Doris Roberts

Nine years as ‘Marie Barone' on "Everybody Loves Raymond," brought DORIS ROBERTS international accolades as the most popular comedic actress in television.

Doris knew she would become an actress at the age of 6 when she played a potato in her school play and got laughs from the audience, initiating a continuing love affair between her and the theatre that would be recognized with 30 years of such award-winning performances as Terence O'Malley's "Bad Habits" and Neil Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers." While consistently conquering Broadway, she was equally in demand for dozens of motion pictures, among them such classics as "Hester Street" and "The Rose."

When Lily Tomlin coaxed her into television for "The Lily Tomlin Show," she immediately conquered the medium, later costarring with Pierce Brosnan in "Remington Steele," as well as a guest star in many of the most popular series and specials, several of them written for her. Creating the role of ‘Marie Barone' in the historic nine-year run of "Everyone Loves Raymond," she became a beloved national household name that has made her an internationally popular figure in the 160 countries where the series airs today.

Roberts, who boasts four Emmy's® for "Raymond" alone and a fifth for her dramatic portrayal as a victim of homelessness on "St. Elsewhere," continued her long career of diverse performances, by costarring as Ashley Tisdale's grandmother in the highly touted Twentieth Century-Fox blockbuster, "Aliens in the Attic." Just as that picture was going into release, she signed for the title role in The Hallmark Channel tearjerker, "Mrs. Miracle," based on the best- selling Debbie Macomber book.

Earlier she jumped into the title role of the Fox youth market comedy "Grandma's Boy," then was snatched by Miramax to star opposite Garry Marshall in "Keeping Up With the Steins." Her accomplishments in every medium in the entertainment industry, have brought her every award possible, including five Emmy's®, three Best Actress awards from Viewers For Quality Television, The American Film Institute citation as one of the five top actresses on television, TV Guide and critics' awards from throughout the country. She has been honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has a street named for her in her native Bronx. When she spent several months filming and generously participating in community affairs in New Zealand, the country placed her on their own Wall of Fame.

Highly active in philanthropy, Doris was a forerunner in the fight against AIDS as one of the founders of the industry-wide S.T.A.G.E Hollywood fundraiser and her own annual "Children Affected By AIDS" comedy gala, raising millions of dollars for AIDS relief. She toured underprivileged countries to aid the needy when the Secretary of State named her a U.S. Cultural Ambassador. In a continuous campaign to abolish ageism, she made headlines when she addressed the U.S. Congress, stating, "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you were in my profession, you couldn't get a job. For all of these reasons and more, people worldwide often think "Everybody Loves Doris" when they think of Doris Roberts.

© 2012 Lionsgate