Veteran Actress Helen Siff Dies at 88

Helen Siff, a veteran character actress celebrated for her memorable supporting roles in films and television over five decades, died Thursday in Los Angeles. She was 88.

Siff passed away from complications following surgery for a long and painful illness, her family announced in a statement. The actress, known for bringing depth to even brief appearances, left behind a legacy of professionalism and warmth on sets across Hollywood.

Born in 1937 in Woodmere, New York, Siff entered the industry in the mid-1970s with her first commercial, a Subaru advertisement filmed alongside her identical twin sister, Carol. Her onscreen debut came in 1981 with a guest role on the CBS drama series Lou Grant, a spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. From there, she built a steady career in television, appearing in more than 70 projects. Early credits included episodes of Cagney & Lacey, Silver Spoons, L.A. Law, Highway to Heaven, Knots Landing and Dragnet.

In the 1990s and beyond, Siff's television work expanded to include popular sitcoms such as Ellen, Married... with Children, Scrubs, Will & Grace, My Name Is Earl, Dharma & Greg and Modern Family. She portrayed Josie in a memorable episode of...