Many happy returns to Katherine Helmond, erstwhile matriarch of the "Tate" clan in 70s fave TV series Soap, who is 85 years old today.
"Women have been brought up to be passive, accepting, not come forward and play a major role in life. And with age, there's a tendency to revert to that - to pull back, recede. I don't think it's advisable or admirable."
"I'd really like to show women my age - who've had children grow up or lost husbands or retired after working all their lives - that there are options. There are choices. We don't have to just sit around and be invisible."
And "invisible" she certainly was not as the uber-camp matriarch in Terry Gilliam's Brazil...
We adore Miss Helmond!
Katherine Marie Helmond (born 5th July 1929)
I adore Miss Helmond, too!
ReplyDeleteShe, and her hunky husband David Christian... Jx
DeleteLoved Soap and she was my favourite character - Happy Birthday to her x
ReplyDeleteShe is a role model for us all! Jx
DeleteShe's 85? Dear god!
ReplyDeleteI was a bit too young to remember her in Soap, but I loved her in Who's The Boss. I might have to get Soap on DVD...
It was an utterly fab series at the time, but I think British TV tuned down the canned laughter when it was originally broadcast here (it was eliminated altogether for another huge hit import M*A*S*H). I tried watching a repeat showing on cable a few years back of the US version, and it was unbearable. Good luck! Jx
DeleteThanks, I'll keep an eye out...
ReplyDelete