.com, accessed March 31, 2016
Engel made her "big screen" debut in Miloš Forman's first English-language movie Taking Off (1971), playing "Margot", a performance that earned her a BAFTA nomination for best supporting actress. Her other film appearances include The Outside Man (1973),The Outside Man tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 Papa Was a Preacher (1987), Papa Was a Preacher tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 Signs of Life (1989),Signs of Life tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 The Sweetest Thing (2002),The Sweetest Thing tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 and the made-for-TV movies The Day the Women Got Even (1980)The Day the Women Got Even tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 and A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story (1978).A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016
She lent her distinctive voice to the animated films Open Season (2006),Open Season tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 Open Season 2 (2008),Open Season2 tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 Open Season 3 (2010)Open Season 3 tcm.com, accessed March 31, 2016 and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001). Engel returned to her stage roots in 2006, appearing on Broadway in the musical The Drowsy Chaperone, with Sutton Foster and Edward Hibbert. She created the role of Mrs. Tottendale, which she continued to perform, leaving the Broadway production as of April 1, 2007.Jones, Kenneth. Lovely in the End: Georgia Engel Exits Drowsy Chaperone April 1 "Lovely in the End: Georgia Engel Exits Drowsy Chaperone' April 1"] playbill.com, April 1, 2007 She was featured in the North American tour, performing in Toronto in September 2007,Jones, Kenneth. "Georgia Engel to Star in Drowsy Tour; Additional Dates Revealed" Playbill, July 5, 2007 Retrieved January 2, 2022 through engagements at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco, in August 2008,Richter, Judy. " The Drowsy Chaperone, San Francisco" aislesay.com, accessed August 2, 2015 and at the Denver Performing Arts Complex in October 2008.Moore, John. " 'Drowsy Chaperone' Embodies Georgia Engel's Optimism" Denver Post, October 10, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2022
For the summers of 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010, Engel appeared in various productions at The Muny Theater in Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri. She also appeared in Show Boat in August 2010 as Parthy.Gans, Andrew. Gary Beach, Georgia Engel, Danny Gurwin, Michel Bell Ride a Show Boat at the Muny Starting Aug. 9" playbill.com, August 9, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2022 In July 2005, she appeared in Mame as Agnes Gooch,Teachout, Terry. "A Hot Time in the Old Town" Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2005 in June 2007, she appeared in Oklahoma! as Aunt Eller,Lipton, Brian Scott. "Brown, Callaway, Engel, Hocking, Jue, et al. Set for the Muny", theatermania.com, May 7, 2007, accessed August 2, 2015 and in July 2009, she appeared as Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man.
In June 2010, Engel appeared at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, Maine, production of The Drowsy Chaperone as Mrs. Tottendale.Peter, Thomas. Kressley, Engel and Larsen Headline 'The Drowsy Chaperone' at Ogunquit Playhouse" Playbill, June 9, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2022 In October through December 2010, Engel was featured in the Vineyard Theatre's off-Broadway production of Middletown, written by Will Eno." 'Middletown': Georgia Engel & Michael Park join cast" Retrieved 17 June 2015" 'Middletown' Listing" vineyard.com, accessed August 3, 2015
In 2012, she appeared in episodes of The Office as Irene, an older lady being helped by Erin Hannon (Ellie Kemper). She also appeared in two episodes of Two and a Half Men as the mother of Lyndsey McElroy, Alan's girlfriend. The character also became a lesbian lover of Alan's mom, Evelyn.'Two and a Half Men': Georgia Engel cast as Evelyn's lesbian love interest , March 5, 2012 In March 2012, 35 years after the close of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Engel was reunited with Betty White in the third season of Hot in Cleveland as Mamie Sue Johnson, best friend of White's character Elka, in a recurring role.Alyse Whitney. "The TVLine-Up: TV Worth Watching Wednesday", TVLine, March 28, 2012
Engel appeared in John, an Annie Baker play which opened Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre on July 22, 2015 (previews), directed by Sam Gold. The play ran to September 6, 2015.Clement, Olivia. "Annie Baker and Sam Gold Reunite for World Premiere of 'John' " Playbill, June 18, 2015 The cast also featured Lois Smith.Clement, Olivia. "World Premiere of New Annie Baker and Sam Gold Collaboration, 'John', Begins Tonight" Playbill, July 22, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2022 Engel won a 2016 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress and was nominated for the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play for her role in this play."2016 Lucille Lortel Award Nominations Announced" Playbill, March 30, 2016
Engel starred in the musical Gotta Dance, which premiered at the Bank of America Theatre, Chicago, on December 13, 2015, and ran until January 17, 2016. The cast also featured Stefanie Powers, Lillias White, and André De Shields. The musical was directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with a book by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, and the score by Matthew Sklar and Nell Benjamin.Viagas, Robert. "Broadway-Bound Gotta Dance, Starring Lillias White, André De Shields and Georgia Engel, Bows in Chicago" Playbill, December 13, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2022 The musical, under the new title of Half Time, played a limited engagement at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. The production opened on May 31, 2018, and was scheduled to run to July 1, 2018.Hetrick, Adam. "New Musical 'Half Time', Starring André De Shields, Georgia Engel, Donna McKechnie, and Lillias White, Begins Paper Mill Run" Playbill, May 31, 2018
Personal life and death Engel was an adherent of Christian Science. She died on April 12, 2019, at the age of 70 in Princeton, New Jersey. Her friend John Quilty told The New York Times that the cause was unknown, as Engel did not consult doctors due to her religious beliefs. She was buried at Cape Charles Cemetery in Cape Charles, Virginia.
Filmography Film Year Film RoleNotes1971Taking OffMargotNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role1972The Outside ManMrs. Joan Barnes1978A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig StoryClaire RuthTV film1980The Day the Women Got EvenKathy Scott1983The Magic of Herself the ElfWillow SongVoice; Television special1985Papa Was a Preacher'Mama' PorterThe Care Bears MovieLove-a-Lot BearVoice1989Signs of LifeBetty2001Dr. Dolittle 2GiraffeVoice2002The Sweetest ThingVera2006Open SeasonBobbieVoiceBoog and Elliot's Midnight Bun RunVoice; Short film2007NunsensationsSr. Marie EugeneVideoThe BeastDorisTV movie2008Open Season 2BobbieVoice2010Open Season 32013Grown Ups 2Mrs. Jayne Lamonsoff2016The Family LampMarshaTV film2018GroomzillaGrandma Gigi
Television Year Title RoleNotes1972–77The Mary Tyler Moore ShowGeorgette Franklin Baxter56 episodesNominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1976–77)1974RhodaGeorgette Franklin1 episode: "Rhoda's Wedding"1975Dinah!Herself1 episodeThe Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts1 episode S1, E26The Mike Douglas Show3 episodes1975–76Tony Orlando and Dawn1977The Jacksons1 episode1977–78The Betty White ShowMitzi Maloney14 episodes1977–82The Love BoatCleo Bagby4 episodes1978–83Fantasy IslandBrenda Rappaport5 episodes1979Mork & MindyAmbrosia Malspar2 episodes1980The AssociatesWendy Turner1 episode: "A Date with Johnny"Goodtime GirlsLoretta Smoot13 episodes1983–84Jennifer Slept HereSusan Elliot1991–97CoachShirley Burleigh17 episodes1992Hi Honey, I'm Home!Georgette Franklin Baxter1 episode: "Elaine Takes a Wife"1998HerculesEvelyn2 episodes2003–05Everybody Loves RaymondPat MacDougall13 episodesPrism Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Series (2006)Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2003–05)2006The ViewHerself1 episode2007PassionsEsmeralda4 episodes2008The Oprah Winfrey ShowHerself1 episodeEntertainment TonightHerself2012The OfficeIrene3 episodesTwo and a Half MenJean2 episodes2012–15Hot in ClevelandMamie Sue Johnson18 episodes2018One Day at a TimeSister Barbara1 episode: "Homecoming"
Stage