Frances Sternhagen Dead at 93

If you were a “Cheers” or “Sex in the City” fan, this is not a good day.

Frances Sternhagen, who had recurring roles on both of those shows, has passed away.

She was 93 years old.

Cliff’s Mom

I loved “Cheers” and we all remember all of Cliff’s rants about his mom.

Believe it or not, Sternhagen only actually appeared in a handful of episodes during the entire run of the show, but Cliff mentioned his mom in just about every episode, which made her appearances all that more memorable.

Frances Sternhagen also played Bunny on “Sex in the City,” another role for which people remember her.

While most remember those two roles, they may not realize Sternhagen actually had more than 70 acting credits to her resume between TV and film roles, not to mention she had roles in several blockbuster movies.

Over and above that, she was a phenomenal stage actress, nominated for a Tony award for seven different roles, and brought the hardware home twice.

She won the award in 1974 for “The Doctor,” and again in 1995 for “The Heiress.”

She was also nominated for “The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window,” “Equus,” “Angel,” “On Golden Pond,” and “Morning’s at Seven.”

Her family released a statement to the media confirming her death, stating, “Frannie, as she was known to her family, friends, and colleagues was a hardworking, award-winning, beloved, and celebrated actress for over 60 years.

“Her foundation was the theater, but she was known for roles in film, television, and spoken arts. She was versatile – adept at comedy as well as drama, character roles, and leading ladies.”

This woman’s range was amazing, and I am not just talking about her going from TV to the big screen to the stage.

She could handle any role given to her and make the transition from comedy to drama seamlessly.

Rest in peace, Frances, and thanks for all the memories.