'The Sopranos' Star Rae Allen Dies In Her Sleep; Celebrities React
“The Sopranos” star Rae Allen has died. She was 95. The veteran actress, best known for her role in “The Sopranos,” “A League of Their Own,” “All in the Family,” and “Damn Yankees,” died peacefully in her sleep early Wednesday morning.
Her talent manager, Kyle Fritz of Kyle Fritz Management, confirmed her death in a statement.
“I had the pleasure of representing Rae Allen for over 20 years,” he said. “She was one of the most gifted actresses I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I will be forever grateful to have been a part of her incredible journey.”
Born in Brooklyn in 1926, Allen studied drama at HM Studio in Greenwich Village and later at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She began her acting career in 1958 when she played reporter Gloria Thorpe in the Oscar-nominated musical comedy “Damn Yankees.” She went on to play the role in the 1955 Broadway adaptation of the film, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award the following year.
In 1965, Allen received a nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in the play “Traveler Without Luggage.” She won the same award in 1971 for “And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little.”
Among her other most notable roles in TV and film are “The Untouchables,” “Soap,” “Lou Grant,” “Profiles in Courage,” “The Tiger Makes Out,” “Where’s Poppa?” and “Taking Off.” Some of her latest appearances include “Seinfeld,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “NYPD Blue.”
Many celebrities took to social media to honor the late actress. On Wednesday, the New York Times author Benjamin Dreyer wrote on Twitter, “Goodbye to wonderful Rae Allen.”
American actor Jonathan Del Arco also paid tribute to Allen, writing, “Goodbye teacher and friend. You lived fiercely and with a sense of humor. I once put my drink down a coaster while visiting her and noticed it was her Tony! She quipped ‘I really gotta get that thing fixed, in the meantime it’s useful don’t you think?’”
The bereaved family has yet to announce the times and dates of her memorial services on both coasts, according to People.
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