The Everybody Loves Raymond cast came together on Monday, November 24th, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the show and to honor the memory of their late co-stars.
Phil Rosenthal created the beloved US sitcom, which features Ray Romano as Ray Barone, a sportswriter residing with his wife Debra (played by Patricia Heaton) and their three children. Their home is conveniently located across the street from Ray’s domineering parents, Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts).
The show left no family stone unturned, as it humorously explored marriage, parenting, and the relatable love-hate dynamics of families, all set in a Long Island suburb.
Broadcast on CBS from September 1996 through May 2005, the series ran for nine seasons with 210 episodes. During its run, it garnered 15 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, securing its spot as one of television’s most beloved sitcoms.
Tragically, several cast members have passed since the series ended. On Monday night, surviving members of the cast reunited, remembering their former colleagues with fondness.
The following are the 23 actors from Everybody Loves Raymond who have since passed away.
Sawyer Sweeten portrayed Geoffrey Barone, one of Ray and Debra’s twin sons, throughout the show’s nine seasons, appearing in 142 episodes in total.
He shared the screen alongside his real-life siblings, his identical twin brother Sullivan, and their older sister Madylin Sweeten.
Sadly, in April 2015, Sawyer took his own life at the young age of 19.
During the reunion, Romano described Sawyer as ‘this bright energy.’
Reflecting on his tragic passing, Sawyer’s twin Sullivan mentioned, “None of us really expected what happened, but I try to think about the good moments.”
“And oftentimes, that’s here on the set.”
Madylin emphasized the significance of discussing suicide prevention while remembering her late brother.
“We’re very passionate in our family about suicide prevention. It is the second leading cause of death between ages 18 to 25. But 90 percent of people who seek treatment are cured,” she shared.
Doris Roberts took on the role of Ray’s intrusive mother Marie in the hit sitcom.
Her portrayal earned her four Emmy awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Roberts passed away in her sleep following a stroke in April 2016 at the age of 90.
During the special reunion, creator Phil Rosenthal reminisced about how over 100 women auditioned for Marie’s part, but none matched Roberts’ talent.
“She was what was in my head and in my life and was so beyond,” he remarked. “My real mother used to say, ‘You know it is a little exaggerated.’ But you never saw that with Doris because she was always spot on. She was always 100 percent believable.”
Peter Boyle, who played Frank, Ray’s father, was also remembered during the reunion.
He succumbed to a bone marrow cancer known as multiple myeloma and heart disease in December 2006 at the age of 71.
Romano shared a moving story about Boyle’s supportive nature during the filming of the show’s pilot.
When noticing Romano’s anxiety, Boyle comforted him by saying, “It’s just like water. Just let it flow.”
Reflecting on Boyle’s words during the reunion, Romano noted, “At that time, I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ And even though as an actor, I didn’t know exactly what that meant, but I do now. Just the gesture, the gesture of him reaching out to me.”
Georgia Engel portrayed Pat MacDougall, Amy’s mother, on the series from 2003 to 2005.
Engel passed away in April 2019 in Princeton, New Jersey, at the age of 70.
Her cause of death was not disclosed due to her religious beliefs preventing her from seeking medical treatment.
Fred Willard portrayed Hank MacDougall, Amy’s father, appearing in 13 episodes between 2003 and 2005.
Willard passed away in May 2020 due to cardiac arrest, with underlying coronary artery disease and myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer, at the age of 86.
Katherine Helmond played Debra’s mom, Lois, in 14 episodes from 1996 to 2004.
She passed away in February 2019 at her Los Angeles home due to Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 89.
Robert Culp portrayed Warren Wheelan, Debra’s father, appearing in 11 episodes between 1996 and 2004.
He collapsed while walking near the entrance to Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles and was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after, due to a heart attack, at the age of 79.
Rita Stipe was portrayed by actress Anne Meara, appearing in two episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond between 1998 and 2000.
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