Vale: Liz Sheridan

Veteran actor Liz Sheridan, best known for Seinfeld and ALF, has died, aged 93.

She died in her sleep of natural causes at her home in New York City five days after her birthday.

Sheridan played Jerry Seinfeld’s mother in 21 episodes of Seinfeld from 1990 – 1998 opposite Barney Martin, who played Jerry’s father, Morty. She featured in both the first and last episodes of the series.

Sheridan was a dancer living in the Rehearsal Club, when she met a young James Dean, aged just 20. An attraction grew with Dean once proposing marriage and asking her to accompany him to Hollywood.

It was “just kind of magical,” she said in 1996. “It was the first love for both of us.”

She made her onscreen debut on a 1977 episode of Kojak followed by Archie Bunker’s Place, St. Elsewhere, One Day at a Time, Newhart, Moonlighting, Herman’s Head, Family Ties, Hill Street Blues, Empty Nest and Life With Louie.

She also played the nosy neighbour Mrs. Ochmonek on 4 seasons of ALF, spying on the Tanner family and nearly discovering the existence of the wise-cracking alien they were hiding.

“Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for. Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her,” said Jerry Seinfeld.

Her death comes less than 2 weeks after the passing of Seinfeld co-star, Estelle Harris.

Source: Hollywood Reporter