Caroline McWilliams Dies at 64

[Scotty]

Link: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway_Vet_Caroline_McWilliams_Dies_at_64_20010101

[Vee]

I loved her on Soap. I do remember her thankless role as Ray Pruit's mom on 90210 though - it started as sweet down-home lady and ended on "how dare you get mad at mah son for beatin' you? Stop eyein' my lemon drink!"

[DRW50]

A few of us were talking about this on the signature thing or whatever it's called.

I loved her on Soap. That was the first time I'd seen her. Thanks to her voice and her sultry looks, she was very sexy without having to work at it, and she was blackmailed into allowing Burt to think they'd have a one night stand. After the blackmail was exposed, she and Burt kissed goodbye, and they kept on kissing, and finally she got out of the house before anything would happen for real.

She was also on St. Elsewhere, for one episode, as a lesbian friend of Annie Cavanero's. I saw the reruns on TV Land and I was so surprised and happy when she showed up, but sadly it was just the one episode.

I don't remember her role on Benson, just her being low-key.

I wish her GL work was available. She was married to Ken Norris, right? And didn't she have ties to Roger and Ed? I wonder if Rita was a replacement for her. Ed and Roger both had those complex relationships with Holly, Rita, et al.

[R Sinclair]

As my grandmama used to say, "People dyin' today that ain't nevah died before!"

It's just one after the other after the other, lately. Life... so long and simple, yet so damn short and complicated.

It's funny you say that. I never knew her name so itdidn't ring any bells. But, the minute I saw "Benson" in the sub-title, I knew exactly who it was before I opened the thread.

[All My Shadows]

I loved her as Sally on SOAP. If people were worried that she wouldn't be a good comedic actress after making a name on real soaps, I'm sure she proved them wrong because she was hilarious. I wish SOAP was on TV somewhere even though it's on DVD because it was really a great show.

I also liked her on 90210 as Luann, but only in the beginning, when she was all excited because Ray and Donna got her tickets for the real life Love Boat.

RIP! It always breaks my heart when these unsung vets of television leave us

[SFK]

I'm like R., I couldn't have i.d.'d her by name alone, but when I saw Carl mention Benson and her voice in his status update yesterday, it all came together.

I remember reading AW fans' recollections on WoST, and again, never realized that it was she who played Iris' friend Tracy DeWitt. As they told it, Iris was lounging on her chaise and picked up her rotary French phone to dial up the operator (using a pen as not to ruin her manicure). She asked for Tracy DeWitt in Washington, D.C. A pause as the operator said something to her, then, "Yes, I know I could dial the number myself, but then what are you here for dear?"

[DRW50]

Then they recast her with Janice Lynde a few years later. Didn't they also change the character around?

[TC]

RIP

I remember her from Benson.

Da da da

fart fart fart fart

[Paul Raven]

Yes,Tracey was on only on January to March 86.

then they decided to resurrect the character with Janice Lynde.it was rather an odd move.

[Scotty]

I didn't catch her on Soap, but I liked her on Benson. That was such a good show.

[TC]

Benson was my grandmother's favorite show, probably because they made the German woman look so bad.

I remember when Marcy finaly got married to "some guy" who was so handsome at the time - Ted Danson

[All My Shadows]

The AWHP says that Caroline played her from Jan-March 1976, and then Janice was brought in to play her from 1979-1981, after Caroline had already gone on to Soap and Benson.