April 15 (UPI) — Liz Sheridan, best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld’s mother in the hit eponymous sitcom, has died just days after celebrating her 93rd birthday.
The veteran actress died in her sleep overnight of natural causes in New York City, her longtime friend and manager Amanda Hendon told Deadline and NBC News.
Her death was confirmed by Jerry Seinfeld in a tweet who called Sheridan “always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for.” “Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her,” the comedian said.
The television show’s Twitter account posted “How could anyone not like you,” citing one of her iconic lines from the series, after her death was announced.
Sheridan was already a veteran actress by the time she first appeared as Helen Seinfeld in the nihilistic NBC series in 1990. She would appear as Seinfeld’s overprotective mother in 21 episodes of the hit show through its conclusion in 1998.
Before her successful Hollywood career, Sheridan got her start as a dancer in the 1950s and had a romantic relationship with James Dean chronicled in her 2000 book Dizzy and Jimmy: My Life with James Dean.
She later went on to appear in Broadway plays and musicals, such as Happy End with Christopher Lloyd and Meryl Streep in 1977 – the same year she landed her first television role as a guest on Kojak.
Sheridan went on to land dozens more roles in TV series and made-for-TV movies before beginning her recurring role as Raquel Ochmonek on Alf in 1986.
Her death comes after Estelle Harris, who played George Costanza’s mother Estelle, died last week.
Sheridan also voiced the character Mrs. Stillman in seven episodes of the animated series Mrs. Stillman, starring comedian Louie Anderson who died in January.
