The Nanny and The Dick Van Dyke Show actress, Ann Morgan Guilbert, has passed away in Los Angeles, after losing a battle to cancer. Her daughter confirmed her death to the Associated Press. Fans have mourned her death in social media.
Guilbert started portraying roles since the beginning of the 1950s. However, her most known acting role was in the 60s, when she played the loving character of Millie, in the Dick Van Dyke Show, a friend, and neighbor of Mary Tyler Moore’s character.
The actress was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota and started her career as an actress when she attended Stanford University’s school of theater and arts. Her first performance was in the Billy Barnes Revues in the 1950s.
Life in the show business
Guilbert appeared in 63 episodes of the Dick Van Dyke Show, from 1961 to 1966. After that, she made several guest appearances on many TV shows such as The Andy Griffith Show, Love, American Style, That Girl, Seinfeld, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
In the 1990’s, she played the role of the almost deaf, grandmother Yetta, on the Nanny for 45 episodes from 1993 to 1999 and came back for the reunion of the show.
In 1953 the actress married George Eckstein, who she met back in her Stanford years and who later was a Hollywood writer and producer. Eckstein was most known during the 60s and the 80s. He made several popular shows at the time, such as The Invaders and The Name of the Game.
Eckstein helped the actress along her career and moved with her to Los Angeles to pursue her long dream of being on TV.
Guilbert and Eckstein were married from 1953 until 1966 when they divorced. The couple had two daughters, Hallie Todd, who is a TV actress, writer, and producer, known for her role as Lizzie McGuire’s mom in the Disney show. Nora Eckstein is also Guilbert’s and Eckstein’s daughter. She is also in the business as an acting coach.
Ann Morgan Guilbert, also appeared in different films from 1962 to 2010, some of which are Sour Grapes, Amelia Earhart, Second Chance, Viva Max, How Sweet It Is, A Guide for the Married Man, Two for the Seesaw and You’re Only Young Once.
The actress also appeared on Broadway in plays such as A Naked Girl, Waiting for Godot and To Kill a Mockingbird.
The hashtag #Yetta and #TheNanny is filled with messages of Gilbert’s fans, mourning the actress and celebrating her 40 years in the entertainment business and the loving characters she played during those years.
There has been no announcement of funeral services so far.
Source: People